Join us virtually from Chartres on Pilgrimage with Brian Swimme— Embracing the Unfolding Universe, hosted by Lauren Artress. Sign up to receive video recordings from four days of morning meditations with Lauren Artress and Rob Hodges on cello, talks by Brian Thomas Swimme, discussions between Brian and Lauren, and video vignettes around Chartres village with Lars Howlett including, for the first time, the Fall Harvest Festival! Watch the journey unfold Sept 30th to Oct 4th or at your own time and pace. (Recordings are not live, but emailed in daily digests with links that will NOT expire.) Questions? Email Lars@Veriditas.org  

As the proxy pilgrim, Lars will also light a candle in Chartres Cathedral in your honor and include the spoken names of up to two other people by request.

The full Chartres Pilgrimage program description is available at the link below!

Embracing the Unfolding Universe: An Exploration of Humanity's Cosmic Role with Dr. Brian Thomas Swimme hosted by the Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress

The creative energy of the universe has, over fourteen billion years, brought forth a Milky Way galaxy filled with stars, an Earth throbbing with life, and a restless human species in search of its soul, its mission in our universe. Our destiny is to create harmony. We have been born into this evolutionary process to participate in the cosmic act of bringing a fragmented humanity into a vibrant Earth community. Us-and-them categories are no longer viable; contemporary biology has discovered that genetically we are all relatives. Suffused with the energy that constructed two trillion galaxies, we are ready to imagine ourselves as planetary humans. In Chartres cathedral, one of the great spiritual centers of human history, we will feel the reverberations that always accompany the emergence of a new era. In lectures from cosmic storyteller Brian Thomas Swimme, in walking the Labyrinth together, in creative exercises, in dialogue with all, in star gazing within the Milky Way galaxy, in contemplative music, and in imagery the size of a cathedral, we will enter a heart-centered pathway into the next era of humanity's journey.

You are warmly invited to gather in community each Friday for a gentle, restorative time of walking the labyrinth together on Zoom. Using a handheld finger labyrinth, we’ll slow down, breathe deeply, and walk in spirit alongside one another, no matter where we are in the world.

This free weekly offering is a chance to connect, reflect, and experience the calming rhythm of the labyrinth in the supportive presence of community. All are welcome.

Bring your finger labyrinth, a quiet space, and an open heart. We look forward to walking with you!

October sessions are as follows:

Please note that the join link from the September walks will get you into any of these walks as well.

*Will be taught in Cantonese*
By invitation only.

The goal of Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator Training is to prepare people to introduce others to the labyrinth in an articulate, professional and effective way. The training addresses meditative walking in a variety of settings, with a variety of different populations. It is focused primarily on the Eleven Circuit Medieval Labyrinth but is inclusive of all forms.

Walking the labyrinth is being embraced as a spiritual practice throughout the Western world mostly because of Veriditas trained facilitators. The Veriditas Facilitator Training -- which began in 1997 -- remains the most rigorous and comprehensive training offered. 

Educational Objectives:

Upon completion of this session, attendees will be able to enhance knowledge about labyrinth in general and specifically, design the labyrinth events, present the labyrinth to and hold labyrinth walks for the attendee’s community.

Dates and Locations:

Day 1: 4 October 2025 (Saturday)

Time: 9:30 - 17:00

Venue:Conference Hall, Tao Fung Shan Christian Centre, Tai Wai, Hong Kong SAR, China 新界沙田道風山會議廳

Day 2: 11 October 2025 (Saturday)

Time: 9:30 - 17:30

Venue: TBC

Facilitator Trainer: Dr LAM, Chi-Shan

Number of participants: 10

Enrolment: By invitation (Prior attendance of a Veriditas Qualifying Workshop is a pre-request)

Workshop Fee: HK$3,300 (Please contact the Hong Kong Labyrinth Society for payment method)

Teaching language: Cantonese (Supplement with English training manual)

Enquiry: Hong Kong Labyrinth Society

Mobile: (852)59897374

Email contact: info@hongkonglabyrinthsociety.org

Remark: Administrative and application process will be handled by the Hong Kong Labyrinth Society. Personal information and course evaluation will be shared with the Veriditas after the workshop.

Facilitator Trainer: Dr LAM, Chi-Shan

Dr. Chi-Shan Lam is a specialist Anaesthesiologist serving in public hospital in Hong Kong SAR, China. He is a graduate of the Professional Doctorate in Practical Theology. His thesis “Theologically-orientated action research on Labyrinth, Spirituality and Pain Medicine” (https://doi.org/10.25411/aru.27951762.v1) is based on his research “A quantitative and qualitative evaluation of labyrinth walking on chronic pain patient” which is kindly supported by the Hong Kong Pain Society research grant (2015).

Dr. Lam is a Veriditas facilitator trainer/faculty who has been offering qualifying workshop for the local communities since 2019, and facilitator training workshop since 2021. He is one of the founders and currently the chairperson of the Hong Kong Labyrinth Society.

Please join us for a day of exploring our experience of the Center, both the center of the labyrinth and the center of ourselves. Being “centered” is a common aspiration suggesting a yearning for a state of awareness that can be meaningful and helpful to us. The Center is a universal symbol of a special place where we have access to nurturance and wisdom. A sacred place where heaven and earth can meet. 

We will use the labyrinth as a metaphor for our journey to our own centers. The labyrinth is a single winding path into the center and back out again. By walking this ancient path, we can contemplate how we find our center, how we experience it, and how does a centered connection inform our lives. 

To learn about labyrinths, we will walk the lovely inlaid wooden labyrinth at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, with time for meditation, journaling, images and personal sharing. 

It is an excellent opportunity for us to learn about labyrinths and Veriditas as an international labyrinth organization. This workshop will qualify you to take the Veriditas Facilitator Training. 

Patricia Newton has been on a journey with the labyrinth since 1988 when she first walked the labyrinth in the snow with Jean Houston. She has made multiple pilgrimages to the famous Chartres Cathedral medieval labyrinth in France and is currently the Chair of the Trinity Episcopal Cathedral Labyrinth Guild in Portland, OR. The guild offers monthly in person and virtual walks and a Labyrinth Speakers Series. With Molly Osborne, she has co-led numerous labyrinth workshops on topics such as holding space, kindness, and the path of heart. They are both retired physicians.

Please bring your cup of tea or coffee to the Zoom screen and MeetUp! with others interested in sharing labyrinth facilitation ideas and experiences. The Veriditas Council invites you to connect, chat informally and to learn from one another.

The labyrinth is remarkably adaptable for walking meditation. In this MeetUp we will explore some of the ways this versatility is reflected in our work as facilitators. 

We would love to hear how you have adapted this meditative experience for your presentations to various groups, places, and events. 
Please join Council members Rob Meyer-Kukan, Athena Dugan and Vicky Furlow on October 11 to share your favorite practices as a facilitator, and learn in community

We look forward to seeing you. The MeetUP! is free but remember to register. 

This will be the final of three meetups in 2025. More information is coming soon.

The Veriditas Inclusion Initiative is beginning to offer affinity / special interest groups to support labyrinths in specific communities. Join us for a free one-hour informal online gathering to connect with fellow labyrinth enthusiasts interested in using the labyrinth in the Jewish faith and context facilitated by Veriditas Faculty Member Susan Borkin.

Register to join for free and a zoom link will be emailed to you with the confirmation. To learn more about the Veriditas Inclusion Initiative see: https://veriditas.org/Inclusion-Initiative

Susan Borkin, PhD, is a psychotherapist and speaker based in the San Francisco Bay Area. A pioneer in the field of writing therapy, she is the author (or contributing author) to six books on journaling. She is an advanced facilitator and member of the Veriditas faculty. 

Dr. Robin B. Dilley brings over 35 years of experience to the table as an Arizona Licensed psychologist, author, and workshop facilitator. She has been an Advanced Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator since 2015 and recently became a Veriditas Faculty member. 

Since learning about the Labyrinth in 1992, Robin has drawn on her background in Experiential Family Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, and Jungian Theory to develop an active Labyrinth practice. She incorporates the Labyrinth into her work with clients in several ways. She explores its use as an ancient archetypal symbol for guidance and personal insight. Additionally, she teaches clients to use the Labyrinth as a tool for mindfulness and anxiety management, empowering them to use it for relaxation and stress reduction.

Now, through her newest endeavor, Arizona Labyrinth Connections, an extension of her psychotherapy and spiritual consulting practice, Dr. Dilley leads well-designed transformative workshops which include storytelling, journal writing, and a labyrinth experience.  She creates workshops regularly and has two signature workshops, “Lessons from The Yellow Brick Road” and “Lessons from The Miller’s Daughter.”

Robin is available to create a workshop for your group or individual consulting to enhance your life’s journey. She also publishes a regular newsletter, Continue Your Journey.

Robin lives happily with her spouse of 28 years, Pam Smead. They enjoy cruising, walking, reading, and exploring life together.  Don't hesitate to get in touch with Robin at drrobinbdilley@gmail.com to learn more.

The Virtual Facilitator Training, led by the Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress, will be held online Monday through Friday each afternoon from 2:00 pm - 5:30 pm pacific time. We will mail you the Facilitator Training manual so you will have it to follow along with in the class. There will be plenty of time for questions along with the didactic material. Programs will be held on Zoom and you will be sent the link to join once you register.

The goal of Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator Training is to prepare people to introduce others to the labyrinth in an articulate, professional and effective way.The training addresses meditative walking in a variety of settings, with a variety of different populations. It is focused primarily on the Eleven Circuit Medieval Labyrinth but is inclusive of all forms.

Walking the labyrinth is being embraced as a spiritual practice throughout the Western world mostly because of Veriditas trained facilitators. The Veriditas Facilitator Training -- which began in 1997 -- remains the most rigorous and comprehensive training offered. 

How to know if Facilitator Training is right for you?

• Want to deepen your own labyrinth practice?
• Want the tools and guidance that will enable you to bring the labyrinth to your community?
• Want to connect with a supportive community of Labyrinth Facilitators around the world?
• Find yourself heading up a labyrinth program at your church, school, hospital, college etc. and need broad training and/or specific answers?
• Considering offering labyrinth walking as part of your healing, counseling, yoga or  coaching business and are curious about the business considerations involved?
• Love the labyrinth and want to offer workshops of your own? Consider completing Facilitator Training on the path to becoming Certified, Advance Trained and Accredited. Our Veriditas Accredited Presenters are now offering some of our qualifying workshops.

We encourage you to join us! 

Please note: prior attendance at a Veriditas qualifying workshop is required. The online workshop prior to this training considered a qualifying workshop.

Learn more about becoming a Veriditas Trained Facilitator.

Payment plans are available - please select that option when you register.

The Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress

From geologian Thomas Berry:

“My generation is an autistic generation, unable to relate to the sacred community of life.”

Berry thought we had lost our connection to our cosmology, the narrative that orients and gives us meaning and direction. He went on:

“It is all a question of story. We are in trouble right now because we do not have a good story. We are in between stories. The Old Story—the account of how the world came to be and how we fit into it—is not functioning properly and we have not learned the New Story.”

Join Mary Ann Wamhoff, Veriditas Faculty Member, in Santa Fe, NM for a Qualifying Workshop exploring the labyrinth as an archetypal practice to integrate our common human origin story.

Some of the questions we’ll consider during our time together include:

• What is the New Story? Is it really new?
• How might the labyrinth reflect it? What part might the labyrinth play in it?
• What is an archetype?
• What is sacred geometry and how does it affect a labyrinth?
• If cosmology is a worldview, and everyone has a cosmology, what is the cosmology of a labyrinth?
• How can we incorporate Creation Spirituality and/or The Work that Reconnects with a labyrinth walk? Why would we want to?
• How can we walk a labyrinth using cosmic principles? Why might we want to do this—especially at this time?

We’ll begin by viewing an artistic expression. During that time, we’ll consider our personal spirals as well as those that show up in nature.

We’ll have the opportunity to create a mandala using materials from nature.

You’ll be given a folder, notebook, some art materials, and lunch.

This workshop is for novices as well as those who are well acquainted with the labyrinth. We’ll see the intersection of sacred geometry with Creation Spirituality, cosmology, biology, and The Work that Reconnects and how the labyrinth is the perfect practice to integrate these within our lives.

Please bring curiosity, an open mind and heart, and the desire to learn more about this ancient practice of moving meditation!

Lunch is included. Earlybird registration is $135 available until October 1. Regular price is $150.

For more information and registration, please email Mary Ann at cslabyrinth@outlook.com

Awaken Your Senses and Restore Your Spirit 

at this Qualifying Workshop and California Retreat 

with Laura Esculcas

November 4-6, 2025

Join a rare gathering of wisdom and wonder—a retreat designed for seekers, visionaries, and leaders who are ready to experience a new way of being in the world.

This Retreat is for those who feel called to:

In this Three-Day Immersion (2 half days + 1 full day), experience the Labyrinth and explore the Star Trail Journey. Over three days, you’ll:

Retreat Cost: $898, excludes lodging

Early Bird Rate (if paid on or before October 6, 2025): $843, excludes lodging

More information: https://lauraesculcas.com/discover-sacred-grounds

or email Laura at labyrinthlaura@gmail.com

Registration Form link: https://forms.gle/25FBsKxgkUWyX5G69

Book your room at 5-star Allegretto for a special retreat rate of $235/night double or single occupancy (taxes  not included). 

About Allegretto Vineyard Resort

Allegretto is a luxury resort and sanctuary of art, wine, and wellness, lovingly curated as a place to pause, reflect, and attune your senses through contemplative practices and the pulse of the land. Every detail at Allegretto is designed with harmony in mind. In a landscape of beauty and surrounded by sacred art, let both the labyrinth and the seasons guide you gently back to center. Allegretto is located in Paso Robles, on California’s Central Coast - a hidden gem nestled among vineyards and golden hills, midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. 

Allegretto link: https://www.allegrettovineyardresort.com

Laura Esculcas

With passion for myth and metaphor, Laura curates wisdom journeys and immersion experiences in Portugal’s mystical landscape. She leads retreats, pilgrimages, and programs in Portugal and online, guiding leaders and seekers to cultivate resilience, creativity, and inner wisdom. Based near Lisbon with her husband and son, Laura’s work is grounded, inspiring, and quietly transformative.

Laura is co-founder of EarthShamans, a SoulCollage® facilitator, and is recognized as one of the leading teachers in the world of labyrinths. An Advanced Labyrinth Facilitator and Faculty Member with Veriditas, she trains leaders and facilitators internationally in the transformational power of the labyrinth. With more than a decade in Silicon Valley operations management and certification in Sacred Landscapes, Acoustic Feng Shui, and the Personessence™ System, Laura bridges structure and soul—bringing depth, clarity, and presence to times of change.

Laura first met the labyrinth in 2001, on an Advent Quiet Day in Santa Cruz, California. Since that day, Laura has been a Labyrinth Enthusiast. She has served with Veriditas as a small group facilitator in Chartres, and teaches qualifying workshops and Labyrinth Facilitator Training in Europe and online.

If you are interested in becoming a labyrinth facilitator or simply learning more about the labyrinth, this Qualifying Workshop is for you. In addition to its basic components, we will cover best practices for walking the labyrinth and an excellent video introducing the labyrinth as a walking meditation (narrated by Veriditas founder, Lauren Artress). Woven throughout the workshop will be numerous easily applicable journaling methods to help you deepen and transform your own labyrinth practice. Join us!

Susan Borkin, PhD, is a psychotherapist and speaker based in the San Francisco Bay Area. A pioneer in the field of writing therapy, she is the author (or contributing author) to six books on journaling. She is an advanced facilitator and member of the Veriditas faculty. 

The waves of the ocean breathe with their natural rhythms of ebb and flow, of flowing forward, letting go and returning to source . How can we honor our own unique natural rhythm? How can we find a balance between inner and outer nourishment?

In this retreat we will explore these questions, using SoulCollage® and the Labyrinth to deepen our understanding of the natural rhythms around us, and to explore ways to create flow and ease in our daily lives as we consider living in a more cyclical way.

Our activities will include:

• Creating a Moon Mandala to better understand the phases of the moon
• Creating SoulCollage® cards to express the messages in each moon phases
• Connecting to our inner wisdom and intuition by dialoguing with our SoulCollage® cards
• Labyrinth walks to integrate and deepen the messages of our SoulCollage® cards.

Catherine Anderson, Faculty

cathy@catherineandersonstudio.com

The labyrinth Catherine constructed in her backyard in 2007 has been an important element in her mindfulness and creativity practices and Catherine loves showing others how the labyrinth can support us in quietening our mind and uncover our creativity. She is the author of Journaling the Labyrinth Path, a book of finger labyrinths, quotes and journal prompts inspiring you to find your unique work in the world, and Meeting Your Soul on the Labyrinth: SoulCollage® and the Labyrinth as Pathways for Transformation.

Catherine uses the labyrinth, SoulCollage®, expressive arts, poetry and mindfulness as pathways for self-discovery and as ways of uncovering meaning and purpose in life. Her personal journey of self-discovery has taken her from a career as an attorney to photography-franchise owner, to creativity-workshop facilitator.

Photography is another creative passion for Catherine and her book The Creative Photographer won a Silver Nautilus Award in the Creative Process Category in 2012.  As a SoulCollage® Facilitator Trainer, Catherine loves teaching others how to facilitate workshops using the SoulCollage® process which uses images as a form of “soul language” to access our inner wisdom.

As a life-long learner, Catherine has been fortunate to train with Jean Houston, Seena Frost, Lauren Artress, Jan Phillips and many other wise teachers. In addition to her work in the US, Catherine leads creative pilgrimage retreats in South Africa, France, Italy, Mexico and Portugal.

www.CreativePilgrimage.com

FOR CERTIFIED FACILITATORS ONLY.

2:00 pm to 5:30 pm each day Pacific time – 5 sessions of 3.5 hours each. Must be present for all sessions. Held on Zoom platform.

Our Advanced Facilitator Training is a leadership and skill-building workshop for Veriditas Facilitators with at least two years of experience facilitating labyrinth activities. Open only to those Veriditas trained facilitators who have been certified (or have turned in an application to be certified). You will receive the latest Facilitator Training Manual.  After training, you will be eligible to apply for accreditation to hold Veriditas qualifying workshops. 

This is a 15 hour intensive virtual training that covers:

The Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress

Lauren is author of Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Practice, The Sand Labyrinth Kit and The Sacred Path Companion: A Guide to Walking the Labyrinth to Heal and Transform (Putnam/Riverhead Books, New York). She is the Founder of Veriditas and an Honorary Canon of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.  She travels worldwide offering workshops and lectures on the labyrinth including a twice a year program in Chartres, France. In addition to being an Episcopal priest, she is a spiritual director and licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the State of California.

Assisted by Dr. Dawn Matheny

Executive Director of Veriditas

Dawn became Veriditas’ Executive Director in 2007.  She has her PhD in East West Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies, 23 years of experience in a public sector Human Resource Department, and many years of experience working in a non-profit organization.  She has taught on the graduate level and amassed many years of designing and assisting with Veriditas programs around the world.