Welcome to The Tamarindo Labyrinth. The best way to introduce this labyrinth to you is with the presentation Ronald Esquivel, the designer of the labyrinth, gave during the annual gathering of The Labyrinth Society in Portland, Oregon in October 2009. I'm convinced his explaination will give you an excellent overview of this exquisite and inspring creation.


Ms Griet Depypere

AN INTRODUCTION

Griet Depypere, owner of Finca Anapanasati, a property in Tamarindo Costa Rica and a friend Khyana Golcher, had the intent of ecologically developing their property. They asked Sergio Salas, my partner,
biologist and dowser to assist them.While
recommending species for reforestation and eco-
management strategies, Sergio discovered some
energy structures that impressed him.

He found a series of cupolas or domes (yellow circles at left) plus two great columns of energy – jets – one masculine and the other feminine (upper grey circles). Another jet was found consisting of emerging energy from the depth of earth (lower grey circle). After
the search was completed, these energy structures came forward like a macro organism with its parts interrelated
and asking to be walked.

Owners and consultant all
got really enthusiastic about the findings and decided this was a new mission and a
way to glorify the site.

 



While deciding what exactly this macro organism
was to be, they opened up for guidance from the site itself. A couple of vines entwined around a laurel
tree in a caduceus form was the conveyor of the main concept developed for the place: feminine and masculine energies twisting around – embracing – each other in an uplifting movement as in Kundalini. That truly made sense and could be applied coherently to the energetic structures found.

KUNDALINI

Kundalini signifies a serpent with coiled-up power resting at the base of the spine. Tantric yoga explains that the entire universe is a manifestation of pure consciousness divided into two poles,neither of which can exist without the other. One aspect is identified as unmanifest consciousness, which is masculine and static. The other polarity is dynamic, creative and energetic.

The columns and cupolas matched perfectly the human chakras, with the upper crown chakra expressed in polar form as feminine and masculine energies and, as will be shown later, the left and right cerebral hemispheres.It appeared as a unique type of journey. It became clear that this was to be a journey in the course of two – the polarity
– the couple.

As in ancestral times when Tantra proposed an approach to essence through a practice among the couple, this experience is integrative because it is to be spiritual, but starting from our very earthly nature of feminine and masculine beings;a holistic occurrence blending body, heart, and mind with the intention of aligning with our own and our couple’s soul.

 

The journey through the energy structures is then a double helix moving first from the crown to the root
and then up again.
At this time Sergio invited me to team up with him. He had envisioned a labyrinth at the crown as the first stage of the integrated journey, and asked me to design it.

 

 

THE LABYRINTH

This is a great example of design that follows what the site – Mother Earth – is guiding us towards. We never made a choice to build a certain type of structure based on preconceived preferences. We followed the map and guidelines that the telluric energies had laid down for us to tag along. Two energy columns, one masculine and another feminine were a given. We parted from there always open to receive and translate whatever guiding principles were downloaded upon us.

The labyrinth is the first stage of the journey, at the head. It has to integrate the two energy columns or jets, and afterwards continues southwest to the cupolas.
This labyrinth, then, is out of the norm in the sense that it has one way in and another out. It is further abnormal

 

 

since it will have two centers. Further still, arrival
at each center is very specific and following an order. Designing it was quite a threat.So, the base of the geometry initiates at the centers of the feminine and masculine energy jets and it calls for two circles intersecting at each other’s center (fig. a).

The jets need to be isolated except for the entrances which will be addressed later. Two equal circles
(yellow – fig. b) isolate the jets and determine another two circles (magenta) which together define the path. The base for the labyrinth is now traced with the progressive circles between them (blue – fig. c).With
the basic geometry in place, the detailed guidelines
of the design were downloaded by Sergio.

Design  Criteria

  • the path should start at the northeast intersection (point 1 below), consecutively embrace both hemispheres and arrive at the feminine energy column from the south (2).
    It should exit from the north (3), embrace
    both sides and arrive at the masculine column from the north (4).  Exit from the south (5), embrace both sides and exit finally towards
    the southwest intersection (6)

  • the entrance needs to turn left, regardless
    if the labyrinth is walked from northeast
    to southwest or opposite

  • 14 layers on each side – two complete musical scales. The energy columns themselves constitute the third octave
 


  • all turns and links among layers should occur within the vesica. The journey on
    all layers outside the vesica needs to be
    plain and uninterrupted.

  • the middle journey between masculine and feminine energy columns should display a balance and resolution between polarities – integration of polarities

  • 7 pillars will surround each energy column arranged four on the east and three on the west for the feminine energy column and opposite for the masculine

  • paths need to be 1.75 meters (approximately 6 feet) wide since the borders are live cacti and other plants, which will require a good portion of that width

It is delicious to see how the labyrinth, respectful
of the base geometry, responds distinctively to the vesica pisces – intersection area of the two circles (yellow, above right). Since ancestral times the
vesica pisces has been considered as an opening to
the womb, the uterus, the threshold of creation
and a symbol of fertility. In geometry, the vesica
is the passageway from the one to the many, the
portal through which all forms and patterns of our
universe are created. Since symbolism flows
so deep within us, this figure is intended to allow

 

 us expansion, inspiration and upliftment.
Whatever request, question or desire I approach
the labyrinth with, has a polarity within it: that
which I want and the lack of it. The vesica pisces
fertile ground of opportunities to broaden my perspective and attain a new understanding, a new emotion or make a new choice. That is the reason
why entrance, exit, layer changes and turns all
happen within the vesica. The two sides /
hemispheres emphasize polarity; the vesica pisces
is the threshold of the new desired creation.

THE FINAL DESIGNN

Coherent and beautiful, the path dances within the base geometry. Further down, the paths will be broken down to the three basic segments: in – within – out.

The little brownish circles around the centers are basalt pillars that reinforce the energy charge. There are seven on each circle and arranged four on one side and three on the other.

The building process is underway:
The total length of this labyrinth is 3,175km or 3,175 meters (almost 2 miles – see the car in the picture below) and the path is 1.75 meters wide (almost 6 feet).The reason for this width is that the “walls” are planted mainly with cacti for attracting prana – life force – according to tropical American indigenous lore, and when these acquire full growth they will take a good portion of that width.


     

STAGES OF THE LABYRINTH

Following, a view in negative – the paths – separated in 3 colors, according to the three stages of the labyrinth. Personally, this figure smells pretty perfect. Not only is it delicious to the sight and geometrically coherent, but it also expresses a historical symbolism. Polarity, a condition of our worldly life, is expressed with love, gentleness and softness.

 

 

The integration of the one with the other is manifested through the intention of penetrating each hemisphere in the other, through the arms that reach deep into the other’s territory – the integrative hug, the copulation and complete sharing of energy.

This leads to fertility and reproduction, and the first offspring is number three: three different segments of the labyrinth, with three different stories and intentions. Following is a description of each segment.


The entry path, starting northeast and arriving at the feminine jet, looks like this when isolated:This figure (below in red) is awesome. It enters the masculine hemisphere, travels first through its frontiers and then through

 

a central area (vesica) with a gesture of hugs, only to continue to the feminine hemisphere with alternate hugs until reaching progressively the feminine center from the south.

The central path that unites both hemispheres, resolving
polarity, is next:This central path (above in yellow) starts in the northern door of the energy column and gives the feminine hemisphere a double embrace before entering the vesica pisces. Within the vesica, as if wanting to emphasize the polarity, it travels first
to the opposite masculine side, then towards the center with a twisting central link (point of inflection and utmost symbol of the union) to continue to the feminine side of the vesica, only to leave now towards the masculine hemisphere.

 

Here it mirrors the hugs almost perfectly until it reaches the masculine center.This journey is rich in symbolism – polarity, feminine / masculine interactions, sharing and hugging, unification, reproduction – and delicious in its geometrical form.
This section really is the first offspring of the couple…
Number three, the harmonizing resolution of duality. This third element is the manifestation of the relationship – the agreement between the masculine and feminine energies.The exit path is as follows:

This exit path (above in blue) shares the same characteristics as the entry one, but inverted. Delicious to the senses, respectful of the

 

seed geometry and in perfect harmony with the other paths, the journey towards the inner self culminates its first stage.

Aerial picture of the Tamarindo Labyrinth

We have previously laid down the character of this labyrinth in several ways. As a summary, let’s look at its elements:

  • 2C, 2P, 14 (twice 7) L, vesica shape along with its corresponding circles.

  • to be walked by the couple / mates / partners – a polarity.
 

Aims at understanding contrast and embracing polarity, in a journey loaded with understanding of the ongoing personal growth processes (my own and my mate’s), with the intention of enhancing the relationship for the purpose of co-creating the life of our dreams. The voyage continues through the sequence of cupolas for
an intense holistic experience.

MUSIC TO THE TAMARINDO LABYRINTH

Listening to the music generated from the geometry of the Tamarindo Labyrinth is a different way of knowing it. Walking it while listening to its music is a full dive into its magic.

 

 

By the end of 2009, the labyrinth is fully walkable but the rest of the spiritual park is yet on the process of design and construction. Their website is www.tamarindolabyrinth.com.