The Labyrinth at First Christian Church
Labyrinths and mazes are often confused and yet they’re quite different. A maze is like a puzzle that requires solving. It has twists, turns and blind alleys. It’s 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.
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.
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 is 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 too meant to awaken us to deep rhythm that unites us to ourselves and to the Light that calls from within.
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 possibility; it is an inevitable experience that is, part of the spiritual path. We often do not 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 be found again. The path of the labyrinth is also forgiving. The labyrinth introduces us to the idea of 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 impossible, as well as a 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.
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 the 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.
How do I 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. Below are some general guidelines that you may find helpful.
Take a few moments before you enter the labyrinth to being to 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.
As you walk the labyrinth, you are invited to be in a 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.
In the silence of meditation often the most profound wisdom will present itself. Be guided by your own thoughts - whatever you think or feel is right. Each walk is unique.
If others are on the path with you, feel free to pass them or let them step around you.
When you reach the center, feel free to take some time to think before beginning your outward journey.
You might want to meditate on a quote or Scripture verse as you walk. Here are some suggestions:
1. ...for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline. - 2 Timothy 1:7
2. 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
3. Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and shield. Our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you. - Psalm 33:20-22
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 detail 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 place 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.
©
First Christian Church
