What is a Christian Labyrinth?
The Labyrinth is a sacred tool, a prayer
path that energizes the human spirit
through relaxation and quietness, spiritual
insight, emotional healing, walking
meditation and problem solving. It offers
us time to retreat, to open ourselves
to the Holy Spirit, as Jesus did in
order to remain focussed on God's presence
and love.Unlike a maze, the Labyrinth
has only one path to the centre and
back again. There is no right or wrong
way to walk the Labyrinth. You can't
get lost. |
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Labyrinth walking is an intuitive
spiritual exercise. All that you need
to do is to open yourself to the gift
of God's presence. Since time in the
Labyrinth will tend to mirror where
we are in our own life journey, every
walk will be different. The Labyrinth
is a powerful tool for spiritual transformation.
Before
Walking the Labyrinth...
Please remove your shoes. Take some
quiet time to prepare yourself for
the walk. Sit and relax, say a prayer,
such as the Jesus prayer, "Jesus
Christ Son of God, have mercy on me".
Do some deep breathing exercises or
meditation, or repeat a brief biblical
passage such as — "Be still
and know that I am God" (Psalm
46: 10) You can begin to walk with
nothing at all on your mind. Or, you
may want to bring a particular issue
or concern.
During
the Walk...
As you walk into the centre of the
Labyrinth it is usual for some "mind
chatter" to occur as you relax
and let your thoughts go. It may help
to consciously put such thoughts aside
until a later time. Allow your mind
to be completely free of thought.
Sometimes, walkers will choose to
see the path in a symbolic way, representing,
for example their life journey to
date, or the stages of Christ's life.
You will meet others along the way,
just like you do in life. You may
pass people, or let others step around
you when you meet. Do what seems natural.
In or near the centre, be ready for
fresh insight and the direction of
God's Spirit. Remain in the centre
of the Labyrinth as long as you wish.
If you walk back, remain open to whatever
you are experiencing. If you want
to leave the Labyrinth at any time
without completing the path, simply
walk across the lines and out to the
edge.
After
the Walk...
Reflect on your walk. What were your
insights? Did Christ travel with you?
It is often helpful to do some personal
journaling by writing down your reflections
in a Labyrinth Journal that you bring
to each walk. Sometimes discoveries,
or emotions experienced while walking
the Labyrinth can make us feel uncomfortable
because they are unfamiliar. You may
want to talk about your experience
with a trusted friend.
Christ be with you on your journey.
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