World Labyrinth Day

Explore the intricate beauty of labyrinths, revealing pathways that invite contemplation, offering a unique journey within oneself.

A labyrinth is a maze that is typically unicursal and walked by following twisting lines all the way in and then back out again, while praying or meditating. This may include whispering certain memorized prayers or it might be simply a time spent in silence. World Labyrinth Day is here to celebrate the beauty and significance that labyrinths offer to people who want to connect spiritually in this way.

How to Celebrate World Labyrinth Day

Get involved and experience the peace and serenity offered by meditation and prayer when celebrating World Labyrinth Day:

Visit a Labyrinth

The most ideal way to celebrate World Labyrinth Day would be to give one of these prayer mazes a visit, as there are thousands located all over the world. Discover a new one through an online search, using a labyrinth locator tool offered by The Labyrinth Society, or perhaps by asking a local priest, pastor or other spiritual guide.

On World Labyrinth Day, people are invited to “Walk as One at 1”. This acts as an opportunity to walk a prayer labyrinth collectively at 1pm local time, with the purpose of creating a rolling wave of peace and energy passing around the globe, from one time zone to the next.

Those who can’t get out of the house don’t have to be excluded. They may find that making a finger labyrinth is an interesting opportunity to “walk” and pray if the weather or other circumstances do not permit going outside.

Learn About Labyrinths 

People who come from certain religious traditions might already have experience with labyrinths, while others might feel they are a bit of a mystery and be looking to experience something new. One way to dig deeper into World Labyrinth Day might be to consider some of the symbolism of these sacred mazes.

Labyrinths can be related to a pilgrimage, with slow walking that moves deeper into the center, symbolically toward God.

In the past, when some people could not travel to holy sites or lands for pilgrimages, they might walk a labyrinth instead.

A labyrinth only has one entrance and the curves are walked toward the center and then the traveler follows it back out to leave the same way they came.

The paths of labyrinths can be marked with paint on the ground, lines in the sand, stones, or even plants that grow to indicate the path.

History of World Labyrinth Day

Labyrinths have been a part of various cultures throughout ancient history, dating back 4,000 years or more and appearing as mazes or paths that are used for contemplation, meditation and prayer. These sites may have also been part of religious rituals, ceremonies or choreographed dances.

World Labyrinth Day is an international event that was founded by The Labyrinth Society (TLS) in 2009 as a way to promote awareness and encourage people to visit and enjoy labyrinths as part of their spiritual experience. Over the years, various other organizations have been involved with and collaborated on the planning of this day, including the Australian Labyrinth Network (ALN), Veriditas, and the Legacy Labyrinth Project.

To make World Labyrinth Day accessible and memorable, these groups have worked together to provide engaging events, helpful resources, educational opportunities, labyrinth-based research and more. Each year, participants in this day are invited to connect through activities and events, whether joining together or celebrating individually!

Grande Cache Beauty contest, September 1970

Griffiths Trail

This trail has many access points and is a moderate trail that is popular for walking, running and biking. Best for dry season riding (May through October) as there can be wet and muddy spots. Wildlife to watch for including bears and cougars.

view more trail info & map

Talk Like a Grizzled Prospector Day

Talk Like a Grizzled Prospector Day commemorates the start of the  California Gold Rush, which began on January 24, 1848, when James  Marshall discovered gold while building a saw mill for John Sutter, near  what is now Coloma, California. The day has its roots in International Talk Like a Pirate Day, and was inspired by Prospectors Day, which was once held at Knott's Berry Farm each year on January 24. It also was inspired by an episode of the Simpsons with the following exchange:

Bart: That ain't been popular since aught-six, dagnabbit. Homer: Bart, what did I tell you? Bart: No talking like a grizzled 1890's prospector, consarn it.

Common examples of characters talking like grizzled prospectors in popular culture include Dallas McKennon narrating Disneyland's Mine Train Thru Nature's Wonderland and Big Thunder Mountain, Gabby Hayes—both drunk and sober—in many Western films, Gabby Johnson in Blazing Saddles, Will Ferrell as Gus Chiggins on Saturday Night Live, and Walter Huston in The Treasure of Sierra Madre.

Prospectors first came to the Sacramento Valley after Marshall found  flakes of gold in the American River near Sutter's Mill, at the base of  the Sierra Nevada Mountains. At the time there were less than 1,000  non-native inhabitants in California. Newspapers began reporting the  discovery of gold, and by August, 4,000 miners had descended on the  area. The first people that came from outside of the territory came by  boat, and arrived from Oregon, the Sandwich Islands—soon to be called  the Hawaiian Islands, Mexico, Peru, China, and Chili.

In December 1848, President James K. Polk announced a report by  Colonel Richard Mason which spoke of the abundance of gold in  California; this prompted more prospectors to travel to the territory.  Throughout 1849, thousands arrived, either traveling by sea or over  land, and became known as '49ers. Mining towns popped up in the area,  and with them came shops, saloons, and brothels. Many mining towns  became lawless, and San Francisco became an important city in the  territory. By the end of 1849, the non-native population had swelled to  100,000. The Gold Rush helped California gain statehood in 1850, and  gold discovery peaked in the state in 1852. In all, more than 750,000  pounds of gold were extracted during the Gold Rush.

The implication of a grizzled prospector is of one who has stayed so  long searching for gold that their hair has turned gray. Some  prospectors refused to quit the profession and continued to live in the  Western territories. So, when Bart Simpson mentioned a grizzled  prospector from the 1890s, he was referring to a prospector that had  stayed more than forty years after the Gold Rush happened, still trying  to find gold, or other commodities such as silver, oil, radium, and  uranium. Besides a gray beard, the stereotypical grizzled prospector had  faded clothes, missing teeth, a pickaxe, and a mule. They had bouts of  gold fever, and were suspicious of whoever came close to their claim.

How to Observe Talk Like a Grizzled Prospector Day

Celebrate the day talking like a grizzled prospector. Here are a few words prospectors commonly used, that you could use today:

Dadburn: to curse; e.g.: "Dadburned boll weevil done 'et my crop!"

Hornswoggle: to embarrass, disconcert, or confuse; e.g.: "I'll be hornswaggled!"

Consarn: the entirety of something, also a curse word.

Dumbfungled: all used up; e.g.: "This claim is dumbfungled! There's no gold left!"

Bonanza: a mine with lots of gold.

Borrasca: a mine with no gold.

Baby buggy: wheel barrow.

Muck: to dig with a shovel.

Powder monkey: a miner who used dynamite to make holes.

Johnny Newcome: a miner new to camp.

Blackjack and saw bosom: coffee and bacon.

Paydirt: land rich in gold.

Panned out: if they had found gold while sifting through dirt with a mining pan, then things had "panned out."

Flash in the pan: something shiny in pan that turned out to be nothing, or just a small piece of gold.

Stake a claim: claim a piece of land as your own as a place to  search for gold, must stake the land with wooden stakes when you arrive.

The day could also be spent watching films such as The Treasure of Sierra Madre, or old Western films starring Gabby Hayes. A visit to the Sutter's Mill replica and the Gold Discovery and Visitor Center in Marshall Gold Discovery State Park could also be planned. The days' Facebook page could also be explored.