Artist in the Environment, Linda Gordon will be
running a workshop to create and explore a B10 Labyrinth at St Anne’s Art &
Community Centre in Barnstaple on Saturday 8th June 2013. Saturday 8th
June is UN World Environment Day – what better time to explore your
relationship with North Devon’s UNESCO Biosphere Reserve? Linda Gordon
will use key words from the North Devon Biosphere word cloud on the B10 website
for participants to focus on as they make their labyrinth journey. The word cloud is being built by visitors to
the B10 website who have contributed the word which sums up the Biosphere
Reserve for them. Linda says “Often regarded as a journey into one’s Self and
out again. I personally regard the labyrinth as a sort of ‘locating device’, a
way of grounding myself, and aligning myself with the movement of life (the
laws of nature). Walking a labyrinth lets me know just who I am, and where I am
in the world.I see the Biosphere as a large area of North Devon,
containing a vast diversity of habitat, wildlife and people - all with their
different histories, experiences and requirements. At the same time there is a sense of harmony
and balance – of all aspects working together for the benefit of the
whole. There is a sense of everything
and everyone having their unique character, yet all being intricately
interconnected… a sense that in fact we are all one. The labyrinth seems to be a good metaphor for describing the
Biosphere . There is an obvious parallel
between the focus on wholeness, the awareness of the multi-facetted,
interdependent nature of life and their
function as focal-points for grounding oneself in a place.
I read on the Biosphere website that it is “an area
providing sustainable economic development whilst protecting biological and
cultural diversity”. In my view,
sustainable development is not just about financial growth, vitally important
though that is. The ability of people and nature to flourish and live happily
together is an important component of the health and wealth of an area – hence
the importance of activities that enhance the quality of life for everyone.”
The B10 labyrinth workshop is being held at St Anne’s Art &
Community Centre, Paternoster
Row, Barnstaple EX31 1BH on Saturday 8th June 2013 10 am to 3 pm. Participation cost is £15 and bookings can be
made online at www.lindagordon.org.uk by telephoning Linda on 01237 478875 or emailing lg@lindagordon.org.uk.
For more information on B10 and
to see (and add your own word to) the B10 cloud visit http://www.northdevonb10.org.uk/the-b10-cloud.html
