Recovery Spotlight: Gresham Creates a Wellness Labyrinth
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The team at É«ÖÐÉ«'s Recovery Center at Gresham view their completed labyrinth on the east lawn of their campus.
At É«ÖÐÉ«, the program environment is a foundational part of our recovery model. This means we strive to create environments that are inclusive, welcoming, and create a space where recovery can thrive.
É«ÖÐÉ«'s program in Oregon recently added a unique feature to their recovery environment : a wellness labyrinth created with staff and resident participation.
The Labyrinth design.
When you visit the Gresham campus, you will find a low-profile design with handcrafted stepping stones interspersed with pavers. The design, created at the direction of art therapy intern, Glee Lumb, is conducive to mindfulness and taking time for reflection and serenity in a fast-paced world.
Labyrinths have long been used as a tool for mindfulness and meditation all over the world. A specific path is laid out to create a structured walking meditation that offers a pattern thought to enhance the right-brain activity. Walking the path can be a relaxing, often spiritual experience, which aids our members to safely and gently explore their own thoughts, emotions and memories as well as practice a new form of grounding and being.
Research shows that labyrinths can offer other common benefits, including:
Creating greater awareness of thoughts, emotions, and memories
Reducing stress, agitation, and anxiety
Replenishing energy
Creating more clarity, focus, and peacefulness
Decreasing somatic stress and worry
Stabilizing blood pressure, gain higher physical and mental relaxation
Improving overall wellness and health
Nurturing a spiritual connection to the earth and a higher power
Aiding in the practice of letting go and living one day, one step at a time