Walking the labyrinth

The practice itself is simple. I begin each session with a brief introduction. I suggest ways to prepare to enter the labyrinth: to sit quietly, to walk around the outside of the labyrinth, to meditate, to focus the mind on the breath. We each walk at our own pace and in our own style. We dance or stop, as needed. We may pass each other. Some might step on and over the lines or walk boldly and energetically, arms swinging. Others walk quietly and slowly.

We agree to give each person his or her own space on the labyrinth and respect each other's experience and our own. I do not create a mental focus for the walkers. Each can choose his or her own way. Some like to contemplate a thought or a problem. Some prefer to let their thoughts go where they may.

I am filled with awe at the subtle power of the labyrinth as a spiritual tool and intrigued by the mysteries surrounding its history, both inside and outside of Christianity. Labyrinths can be found in many religious traditions. Tibetan sand paintings or mandalas are a kind of labyrinth. The medicine wheel is an ancient North American Aboriginal labyrinth. The Tree of Life, found in the Jewish mystical tradition, is a type of labyrinth.