Labyrinth: Immaculata Monastery and Spiritual Center, Norfolk, NE

Location: 300 N. 18th St., Norfolk, NE

Date Visited: August 26. 2023

I was in Norfolk (pronounced "Norfolk" in Nebraska) for a music jam at a friend's house, and I stopped at the monastery on my way home.  I've been wanting to visit here for a while.  This is a very nice, large labyrinth in a beautiful location. I want to go back and spend more time there.

Labyrinth: Austin Congregational UCC Church

Location: 1910 3rd Ave. NW, Austin, MN

Date Visited: August 20, 2023

I stopped here on the way home from the Southeast Minnesota Bluegrass Festival.  When I got there, I saw a man walking and asked him if there was a labyrinth there.  "No," he said decidedly.  I'm sure he had no idea what a labyrinth was, so I tried to explain it.  He just said "Come back tomorrow."  Well, that wouldn't work, since I was just passing through.  He told me he lived next door to the church and walked in the neighborhood often. I walked around the corner of the church and found a lovely labyrinth.  It was sad that he lived next door and didn't even know it was there.

Labyrinth: Gallilean Lutheran Church, Clear Lake, Iowa

Location: 4454 255th St., Clear Lake, Iowa 

Date Visited: May 21, 2023

This is a mowed path. I think it will be better when the grass around it has grown a little more. It has an entryway, a gazebo in the middle with a bench, and psalms posted along the path. You can do lectio divina while you walk.

Labyrinth: All Saints Episcopal Church, Omaha

Location: 9302 Blondo St., Omaha, NE  68134

Date Visited: April 8, 2023

This one is made of different colors of brick and is square with right angles. Consequently, there are more turns. One way I use a labyrinth is to think of a different thing I am thankful for every time I come to a turn on my way in and a different thing or person to pray for every time I come to a turn on my way out. So more turns made me think quickly.

Nearby was a lovely stations of the cross.

I love that the stations of the cross finished with an icon of the Resurrection.

Because it was spring, I also enjoyed the beauty of the daffodils.

Labyrinth: First Central Christian Church, Omaha

Location: 421 South 36th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68131-3899

Date Visited: March 5, 2023

A nice large labyrinth painted on the church patio.  It was a little weird walking the labyrinth while people were coming and going from their meeting.

Labyrinth: Trinity United Methodist Church, Lincoln, Nebraska

Location: 7130 Kentwell Lane, Lincoln, Nebraska 68516

Date Visited: February 5, 2023

A nice gravel labyrinth on a hill. I like the rock on the middle. A nice place to sit and pray. As I was leaving, a family stopped in. While it was no longer a meditative atmosphere, it was fun to see the kids running around and having fun.

There was also a prayer garden with a beautiful spinning leaves sculptue.  A very nice place to be.

Labyrinth: Regis Middle School, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Location: 735 Prairie Drive Northeast, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52402

Date Visited: October 29, 2022

This was my favorite labyrinth of the day. It’s located on a hill of the campus of a Catholic middle school, I liked the spiritual focus of this labyrinth. Very peaceful and meditative.

I spotted this stone halfway during the walk.

People left stones in remembrance.  I made the cross

The Golden Rule on a bench:

I loved this series of sayings etched in stone at a labyrinth I visited last year. I often think about people who have touched my life. Some are one-time encounters; some stay for a season; and some remain for a lifetime. All are important. You can tell I visited it in the fall. The beautiful leaves in the last photo just add to the beauty of the saying.

Labyrinth: Cedar River Academy

Location:  720 7th Avenue SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404

Date visited: October 29, 2022

A unique hand-shaped labyrinth on an elementary school playground. There were some kids there who asked me if I drove all the way from Lincoln just to see the labyrinth.

Public Labyrinth, downtown Cedar Rapids.

Location: 905 3rd St SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401

Date Visited: October 22, 2022

A simple labyrinth in a downtown park. Very clean and an easy introduction to labyrinths.  It was refreshing to see one in a public park. I wasn't sure if I was allowed to park in the nearby parking lot.  At first I thought a cement area was the labyrinth, but it was not.  Perhaps it was an ice rink.  I was pleased when I found the labyrinth.

Labyrinth: Indian Creek Nature Center, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Location: 5300 Otis Rd SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52403

Date Visited: October 29, 2022

This labyrinth is not for the faint of heart. The entire path is a half a mile. There were some kids there who called it a maze and were running and changing directions. It was like the tortoise and the hare. I kept on going, while they ran in circles and finally gave up and cut through the grass. Slow and steady conquers the labyrinth. Thankfully there is a direct path out of the labyrinth. Not the most meditative labyrinth journey under the circumstances, but still a cool experience.