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There isn’t enough darkness
in all the world Two weeks prior to the greatest American tragedy we have ever experienced, the idea was given to me to build an outdoor labyrinth down near our chapel. For those of you who are not familiar with what a labyrinth is, it is an ancient circuitous walk leading to a Center, a walking spiritual meditation, a tool for entering into a time of reflection, contemplation, or prayer. In the two-week period we worked on it, I felt no urgency to complete it, however by Monday, September 10th, I began to push my husband Johnny to get it finished. All that was needed to complete it was to mulch the paths. Reluctantly he went and got a truckload of mulch on Tuesday, and together we worked at spreading it. I heard the phone ring up at the house, but being too far away, I thought, I hope whoever it is, leaves a message. In a little while I walked back to the house and had a message from a very dear friend, who had flown to New York City that early morning. He said he was safe, but unfortunately had seen what had happened. I was totally in the dark as to what his message meant. This time when I returned to work on the path, I took the portable phone, and a short time later my daughter-in-law called and told us about the Twin Towers explosion. It was at that point, I understood my friend’s message to me, and more importantly I knew the purpose of feeling so compelled to complete the labyrinth on that very day, it was to provide a place for quiet individual healing for all of us as Americans who have lost something very precious… Walking the Labyrinth is a Path to Discovery. Each walk is a personal experience. When you walk a labyrinth, you meander back and forth turning 180 degrees each time you enter a different circuit.
As you shift direction, you
also shift your awareness from right brain to left-brain.
This is one of the reasons the labyrinth can induce
receptive states of consciousness.
Consider walking meditation
and the use of a labyrinth as a way to slow down,
reflect, evaluate and redirect. The use of labyrinths has
been rediscovered throughout history as a wonderful way
to reconnect your spiritual self to your mind and body. There must be something special about labyrinths considering their presence throughout history in Europe, the Middle East and even North Africa. The oldest one is a Cretan labyrinth estimated to have been built around 2500 BC. Another is located in a basilica in Algeria that was constructed in the fourth century.
Perhaps the best known
labyrinth was inlaid in the floor of the Chartres
Cathedral near Paris, France around 1200 AD. It is
believed that several European cathedrals had labyrinths
that were used by Christians throughout the Middle Ages
for symbolic pilgrimages to the Holy Land.
While today people don't use labyrinths to complete a specific symbolic pilgrimage per se, the experience of walking the labyrinth helps to clear one's thoughts, detach from the daily grind and really focus on issues in life that need to be addressed.
"It is such a valuable
experience for someone who is in transition or going
through a personal change," says Patty Speier, executive
director of The Seton Cove. "The labyrinth is nothing
magical, nor does it endorse any particular religion or
faith. It simply is a spiritual tool to remind you that
everything in life is sacred."
Clearing Your Mind It is not a maze and there is only one path to follow that takes you to the center and then back out again." The idea is to enter the labyrinth and walk along the path's twists and turns toward the center during which time you release yourself from the daily details in an emptying or cleansing process.
By the time you reach the
center, your mind is clear to meditate or pray for
direction and vision in your life. When you feel
refreshed and renewed in your thoughts, you can leave the
center and travel back along the path, perhaps passing
people along the way.
There is so much noise and busyness in our lives, making it hard to dig deep and figure out what our inner needs really are. The labyrinth experience puts us in touch with our soul and spirituality which is so energizing to the mind and body.
It is a good idea to
journal or meditate on your experience once you leave the
labyrinth and keep the experience to yourself. While
it's not advisable to share your experience with others,
those around you will benefit from your new inner peace
and contentment.
The Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress, Canon of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, California, is credited with introducing labyrinths in the U.S. in the 1980s. They can now be found across the country at churches, hospitals, even in gardens. She saw them as a powerful spiritual tool for people as she explains in her book, "Walking a Sacred Path." "Many different forms of spiritual tools and meditations have sprung up in the past few years, and they all point to the search for meaning in our society, but the labyrinth seems to have struck a chord. It is a powerful tool, open to seekers of all beliefs. The labyrinth is an archetype of wholeness that helps us rediscover the depths of our souls," Artress writes. "We are not human beings on a spiritual path, but spiritual beings on a human path." Spiritual Direction is for all seekers of a deeper knowledge of and relationship with the Holy. It is for everyday people struggling in the midst of a culture that primarily values radical consumerism and external values over the wisdom of the heart. Spiritual direction promotes the spiritual life. It focuses on personal relationships with God. It helps us hear and respond to the "still, small voice within. Though found in various Christian traditions, this practice is a nondenominational. Spiritual Direction is about what God is inviting us to do and how we respond to the invitation. Hearing the invitation and responding to it are unique personal experiences.
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Click on a picture for a larger view!
"Put simply, life is a
God-given opportunity |
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Click here to read the labyrinth brochure. (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)
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Link to the Labyrinth Society |
