Geomancing the labyrinth
Every few weeks, geomancer, painter and visionary walker Penny Martin performs an energy balancing ceremony in the Butterfly Equine Labyrinth where Medicine Horses walk with humans to help them heal.
Photo above: The Butterfly Equine Labyrinth, where Penny has installed one of her paintings (the turquiose square) for the duration of the session
What is Geomancy
Geomancy is a practice of spiritual ecology; a method of interacting with one's environment through balancing and communicating with elements that are part of the holographic universal energy field. These elements can be humans, animals, plants, whole habitats, as well as geographic features, structures, buildings, communities and historical imprints.
With permission and intention, geomancy practitioners claim to be able to restore imbalances in an environment, or discomforts in one's physical, mental or emotional body.
Understanding the energies of the Earth
The geomantic philosophy considers the Earth to be a living creature, and humankind to be part of its unity along with all nature (thus we are one with the Earth). This unity involves a sacred connection between all elements, and a shared commitment to maintain it. The energetic connection of all living entities is examined through the concept of Three Harmonies — three intersecting fields which co-create the experience of life:
1. Electromagnetic field - the geomantic equation where senses can be altered to a higher frequency
2. Gravitational field - the physical, organic grounding experience; the Earth factor
3. Biopsychic field - related to the DNA aspect of living entities (DNA being the connector between the physical existence and what could be considered 'the divine').
Disruptions in the sacred energetic connections can cause disturbances in the three fields. This is where geomancy can be applied to identify the disruption, clear it and harmonize each field.
Photo above: A scrawny tree in the northeastern corner is one of the anchors that holds a special meaning to Penny and helps her navigate through the Chiron field during her sessions.
The Ceremony
Before each labyrinth ceremony, Penny enters a 'sacred' spot on the property and gathers rocks to work with. This allows her to connect with the earth and begin her communication with nature, or, more specifically, with what she calls 'forest energies'.
She believes that "in this non-verbal space where thoughts and words do not exist, tuning into nature is the same as tuning into the Medicine Horse." In this meditative state, the mind is free to attribute metaphysical qualities to natural elements, and able to recognize phenomenons such as portals or non-corporal entities.
Each stone Penny picks up from the black mud is perceived as "fairy treasure - once hidden and now revealed." She uses a wheelbarrow to transport these stones to the Butterfly Labyrinth center where she either replaces other stones in the labyrinth structure or to makes offerings to the 'forest energies'.
"To heal, one must know how nature works," Penny says as she approaches the labyrinth entrance with the wheelbarrow full of what she now calls 'fairy realm rocks'. "The Butterfly Labyrinth supports this knowing on all levels."
The first fairy rock is in place, just a few steps into the labyrinth. Penny explains that it was gifted by the fairy realm.
"Fairy portals exist on this land to support the trees, horses, and labyrinth to provide a platform for harmony ever expansive; inward and outward," she says.
As she continues along the pathways, Penny stops under one of the trees inside the labyrinth and after spending a moment to connect with energies, she adds new rocks to an ever-changing formation of red clay bricks, crystals, stones, sticks and statuettes that is nested there. Referring to the feng shui map of baguas, she claims this to be an offering to the "house of health, family unity and nurturing."
Feeling gratitude "for all that has been and is about to be received", Penny proceeds to bring the jagged rocks covered with black mud from the creek into the labyrinth center. "They take up sacred space as sentinels for all who enter the Nodle," she says as she places them in the formation of stones and crystals. The blue painting of Sorento which Penny had installed there before the ceremony is meant to invite fairy energies to support heart-mind processes and emotional intelligence in those who seek healing.
Penny painted Sorento's portrait after he 'presented' (entered her higher consciousness) in October 2016. The choice of color is based on a photo of Sorento where a blue reflection appeared in his eye. Now that it has been finished, she wanted Sorento to see the result of their communication.
To Penny, the painting represents a portal to the 'Crystaline Healing Frequency ' for the cellular and organ system.
Sorento enters the center of the Butterfly Labyrinth after a walk with another participant, and inspects the portrait. He seems to approve, as he spends a good while standing next to it.
