The Sacred Garden, an upcountry Maui treasure, is an extraordinarily peaceful experience. Operated by the nonprofit Divine Nature Alliance and free to the public, the Garden serves as a place of rejuvenation, education, and inspiration for the community. Upon entering, visitors find a two-level greenhouse environment with exquisite Hawai’ian flora and fauna, water lily ponds, sitting and picnic areas, plus two labyrinths for walking meditations. The unique greenhouse and gift shop, stocked full of locally made artwork, jewelry, books, healing stones, and special Maui gifts, offer numerous ideas for holiday shoppers.

“The Sacred Garden is really a service of aloha, said Maui author Eve Hogan, Sacred Garden founder and executive director. “Whether you delight in our heartwarming displays, marvel over our myriad plants, or if your visit is of a more personal nature—to meditate, pray, grieve or walk the labyrinths—you will leave the Sacred Garden more balanced and restored than when you entered.”

Hogan continued, “One of our missions is to provide a serene place in the beauty of raw nature where guests can close their eyes in silence and feel safe and secure. We feel strongly that alone time in nature heals, inspires, and rebalances. The Garden is a place where you can let down your guard and go inward, creating a world in which peace, respect, and compassion are the norm.”

The Sacred Garden labyrinths are integral to the service that the garden provides. As a walking path of peace and contemplation, the labyrinths provide a place for introspection, prayer, gaining new perspectives and releasing stress. “When one understands that we walk the labyrinth  to learn about ourselves, it becomes a rich field of self-discovery,” Hogan explained. “The language of the labyrinth is metaphor, and thus everything you experience or notice on the labyrinth can shine light on something you are invited to look at in your life off the labyrinth.”

Sacred Garden horticulturist Catherine Vangstad said, “When I think of the Sacred Garden I think of a safe place, a sanctuary for the community. It brings me great joy to be part of something so special.”