The Bimini Road

Before we left the grounds of the Association for Research and Enlightenment,

we stopped at this peculiar configuration of stones near the labyrinth:

I thought it had an odd, unfinished look.
But it turns out that was by design.
A nearby sign says that this stone path emulates parts of  "The Bimini Road,"
a rock formation that resembles an undersea roadway
running along the island of Bimini in the western Bahamas.

The Bimini Road is believed by many to be a remnant of a byway
once part of the mysterious lost continent of Atlantis, first described by Plato.
While in a trance in 1923, Edgar Cayce mentioned
that part of Atlantis would be discovered in the 1960s.
It was said to be a massive continent, home to an advanced civilization,
which, if I remember the Cayce interpretation correctly,
subsequently sank below the sea following a catastrophe
of the Atlanteans own making.

There have been expeditions to the waters off of Bimini
in hopes of learning more about this mysterious lost continent.
An ancient civilization of technologically advanced but spiritually naive people
 is a fascinating idea. For these kinds of things,
my opinion is generally not committed one way or another
because as Shakespeare wrote in Act 1 of  Hamlet:
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
than are dreamt of  in your philosophy.

But why a small path of different size stones at the A.R.E.?
It is actually a reflexology path, meant to be walked on
either when one is barefoot, sock-footed, or shod in soft-soled shoes.
I walked it and found the differently shaped stones felt incredibly good underfoot.
The various rounded stones and rough surfaces created  pressure
on different parts of my feet, and the effect was quite relaxing.

Relaxation is one idea behind the construction of such a path.
The main idea is that walking such a path is physically therapeutic.
Reflexology stones stimulate the different parts of the foot
that correspond to the major body systems,
thereby helping to balance one's health.
Still a relatively new idea here in the U. S.,
 reflexology paths are common in many Asian countries.
They are catching on more and more in public walking spaces here, however.
The reflexology path photos on Google Images reveal some very beautiful designs.

An ordinary Google search revealed sites selling
kits for creating a reflexology path at home.
I must admit after my walk down "The Bimini Road" of reflexology paths at the A.R.E.,
the idea of building one of my own
in our wooded backyard intrigues me.
I don't know if such a path really improves the health of a walker,
but anything that gets people outside breathing fresh air
has to be worth something.
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