As human beings,we have great difficulty in quieting our minds. "Monkey Minds," the bombardment of thoughts, doesn't permit us to live in the present as we are too focused on the past and the future. An ancient tool called a labyrinth can assist us as we meditate or pray by uniting our mind, body, and soul.
Looking for a meditation method? Look no further than a labyrinth as a tool for prayer, contemplation, comfort and meditation. Human beings have difficulty in quieting our minds. We become use to “Monkey Mind” --a constant chatter within ourselves preventing us for hearing what the soul wants. Labyrinth, an ancient tool for meditating, is becoming enormously popular in today’s stress filled world.
A dramatic renewal of an ancient spiritual tool is happening as more people realize the benefits of a labyrinth. Labyrinths are found in spas and retreats, in museums, in churches, in hospitals and in public parks. It is a remarkable instrument allowing a person to quiet his mind, to find balance, and to encourage meditation and insight into one’s soul.
Rev. Lauren Artress, of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, has been instrumental in spreading the use of the labyrinth as a spiritual tool. Why the rebirth of the labyrinth? In her book, Walking a Sacred Path, she writes, “We lost our sense of connection to ourselves and to the vast mystery of creation.” In 1996 she founded Veriditas which is the voice of the Labyrinth movement. Its purpose is to introduce people to the healing meditation powers of the labyrinth.
What is a Labyrinth?
A labyrinth is an aid on a spiritual journey. It is used for comfort, prayer, meditation and reflection. Meditation is an art in which one quiets the mind, lives in the present, and is attentive to listening to one’s soul. As humans, we experience a dilemma about living in the present as we seem to focus on the past and look toward the future. We lose sight of the present. A labyrinth can us help with meditation in order to fully live in the moment.
Some people confuse a labyrinth with a maze which is meant to confuse as it is a puzzle with deceptive turns and dead ends. However, a labyrinth has one path leading to the center and back out. Its aim is not to confuse but to enlighten.
A Personal Walk
Each individual’s walk is a personal experience. The reasons one walks can be to clear the mind, to reflect, or to enter with a question or a problem for which you seek a solution. As you walk following along the path, you do not need to think about where you are going. You are going to the center.
This can leave your mind open to quietly think. As you enter the labyrinth, you begin to meander and walk back and forth turning 180 degrees. Some say this shifts awareness from right to left brain and then one enters a receptive state of consciousness. When one reaches the center, one can reflect or pray. As you walk out, you integrate what you have received in the center. Your walk may be just a pleasant walk or it could have a profound impact.
How to use a Labyrinth
There are three parts to the labyrinth. The first is called Purgation or Releasing. It is where you initiate your walk. At this point you can think of your problem or concern. It is also referred to as Surrender as it is here that you give yourself, your “ego” up and surrender to God or a Higher Power. You let go of the details of your life by eliminating distractions.
The second part is Illumination or Receiving. It is at the center where you can open your heart and soul and listen though prayer and meditation. You receive what is there--an answer or a thought to ponder.
The third is the Union or Returning. This is the point where one has fused with God or the Higher Power and returns to the world refreshed. You become empowered to do what your soul wants.
History of the Labyrinth
References to labyrinths can be found in Mayan, Celtic, Greek and American cultures. The Hopi called the labyrinth a symbol for “mother earth” and used it as a medicine wheel. Through images on pottery and baskets and symbols carved in rock or tiles, labyrinths can be traced back over 4000 years ago to the areas of Peru, Arizona, India, Iceland, Egypt, and Sumatra.
Designs of a Labyrinth
The popular designs for a labyrinth focus on the number of circuits which is the number of times the path winds around the center. Either a seven circuit or an eleven circuit labyrinth is common. Chartres Cathedral at Chartres, France, was built over 2000 years ago. During the Middle Ages, many pilgrims walked this path. Its name lends itself to one type of labyrinth which has the eleven circuits. The other form is the seven circuits which is called Cretan or Classical. It connects with the seven Chakras and joins together the spiritual and physical aspects of the body. The circle design gives a sense of timelessness although one can find some linear designs.
Labyrinths are made out of various materials and can be rather large such as forty feet in diameter or quite small. They may be made out of sand, painted on canvas, fashioned with string or arranged with stones cut into the earth. One can walk a labyrinth or even use a finger to trace a path such as in sand or on a painted canvas. There are websites with a screen size labyrinth that one can trace as one reflects.
Locate a Labyrinth
According to the Veriditas Organization, there are approximately 1800 labyrinths in the US today. There is a beautiful one at Canyon Lake, TX. A newly constructed one can be found in a public park at Frontier in Erie, PA. John Hopkins Medical Center in Baltimore has a labyrinth. The city of San Francisco has several. You can go to the Veriditas website and use its locator to find one in your area. If one cannot be located, you have the option of building your own or ordering one.
Build your own Labyrinth
You can build your own labyrinth by consulting one of the websites mentioned. It can be small or even as large as 40 feet in diameter. You can print a full screen sized labyrinth from a website and trace the path with your finger. You can make one in your own back yard placing it among nature with plants and pools of water. You even can rent portable labyrinths or order finger labyrinths.
We live in a hectic paced world. The stress can be overwhelming. Terrorism, tsunamis, and hurricanes create a chaos felt deep within ourselves. The labyrinth presents a tool for us to seek peace; to bring a sense of calm by walking its circular pathways. Numerous people are on quest seeking ways to augment their spirituality. Many have found the labyrinth. It is a sacred place for one to experience a oneness with the universe.
Labyrinths are sacred places with a powerful design in which one makes a spiritual journey. It can be a potent means for prayer and reflection. An individual with a problem can walk seeking a solution. One can walk reflecting and achieving a deeper sense of prayer. A person with hypertension can walk to reduce stress. A cancer patient can walk for strength prior to chemotherapy. Families can walk it during their loved one’s surgery. Nurses can walk the labyrinth to relieve stress. All can walk to become more attuned to our spirituality. It is a path for prayer. It is about being in the present. It is integrating our spirit, our mind, and our body in God or our Higher Power.
However you decide to follow a labyrinth, by walking or by tracing one with your finger, this ancient spiritual tool can aid you in freeing yourself from the turmoil of today and achieving a moment of living in the present to connect your mind, body and spirit.