My experiences with and through the labyrinth continue to delight and amaze me. I decided to make a broom to sweep the labyrinth.
I “knew” that the sweeping portion of the broom would use rosemary, lavender and coyote brush. I also “knew” that the broom handle would be from the tree who spoke to me on my birthday in 2010.
I’d been thinking about making this broom for almost a week now, but kept finding other things to do. This morning, as I was hanging clothes on the line I knew that I needed to just go try to make this broom. So I headed out to the tree to see about finding a branch. I found the perfect branch, with a fork at the bottom about twelve inches apart.
Taking that with me, I headed to the pond where the rosemary and lavender are. Clipping away, enthralled with the incredible smell, I think, “Okay, let’s go make this thing!” And then I notice the coyote brush that was pushing its way through the fence. “Oh yeah, coyote brush!” Not sure why, but okay. . .”
Well, it turns out that coyote brush also smells intoxicating! And, another of its common names is chaparral broom!
I lay the rosemary, then the lavender and then top it with the coyote brush between the fork at the bottom of the stick. Using purple yarn, I start to wrap everything together. Trying to pull it tight, but realizing that this is yarn that we had used to support pea vines last year, I knew that it wasn’t the strongest thing I could use, but it was so beautiful!
The broom is together, everything smells heavenly! I head out to the labyrinth and begin to walk in. I’d already found out that I was to sweep from the center out, so I walked in with broom at my side. Sometimes watching the tip of the broom, and then when that made me too dizzy, looking back at the path.
Passing the copper bowl that I’d placed a few days earlier, I notice that the water has all evaporated away, “Every day.” I hear. Ah, I’m to bring fresh, clear water each day in offering. This bowl is the beginnings of an alter. It’s placed in the notch on the outside of the spirals between the mother and crone spiral. The heart space at the center looks out at this alter spot.
As I was writing that, I realized that I was about to try to describe this piece of wood and didn’t want to have to, so I just headed out to the labyrinth with the piece of wood (it’s the bit on top, with the hole in it). Megan joined me and the two of us created this.
I would have included a picture of the broom, but it fell apart as I was using it! The Crone spiral got swept (and I discovered that coyote brush is perfect for this!), with bits of lavender strewn about as they fell out of the broom. I left most of them there, but gathering up some to put in the center of the alter.
I kept walking, just carrying the broom, through the mother spiral. It was not lost on me that the broom that I had made wasn’t strong enough to sweep the Mother spiral, with all it’s oak leaves and acorns. I’ll be making a new broom, using the broom handle again, with hemp twine instead. And I know that I’ll be making the broom again and again as the herbs in the center die.
In the meantime, the labyrinth smells heavenly! And the alter is starting to come together. It’s becoming more and more magical as I walk and listen.
