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Holy Week Labyrinth

"It is solved by walking" St. Augustine

This is the classical seven circuit labyrinth. It is an ancient design and is found in most cultures. It is dated back more than 5000 years. Labyrinths have been used in a spiritual manner. A cross is the starting point for this labyrinth. The cross at the center can become the focus for meditation and the experience of the labyrinth. The Labyrinth represents a journey to our own center and back again out into the world.

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A couple of years ago, I discovered the meditation of labyrinth walking, and have come to know it as a source of great peace and clarity in my life. I feel the earth
under my feet as I walk, guided by the singular path in front of me, lulled by the back and forth movement of this simple yet profound space. I’ve walked beautiful labyrinths with plants lining the pathways, rustic ones made of painted lines on concrete, and temporary ones built of masking tape or construction flags…and each time, regardless of the beauty or seeming lack thereof, I’ve experienced a varied palette of emotions. I hear God urging me to slow down, be still; and I’ve held on as He propels me into motion. I’ve listened as He has cautioned me to hold back and take care of myself, and hear Him as He pushes me to move beyond myself to get out into the world He has created.
 

Little wonder the labyrinth has existed for over 5,000 years, providing the “sacred space where the thinking mind and the imaginative heart can flow together.”  (Lauren Artress). Although the labyrinth was adopted as a symbol by the Christian church in the Middle Ages, only recently has it enjoyed the widespread interest
experienced around the world and across cultures. Labyrinths are often confused with mazes, but the differences between the two are great: labyrinths have one path leading to the center and back out again, while mazes have various pathways and dead-ends. Labyrinths are experiential forms of meditation and devotion, while mazes are left-brained puzzles that provide for hours of amusement (or frustration, if you get lost!). Very different spaces for vastly different purposes indeed!
 

Congregation and community members, young and old, gathering to walk the path – to be silent, to pray, to give thanks, to rejoice, to heal, to be in communion. There is a place for everyone on this path.
 

St. Augustine is often quoted as having said, “It is solved by walking.” I don’t know what “it” is for you – sometimes I don’t know what “it” is for me. But I have come to trust the process of the labyrinth – I trust that God will be with me, whether He wants me to gain insight or to feel peaceful and connected; and I trust that He will shine a light unto my path. Join us in this walk as we prepare our hearts and our minds to receive the gift of Christ during Holy Week!

See Holy Week Labyrinth photos

See Advent Luminaria Labyrinth

 

Walking the Labyrinth

There is no right or wrong way to walk the labyrinth ... your walk will be absolutely perfect for you. You only have to enter and follow the path.

Prior to beginning your walk, slow your breathing, relax and mentally dedicate this time to the glory of God. Bring your intentions and requests to mind and then let them go.

Enter the labyrinth without any expectations because everyone has different experiences (physically and spiritually) and your experience will be exactly what God wants for you. Start your walk at your own pace. Quiet your mind and release the burdens oflife. You may want to use a centering prayer or mantra (a short repeated phrase) while walking to the center. Open'your heart and trust that God will be at your side during your walk.

It is also important to honor each person's space and mutual time for prayer and meditation. The objective is to walk your walk while being courteous to others. When encountering others on their journeys in or out of the labyrinth, respectively move to the outside edge of your path to provide room to pass each other and feel free to cross over lines to gently move ahead of or around others if necessary.

While walking, feel free to stop and spend as much time as you want or need in the center. This is the time to quiet your mind and to just listen. You may not "hear" a voice in your ears or in your mind, but trust that God's message for you will be planted deeply within your heart. Open your soul to God's unconditional love and you shall receive it.

Your journey out of the labyrinth is the time to integrate the experience of your walk and God's message into your soul and life. You may again want to use a personal centering prayer or mantra as you walk back out into the world. Walk at a pace that feels good to you.

When you are finished, turn and face the entrance. Give an acknowledgement of ending, such as "Amen."

After walking the labyrinth reflect back on your experience. use journaling or drawing to capture your experience.

 

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