When in L.A., Try Walking A Sacred Geometry Labyrinth

Between its endless traffic and sprawling landscape, Los Angeles is an easy city to get lost in. Fortunately, it’s also a city that loves wellness, whether in the form of healers or nutritious food.

But if you’re looking for a more profound, total body experience, stop by the Peace Awareness Labyrinth and Gardens (PALG), whose outdoor labyrinth is the perfect place to untwist your thoughts, or to simply take a moment of peace for yourself.

Though located just South of Central Los Angeles, PALG is quiet and feels surprisingly remote, removed from the drain of LA’s infamous highways. The house and accompanying gardens were inspired by Italian Renaissance design; when the estate was first built, there were no panes of glass in along the second story windows, so that the rooms could welcome in the fresh air of the garden below.

While there is now glass in all of the window frames, a breezy quality still pervades the space.

In the lower half of the garden, chairs are tucked away under trees with views of the city beyond and koi swim lazily in a pond. The hand-cut labyrinth– a replica of one built in 1214 at the Chartres Cathedral in France– sits under open sky, and measures about 40 feet across. All told, the labyrinth takes around 10 or 15 minutes to completely walk, making it not-too-time-consuming way to relax. (Because as anyone knows, the only thing worse than stress is the stress of finding time to deal with your stress.)

Though visiting the labyrinth and gardens is free, you’ll need to schedule an appointment and take a brief tour of the home first. Otherwise, the only thing you need is yourself.

For hours of operation, visit Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens’ website.