The labyrinth will be set up in Fellowship Hall on Wednesday evenings from 6:30-9:30 during the season of Lent: February 24, March 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31. The labyrinth is a tool for meditation, prayer, and spiritual focus. It is a physical practice that engages body, mind and spirit.
What is the labyrinth?
It is a big piece of canvas that we lay out on the floor, with a labyrinth pattern on it, based on the pattern in the Chartres Cathedral in France.
How do you use it?
Come in during the time that it is laid out on the floor. There are materials that can give you some guidance for use, or simply start. You walk along the path laid out, like Dorothy on the Yellow Brick Road!
The atmosphere of spiritual meditation is heightened with candles and music. Plan on at least 20 minutes to walk it. If you have questions or would like some guidance, please contact Pastor Karen for a tutorial. Below you will find additional information to get you started.
Introduction to Labyrinths
Background
Labyrinths have a history going back at least 4,000 years, to the ancient Greeks and Cretans. Labyrinth patterns have been found on pottery, coins, in mosaics, and in architecture. Some version of labyrinths show up in a variety of cultures, including Native American.
The earliest Christian labyrinth is in a basilica in Algeria, dating back to the 4th century. Most labyrinths are constructed beginning with a cross, which is visible in the end pattern, and so lends itself easily to Christian symbolism, of journeying to the cross at the center. Labyrinths became more common in medieval times, and the most well-known of these is the 11-circuit (paths out from the center) labyrinth of Chartres, in France. It was built at the beginning of the 13th century. In the Middle Ages, these labyrinths had two main purposes. One was pilgrimage, the other penance. Visitors could make a short spiritual or symbolic pilgrimage by walking the path of the labyrinth in the cathedral. Because of the Crusades, actual pilgrimages to Jerusalem became impossible. A labyrinth became a kind of virtual pilgrimage, and they were sometimes called a “Road of Jerusalem.” One could also do penance by using the labyrinth, walking on the knees.
Labyrinths are sometimes confused with mazes. A maze is a puzzle, with many decisions to make, dead ends, possibilities of being lost or confused. A labyrinth is a unicursal path. That is, there is only one way to go; a path on which you travel to the center and then back out. There are no tricks, you cannot get lost, and there are no hidden paths. It is not a puzzle to be solved but a path to be taken.
Labyrinths are meant not just to be looked at, but used. They are installed in floors and pavements and in outdoor settings. Some are permanent, others temporary, as in sand or snow, and some are mobile. Labyrinths can be found in forms to be held in the lap or in the hands, and “finger walked” if they cannot be traveled on foot.
The Labyrinth as a Tool
The labyrinth is a unique tool because it combines physical, mental, and spiritual elements in one activity. Your body is moving, which calms the mind and opens you up to spiritual reflection. The labyrinth taps into your right brain, involving intuition, creativity, and imagery. It is a kind of “body prayer.”
Labyrinths are not magic, but they have proven useful for centuries as a tool for spiritual experiences, healing, and strengthening of mind and body.
Perhaps the best description of the labyrinth is as a self-alignment tool. The uses vary according to the needs of the person involved. A final recommendation is that it be used regularly. Its effectiveness improves with repeated experiences.
The Labyrinth Experience
Every person using a labyrinth will have an individual experience, but some of the possibilities include:
Clearing of the mind
Drawing closer to God
Self-awareness
Letting go of hurts, griefs, etc.
Insight and discernment, problem solving
Peace and joy
Healing—mind, body, and spirit
Transformation
Energizing
The easiest strategy for experiencing a labyrinth is to think of the journey in three stages:
1. The journey in: This is a time of letting go, releasing, purging
2. The center: Time should be spent in the center for letting in, receiving, illumination
3. The journey out: The return path can be a time of letting out into the world what has been received, or integrating and union with God, self, and others.
Another easy outline for using a labyrinth looks like this:
1. Focus. Pause at the entrance to breath, calm your mind, acknowledge the beginning of the journey, perhaps speak a prayer or desire of your heart, a problem or pain.
2. Experience. Be attentive as you walk. Look, feel, think.
3. Exit. Notice the differences in your return journey.
4. Reflect. Once out of the labyrinth, take time to reflect on your experience, perhaps journaling or drawing to express your thoughts.
5. Repeat. Use a labyrinth on a regular basis.
There is a great deal of information on labyrinths available in print and online. Walking a Sacred Path by Lauren Artress is a helpful book. Some possible websites are lessonsforliving.com, sacredwalk.com, and the Labyrinth Society web site.
