Walk the Labyrinth: A Timeless Spiritual Practice
“The simple act of walking the Labyrinth invites us back into the center of our being. No matter where we are in our own life’s journey, no matter what tradition sparks the creative imagination, we may glimpse the Divine.”
— Dr. Lauren Artress, Walking a Sacred Path:
Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Tool
The Labyrinth is one of the oldest contemplative and transformational tools known to humankind. It has been in use for over 4,000 years in cultures around the globe. It leads us on a prescribed, meandering path, offering only one route to the center and back out again. It is a metaphor for our journey through life.
The Labyrinth is a spiritual vessel that awakens us
to the deep rhythms of our lives, helping us recognize
our truest self and the Divine Light within.
The canvas Labyrinth at Christ’s Episcopal Church is a replica of the 13th century permanent stone Labyrinth set into the floor of Chartres Cathedral in France. Labyrinths were embedded in cathedral floors so that Europeans could honor the tradition of pilgrimage even if they could not actually travel to Jerusalem.
Its pattern contains eleven concentric paths that wind through four quadrants of the circle. It is a distinctly Christian Labyrinth pattern. An equal-armed cross is evident in the twists and turns of the layout. The center is a six-petal design representing a rose, Christianity’s traditional symbol for Mary, mother of Jesus.
