Thoughtful Thursday: Prayer Labyrinth

A quiet day of trail hiking at the Wesley Gardens Retreat. A surprising joy to find near their Outdoor Chapel was, the prayer labyrinth – a circular, maze-like path used as a tool to aid in prayer and meditation.

Prayer Labyrinth, Wesley Gardens Retreat, Burnside Island, Georgia.

We are all on the path… exactly where we need to be. The labyrinth is a model of that path, a metaphor for life’s journey.

http://www.holycrossep.org/ministriesthe-labyrinth-as-a-spiritual-tool/

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Walking the Labyrinth

There is no right way to walk a labyrinth. You only have to enter and follow the path.

Once you have started to walk, you are on a journey to the center. There is no need to rush. Some will walk faster, others more slowly. An average walk takes 45 minutes. [ * ]

Some walkers use the method of the classical threefold spiritual path: Purgation, Illumination, and Union. Purgation: As we walk in, we may experience purification. We open ourselves, cleanse our thoughts, and prepare ourselves for the encounter. Illumination: As we enter the center, we sometimes find clarity, insight, and wisdom. Unity: Exiting bearing our new peace, we may celebrate the sense of harmony, centeredness, and oneness. [ * ]

Your walk can encompass a variety of attitudes. It may be joyous or somber. It might be thoughtful or prayerful. You may use it as a walking meditation. Adults are often serious in the labyrinth. Children most often run in and out as fast as they can in a playful manner. When you walk a labyrinth, choose your attitude. From time to time, choose a different attitude. Make it serious, prayerful, or playful. Play music or sing. Pray out loud. Walk alone and with a crowd. Notice the sky. Listen to the sounds. Most of all, pay attention to your experience. [ * ]

Some general guidelines for walking a labyrinth are:

Sometimes it is good to read the posted information.

1. Focus: Pause and wait at the entrance. Become quiet and centered. Give acknowledgment through a bow, nod, or other gesture and then enter.
2. Experience: Walk purposefully. Observe the process. When you reach the center, stay there and focus for a while. Leave when it feels appropriate. Be attentive on the way out.
3. Exit: Turn and face the entrance. Give an acknowledgement of ending, such as “Amen.”
4. Reflect: After walking the labyrinth, reflect on your experience. Use journaling or drawing to capture your experience.
5. Walk often. Every time is a new experience. Most do not really get a feel for the labyrinth experience until they have walked it at least three times. [ * ]

* Text in this blog post was sourced directly from the following website and was not my own. Please follow the link for the full article about labyrinths. Thank you!

The labyrinth as a spiritual tool

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