What is a Labyrinth?
The labyrinth is a tool for personal, psychological and spiritual transformation. Labyrinths are currently being used worldwide as a way to quiet the mind, find balance, and encourage meditation, insight and celebration. They are open to people as a non-denominational, cross-cultural tool of well being. The labyrinth is an ancient symbol that represents wholeness. It combines the imagery of the circle and the spiral into a meandering but purposeful path from the edge to the center and back out again. A labyrinth is unicursal - it has only one path. The way in is the way out. The path leads you on a circuitous path to the center and out again. At its most basic level, the labyrinth is a metaphor for the journey to the center of your deepest self and back out into the world with a broadened understanding of who you are. The labyrinth has been described in many beautiful and inspired ways; as a path of prayer, a walking meditation, a crucible of change, a watering hole for the spirit, a mirror of the soul, and a spiritual tool meant to awaken us to the deep rhythm that unites us to ourselves and to the Light that calls from within.
Labyrinths and Mazes
Labyrinths and mazes are often confused and
yet they are quite different. A maze is like a puzzle that requires
solving. It has twists, turns and blind alleys. It’s a left-brain
task that begs logic and analysis to find the correct path in and out. It
requires more choices, a more active brain.
By contrast, a labyrinth is right brained. One uses a more passive, receptive mindset. It involves creativity, imagination and intuition. The only choice to be made is whether or not to enter, and walk a spiritual path.
A Brief History of Labyrinths
The labyrinth is an ancient pattern found in many
cultures around the world. Varied forms have been found in such diverse
locals as Peru, Arizona, Iceland, Crete, Egypt, India and Sumatra. The
labyrinth dates back thousands of years. No one knows who created any of
the earliest labyrinth designs. These patterns have been found in many
forms including carved on rock faces, pottery and tablets, woven into the design
of baskets, laid out on the ground with water-worn stones on shore lines and in
colored stones or tiles on the floors of churches and cathedrals.
The earliest recognizable labyrinth dates back some 5000 years or so. Small ones called finger labyrinths have been found in Neolithic caves and as pictoglyphs on “sacred” rocks. The larger labyrinths, those that can be walked, seemed to have emerged during the Classical times of the ancient world. The first labyrinth, that could actually be walked through, was probably constructed by King Amenemhet III around 1800 BCE at Fayum in Egypt.
Labyrinths were very popular during medieval times. As many as twenty-two of the eighty Gothic cathedrals housed labyrinths. At times, it was used as a pilgrimage and/or for repentance. One of the most famous labyrinths is the 11-circuit labyrinth of Chartres Cathedral in France, inlaid into the stone floor in 1201.
Many patterns are based on spirals from nature. In Native American culture it is called the Medicine Wheel and Man in the Maze. The Celts described it as the Never Ending Circle and in mystical Judaism it is called the Kabala.
Today, labyrinths are making an incredible
comeback. Why Walk?
Labyrinths are walked for many reasons. The
labyrinth can help individuals to look deeply into themselves and gain helpful
insights. It is a place to celebrate life, an instrument to bring a
peaceful moment, or a ritual of remembrance. The labyrinth walk can be a
teacher of life and a view to where one is in that process. It is also a
tool to pray, guide healing, deepen self-knowledge, insight and empower
creativity. Walking can clear the mind and give awareness of the spiritual
journey. It urges action. It calms and sooths during times of crisis
and transition. Some say that walking the labyrinth helps them to see
their lives in the context of a path, a pilgrimage. They realize that they
are not human beings on a spiritual path, but spiritual beings on a human path.
The walk can give solace to those in deep sorrow, giving comfort to the aching
heart and weary soul. The labyrinth gives the gift of physical healing in
the form of renewed strength and perspective that is needed when illness has
made one vulnerable as well as when giving support to others through illness.
The labyrinth walk can help us to pay attention, to listen to our hearts and
learn to be present in the moment, to quiet the chatter in our minds long enough
to hear what our soul is trying to tell us.
A Perspective of the Path
One of the Christian images that is played
out in the labyrinth is the “straight and narrow” path. The labyrinth’s
path is narrow, but far from straight. The image of the straight and narrow
implies we can make mistakes or lose our way. The path is not easy, and we
do make mistakes. But none are beyond the mercy of God. Losing our
way in life is not only a possibility; it is an inevitable experience that is
part of the spiritual path. We often don’t realize that the way to God is
wide and varied and mistakes are a part of that journey. As soon as
we become aware that we are lost, we are already on our way to being found
again. The path of the labyrinth is also forgiving. The labyrinth
introduces us to the idea of a wide and gracious path. It redefines the
journey to God: from a vertical perspective that goes from earth up to
heaven, to a horizontal perspective in which we are all walking the path
together. This straight and direct path to heaven seems to be an
impossible, as well as lonely journey. The winding, horizontal path of the
labyrinth reminds us not only are we not alone, but also have the magnificent
gift of His grace and mercy. It communicates a generosity about the Divine
that we long to hear.
How to Walk the Labyrinth
There is no right or wrong way to walk the labyrinth. You can use the labyrinth in any way that meets your needs.
Guidelines: Take a few moments before you enter the labyrinth. Clear your mind. Some like to say a prayer before they begin. Others spend a few minutes focusing on sounds around them or the rhythm of their breath. Isn’t it interesting that the word for “breath” is the same as that for “spirit.”? As you walk the labyrinth, you are invited to be in the spirit of prayer, meditation, reflection, thanksgiving, searching or play. Contemplate the steps you are taking as you move through the labyrinth. Walk as slowly or quickly as is natural for you. Feel free to pause at any time, and especially as you reach the turns in the path. Be guided by whatever may come to mind. In the silence of meditation often the most profound wisdom will present itself. Often a wonderful sense of peace envelops the walker. What comes to you is right. Each trip is as individual as you are.
If others are on the path with you, feel free to pass them or let them step around you. Take time in the center of the labyrinth before beginning your outward journey.
As you leave the labyrinth, carry with you any insights or blessings you have received. Some find it beneficial to continue their experience through journaling, drawing, or simply sitting in stillness for a while.
Three stages of the walk
Many walk the labyrinth in three stages, with the hope for self-knowledge and the knowledge of one’s relationship to the Divine.
Purgation (Releasing) – A releasing, letting go of the details of our lives. We relinquish the things we try to control. We empty, quiet, humble and surrender our daily concerns.
Illumination (Receiving) – When reaching the center, stay there. It is a placed of meditation and prayer. Receive what is there for you. Here is where people find insight into their problems. You may come to clarity in the center.
Union (Returning) – Our illumination often produces a grounded, empowered feeling. The walk back out often provides a way to integrate insights gained. Some feel that it stokes the creative fires within, that it energizes those insights. This third stage empowers the seeker to move back out into the world, replenished and directed.
Labyrinth Applications
Spiritual
growth
Increases connection with God and inner self.
Metaphor for person’s spiritual journey – 3 phases:
1. Walk to center – shedding, releasing, surrendering
2. Center-touch light of God
3. Walk out- integration, carrying Light into the world for service
Reflection and/or memorization of scripture
Prayer tool
Meditation
Walking the labyrinth is a moving meditation that engages body, mind and spirit through walking
Stress reduction-balances right and left sides of brain and body
Increases self-awareness - people frequently see images, have insights, new perspectives on issues or life patterns
Finding one's center or becoming centered
Guided meditation and/or journaling can be used before or after walking
Ceremonies
Rites of Passage – Birth, Puberty, Menopause, Marriage, Civil Union, Divorce, Graduation, Death, New job, New House, Retirement, etc.
Rituals can be created around any of life’s passages using the labyrinth to symbolically move from one phase to another.
Business
Stress Reduction, teambuilding, creative problem solving/solutions, transitions, accessing creativity, increased productivity, wellness, effective communication, organizational development and assessment tool, clearing clutter and finding balance.
Education
Stress reduction, teambuilding, effective meetings, creativity problem-solving, teaching math, history, art music dance and architecture.
Psychotherapy, art therapy, physical therapy, dance therapy, music therapy
Adapted from Spirit Matters, 2000
Webs
Labyrinth Society
Grace Cathedral.org
Lessons 4 Living.com
Soul Food Ministry.org
Books Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Tool - Lauren Artress, Putnam Pub. Group Rocklady: The building of a Labyrinth- Norah Griggs, Peace Rock Pub. Peace Labyrinth : Sacred Geometry - Dr. Beatrice Bartnett, Lifestyle Inst. The Sand Meditation at Your Fingertips Labyrinth - Lauren Artress, Tuttle Pub. The Way of the Labyrinth: A Powerful Meditation for Everyday Life - Helen Curry, Penguin USA Through the Labyrinth, Designs and meanings over 5,000 years - Herman Kern, Prestel Publications The Healing Labyrinth: Finding Your Path to Inner Peace - Helen Raphael Sands, Barrons Educational Series Inc. Living the Labyrinth: 101 Paths to a Deeper Connection with the Sacred - Jill Kimberly, Harwell Geoffrion, Pilgrim Press Praying the Labyrinth: A Journal for Spiritual Exploration - Jill Kimberly Hartwell Geoffrion, Pilgrim Press The Labyrinth and the Enneagram: Circling into Prayer - Jill Kimberly Hartwell Geoffrion, Elizabeth Catherine Nagel
Labyrinth Meditation Scriptures and Quotes
Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
When our eyes see our hands doing the work of our hearts, the circle of Creation is completed inside us, the doors of our souls fly open and love steps forth to heal everything in sight.
-- Michael Bridge
No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing God will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.
-- 1 Corinthians 10:13
May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from God's glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Creator.
-- Colossians 1:11-12a
The LORD is my strength and my might, and has become my salvation.
-- Exodus 15:2a
But those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and
not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
-- Isaiah 40:31
Prayer is not an old woman's idle amusement. Properly understood and applied, it is the most potent instrument of action.
--Mahatma Gandhi
Like water, be gentle and strong. Be gentle enough to follow the natural paths of the earth, and strong enough to rise up and reshape the world.
--Brenda Peterson
The best things in life are nearest: Breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of right just before you. Then do not grasp at the stars, but do life's plain, common work as it comes, certain that daily duties and daily bread are the sweetest things in life.
-- Robert Louis Stevenson
Even though you may want to move forward in your life, you may have one foot on the brakes. In order to be free, we must learn how to let go. Release the hurt. Release the fear. Refuse to entertain your old pain. The energy it takes to hang onto the past is holding you back from a new life. What is it you would let go of today?
--Mary Manin Morrissey
There is nothing that makes us love someone so much as praying for them
–- William Law
If thou could’st empty all thyself of self, like to a shell dishabited. Then might He find thee on the ocean’s shelf, and say – this is not dead- and fill thee with Himself instead.
–- T.E. Brown
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson | 
