A labyrinth is a symbol found in many cultures from ancient to modern times. If you visit Chartres in Northern France, or Ely in Norfolk in England, you will find the labyrinth pattern on the stone floor of the ancient Cathedrals. The feet of the faithful have walked the path in prayerful meditation since the 13th Century.

Since the fourth century the Christian Church has used the labyrinth as a walking meditation and as a symbol of a pilgrimage and of the Easter journey. The labyrinth symbol is found in many other religions of the world. We all feel a need for time for reflection, for moving in concert with our thoughts, for seeking inner peace in our souls.

The design can be found in fields and in churches all over Europe. People make labyrinths from stones, grass, wood, fishing line, on beaches and in snowy fields. Indoor labyrinths come in canvas and masking tape. There has been a great revival of interest in this spiritual tool in recent years around the world and particularly in North America. Labyrinths can be found on church property, in city parks, in retreat centers, in prisons and in private gardens. People are finding it a powerful tool for spiritual renewal. Anyone can lay out a simple labyrinth from materials to hand. Read on if you would like to learn more about this ancient spiritual tool and make your own labyrinth at this season of thanksgiving and reflection.

Sometimes the words "labyrinth" and "maze" are confused. While both refer to circling patterns, the two are totally different. The labyrinth represents a pilgrimage of the soul which follows a long, winding yet purposeful path which finally comes to a center, then winds its way out again. There are no obstacles, no puzzles; it is not a maze. There is one unbroken path to follow.

A maze is a puzzle and thus designed to confuse; walkers must use their reason and cunning to escape. A labyrinth is a single path which leads the walker to the center and back out. There are no hedges, no blind turns, nothing to obstruct the view of the path's destination. In an open, receptive frame of mind, the walker simply follows the path and experiences a refreshing form of meditation.

There are two basic designs, an eleven circuit and a seven circuit. Each design provides a metaphor for life's journey: We can see our goal in the center but the path leads us around, sometimes closer, sometimes farther away. If we persist, we reach the center, survey the path we have trodden and give thanks.

The experience of walking the labyrinth will be different for each person and different each time the path is walked. Many have found it to be a tool to guide healing (of the mind, spirit and body,) to awaken the Spirit within them, to spark creativity. Walking the labyrinth quiets the busy mind and enables a person to see their life in the context of a path or journey. It often gives solace and peace, and encourages action empowered by the Spirit.

Metaphorically speaking, we are all spiritual seekers, on the path together, looking for meaning and purpose for our lives. The Labyrinth provides a symbol that is also quite literal as it presents us with a real path upon which to really walk together.

The Labyrinth is a spiritual tool that is used as a centering activity. It is meant to be walked as a form of meditation, and in the walking the spirit finds healing and wholeness.

A true story

R** was close to release from several years in prison and volunteered to help in the construction of a stone labyrinth in the grounds of the cathedral church in a city close to the penitentiary. The pattern was laid out in masking tape in another area and R** was one of the first to walk it. In his life, he has had little to do with formal religion, but in recent years he has come to respect his own spirit. He will freely tell anyone that he found walking the labyrinth a powerful and empowering experience.

R** worked harder than anyone for ten days to prepare the ground and lay the stones for the permanent labyrinth. From time to time, he would return to the taped pattern and spend some time alone with his own thoughts. When the construction was finished, the crew of five inmates on release, their guard and the three parishioners who had worked together all agreed that R** should be the first to walk the path. He walked it in joy and with a huge sense of achievement.

When R** was released a few weeks later, he came to live close to the cathedral and now spends a lot of time around the green lawns of the church close. He walks the labyrinth almost every day and brings friends and acquaintances. His one regret was that there was not time for him to organize the construction of a labyrinth within the penitentiary before he left. R** may never set foot inside the massive walls of the cathedral, but he has found a way to talk to his God and receive guidance and support.

If you would like to build your own labyrinth in the snow, in the sand, on a grassy field or in a hall, go to here for instructions

How do I walk the Labyrinth?

There is no absolutely "right" way to walk the labyrinth. Choose your pace--slow, moderate or fast. Most walk alone, but you may choose to walk with another. If you meet someone on the path, pass quietly or move aside and then continue. You may not want to make eye contact, or you may wish to touch in passing.

The walking meditation may be used in several ways according to your needs and wishes.

Here are a few suggestions to help you begin:

Breath deeply, center yourself and enter the path. Begin to move forward and find the pace your body wants. If you have a particular issue you are praying about, hold that in your heart. You may silently repeat a phrase from a hymn or a prayer. If you wish, you can pause now and then to record your thoughts in writing. As you walk to the center, relax and release the thoughts and concerns of life, allowing your mind to become quiet. When you reach the center, stay there as long as you like. Listen for the voice of the Spirit within you. As you walk out of the center, retracing the path that brought you in, allow a new perspective and a new energy to fill you as you continue on your spiritual path in life.

Walking the labyrinth. . .

does not require a great amount of concentration in order to benefit from the experience. The sheer act of walking a designated path helps to discharge energy and focus the mind. What seems to work best when preparing to walk is to take a few minutes to reflect on where you are in your life journey, and what issues confront you. You may wish to focus on a particular question that you have been asking yourself. All this helps you into a receptive and quieted state in which insights may bubble up into the conscious mind that may not have emerged before.

You may silently repeat a phrase from a hymn or a prayer. If you wish, you can pause now and then to record your thoughts in writing. As you walk to the center, relax and release the thoughts and concerns of life, allowing your mind to become quiet. When you reach the center, stay there as long as you like. Listen for the voice of the Spirit within you. As you walk out of the center, retracing the path that brought you in, allow a new perspective and a new energy to fill you as you continue on your spiritual path in life.

Click here for detailed instructions on how to build a labyrinth

© Patricia Crossley. Nothing may be copied from these pages without the permission of the author