Since 1982, Sparrow Hawk Village has offered its 440 acres as a
consecrated
blessing of holy consciousness honoring divine facets of human
potential,
blending matter and Spirit.
The international spiritual community was planned to reflect a lifestyle
of
aesthetics, harmony and peace applying universal principles to evoke
symmetry and beauty for the well-being of humanity.
Its educational focus provides a supportive environment for the practice
of
ethical living and fosters personal growth through the healthy
integration
of art, science and philosophy.
Home to the first labyrinth in the state and one of only two located at
Oklahoma seminaries, Sancta Sophia graces the top of Sparrow Hawk
Mountain
in Tahlequah. Built November 13, 1992, this ancient sacred symbol honors earth energies and was designed to holistically nurture connecting
pathways,
ley lines and the multiplicity of man's etheric temple.
Rev. Carol Parrish, dean of Sancta Sophia and founder of Sparrow Hawk
Village, said honoring earth energies and taking ley lines into
consideration when establishing places of worship strengthens one's
relationship with God and nature.
"Sacred space is created from key links of celestial force. Our chapel
was
designed to draw upon the power source of the leys that form a
star-shaped
energy center below the altar in the sanctuary. The labyrinth is located
on
the extended ley of the chapel center. Sancta's western mountainside is
dotted with points indicating traditional energies evoked in the ascent
to
high consciousness. Thus, we have defined indoor and outdoor meditation
places with unique capabilities which facilitate healing, intuition,
dream
awareness and communion with the High Self."
Parrish said their 7-circuit Classical labyrinth moves much like a
circuit
from left to right and right to left integrating polarities. It helps
one
think, feel and pray about life itself.
"The center of this sacred circle is known as the heart or goal," she
shared. "The heart is the goal, for here we remember the soul's message
-- our reason for being -- deep within. What is our purpose? Why are we here? What is the next step in the enfoldment of our lives?"
Labyrinths can be walked as a rite of passage if one is ready to put the past behind and seek inner direction, embracing the unknown. "Unconscious awareness or hidden truths emerge into consciousness as we explore the mystery within," Parrish said. Walkers often feel an increase of harmony, wholeness, holiness, quietude and accomplishment when stepping into this sacred space. Parrish said the compressed energy of the labyrinth "rises about us, protecting us from outside influences as we turn our attention inward and invoke spiritual assistance."
A labyrinth is not a maze demanding questions, but a path to transcend rational thought. The only choice is whether to step into its magical plane and weave a new tapestry of life. Plunge right in, take a vision quest, get cleansed in the process, travel an unexplored route, nurture novel leadership, listen to the sounds of nature, the silence of the gentle night...but don't forget your umbrella.
Twenty-two people walked the Sparrow Hawk labyrinth beneath a cloudy Cancer full moon holding colorful umbrellas. The moist gravel path crunched underfoot, circuits outlined in white paint glistened by flashlight and tiki torch. Fresh bark soaking up mud around the perimeter helped Villagers and visitors communicate with Mother Earth via droplets of rain. A yellow equal-armed cross just inside the entrance, an astrological symbol for Earth when placed inside a circle, radiated cosmic vibrations, balancing intellect and emotion, renewing spiritual dedication, providing disciplined guidance, transforming creative energies.
"That night walk was beautiful this rainy year. It was as if our souls knew the way to walk even though our eyes could not always see the paths," said Bonita Plymale, Associate Dean of Sancta Sophia Seminary. Maybe the sharp-eyed namesake of the Village led the way. A sparrow hawk is a kestrel falcon who hovers and flies straight upward, symbolic of levitation and ascension. Much like the Christed One who expands human consciousness awakening man's mystical spark of divinity. |
