| | Otto Labyrinth Park Welcome Center
Across the Pond from the Park
Find Sanctuary at the Otto Labyrinth Park. The definitions of sanctuary are: 1. a consecrated place where sacred objects are kept. and 2. refuge: a shelter from danger or hardship. We offer you both at the Otto Labyrinth Park & Welcome Center. The Center and Labyrinth Park sit on 5 acres that include ponds, streams, an old growth laurel forest, and outdoor 7-circuit stone labyrinth. Come and spend the day in retreat and sanctuary! "Sanctuary, on a personal level, is where we perform the job of taking care of our soul.” -Christopher Forrest McDowel |
Click here to see Labyrinth Gathering Schedule Virtual Mini Tour of The Welcome Center at the Otto Labyrinth Park |  Enter and you are greeted by the Amethyst Earth Goddess, who sends special blessing to all! | 
Find Labyrinth gifts, chakra jewelry, and special crystals for you and your friends. |  Next, our media center invites you to listen and view CD's & DVD's for your Well Being. | 
Find your special book - from Native American to Energy Healing. It's all here! |  Next, journey into the crystal sunroom. A complete selection of crystals and gemstones awaits you! | 
While there, relax in the sun and watch the birds go by! |  Back in the center, candles and Feng Shui gifts abound. | 
Grandpa Troll waits by the drums with his children to say Hi. |  Now journey to Tibet, in the Bodhi room of singing bowls and statues. | 
Sit and relax with Charlie and Jill - we're waiting behind the desk for you! | Before you leave, treat yourself to a Far InfraRed Amethyst BioMat Session. We have 2 full-body biomats, so you and a friend can both experience relaxation and healing at the same time.
We look forward to your visit with us! | 2010 Labyrinth Gatherings - Engaging the Elements
Sponsored by the Otto Labyrinth Park and the Foundation for Well Being This year we invite you to the Otto Labyrinth Park for a series of Gatherings with rituals for your personal growth and development. New Moon Gatherings will teach you rituals for new beginnings, creation, and manifestation in your life. Full Moon Gatherings will help you to realize and release blocks to achieving your highest good now. Along with ceremonies for the change of seasons, we will be working with the 5 Elements – Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Akasha (Source) - during the year. All Gatherings will be held on Saturday and start at the Welcome Center where we will spend some time preparing for the actual ritual. Then we will proceed to the Labyrinth for the ceremony and Group Labyrinth Walk. A Hao La Healing Circle will follow back in the Welcome Center for those who want an extra boost of energy to manifest their desires. New Moon Gatherings will be from 3 to 5 pm Full Moon Gatherings will be from 6 to 8 pm | March 20, 2010 – Vernal Equinox Labyrinth Gather – 6 to 8 pm | The spring equinox is one of the four great solar festivals of the year. Day and night are equal, poised and balanced, but about to tip over on the side of light. The spring equinox is sacred to dawn, youth, the morning star and the east. The Saxon goddess, Eostre (from whose name we get the direction East and the holiday Easter) is a dawn goddess, like Aurora and Eos. Just as the dawn is the time of new light, so the vernal equinox is the time of new life. We use the time to learn about balance in our lives and reinforce our new found balance with a blessing of the balancing stones provided to each participant.
| | April 17, 2010 – New Moon Labyrinth Gather – Earth Element – 3 to 5 pm | The Earth element is associated with fertility, nurturing, stabilizing, and grounding. During the new moon ceremony we will be doing the ritual of Planting. Each person is invited to bring a small outdoor plant (flower or herb) to plant at the Labyrinth Park. This plant represents your intent to plant seeds of goodness in your life and the lives of others. We explore how we can use the Earth Element in our lives, then plant our intentions for the year.
| | May 1, 2010 – Full Moon Labyrinth Gather – Earth Element – 6 to 8 pm | We complete the Earth cycle with a discussion of how the Earth Element affects our lives, then proceed with a “Rite for the Earth” ceremony using the sacred stones provided.
| | May 15, 2010 – New Moon Labyrinth Gather – Air Element – 3 to 5 pm | Air is the power of movement, of freshening and of intelligence. It is also known as the power of the mind and the force of intellect. Sound is a manifestation of this element. To awaken air energy, we will discuss and experience the power of sound with a Tibetan singing bowl concert.
| | May 29, 2010 – Full Moon Labyrinth Gather – Air Element – 6 to 8 pm | We complete the Air cycle with a discussion of how to harness more Air in our lives, then proceed with “To Go on a Journey” ceremony using materials provided.
| June 19, 2010 – Summer Solstice – 6 to 8 pm | Join us with our version of a Midsummer’s Night Dream. We will commune with the Faerie Folk deep in the forest, followed by a gentle walk in the Labyrinth.
| | July 10, 2010 – New Moon Labyrinth Gather – Fire Element – 3 to 5 pm | Fire is the transformer, transforming objects into new forms. The Fire element is associated with purifying, cleansing, and energetic transformation. To awaken Fire energy, we learn the technique of Scrying into candle flames.
| | July 24, 2010 – Full Moon Labyrinth Gather – Fire Element – 6 to 8 pm | To complete the cycle of Fire, we identify what we wish to be rid of in our lives, that which is no longer necessary for our good, and complete the “Rite of Banishment”
| August 7, 2010 – New Moon Labyrinth Gather – Water Element – Group Labyrinth Walk – 3 to 5 pm | The basic nature of Water is flowing, healing, soothing, and loving. To awaken the Water element, After learning how the Water Element affects our lives, we will use gemstones to make our own healing waters and gemstone elixers.
| | August 21, 2010 – Full Moon Labyrinth Gather – Water Element – Group Labyrinth Walk – 6 to 8 pm | To complete the cycle of Water we explore the nature of water in discussion and perform the “Rite of the Three Leaves”.
| September 25, 2010 – Autumnal Equinox – 4 to 6 pm | Join us for a very special equinox celebration that includes: Crystal Skulls, Night Visions, Labyrinth Walks, Yellow Horseman and more! Email us for detailed Adobe flyer at mail@mountainvalleycenter.com
| | October 9, 2010 – New Moon Labyrinth Gather – Akasha Element – 3 to 5 pm. | Akasha is the immutable, changeless Source of all Energy. It is the realm of potentiality – of promise, of paths not yet taken. It is both the Source of, and the combination of, all other Elements. To access this energy, we learn how to meditate – anytime and anywhere.
| October 23, 2010 – Full Moon Labyrinth Gather – Akasha Element – 6 to 8 pm | To complete the cycle of Akasha and the cycle of this year, we integrate all elements within ourselves and experience our true oneness with nature performing the “Rite of Nature”.
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| Otto Labyrinth Park Welcome Center & Mountain Valley Center.com 43 Shambala Way, Otto, North Carolina 28763 Phone Toll Free: 1-888-773-2491 Local: 1-828-369-5698 Fax: 1-828-524-6086 Email: mail@mountainvalleycenter.com
Just 3 miles north of Dillard, Georgia, and 7 miles south of Franklin, NC
HOURS: Tues, Thurs. Fri, Sat 11 to 4 pm. Closed on Sundays
HOW TO LOCATE US! | DIRECTIONS FROM THE NORTH We are an hour and a half drive from Asheville, NC. Cherokee and the Smoky Mountains National Park are 45 minutes away. Drive to Franklin, NC and come south on 441 (towards Atlanta) approximately 7 miles. Turn right on Calvary Church Rd. Turn Left on Shambala Way. | DIRECTIONS FROM THE SOUTH We are an hour from Gainesville, GA and 1 & 1/2 to 2 hours from Atlanta. From Atlanta, take 985 to Gainesville, then drive North East until 441 North joins the four lane. Continue on the same road to Clayton, GA and on to Dillard, GA. We are 3 miles North of Dillard. Turn left on Calvary Church Rd. Turn Left on Shambala Way. | If you are using GPS to locate us, enter "438 Calvary Church Rd, Otto, NC 28763" Shambala Way was 438 Calvary Church a couple of years ago, but most maps still haven't updated. Other WORKSHOPS AT THE LABYRINTH PARK TBA |
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