Labyrinths can be fun to run, skip or dance. They create a container that can hold our joy or our lament.
We usually walk the labyrinth to set an intention, meditate or pray.
For our purpose the sacred geometry of the labyrinth, whether it be a simple spiral path or more complex Classical design, serves as a safe container to hold our question, our inquiry or our prayers.
However you choose to use your labyrinth, you will begin at the entrance, move to the center, stay there for a period of time then take the same path back out to the beginning.
PROMPT
A HEALING LABYRINTH WALK
- Draw a picture or do some writing about what is going on in your home, your community and around the world right now.
- Notice if there is a question that you would like to know more about, or a positive affirmation you’d like to say. See if there is an intention you would like to set for this period of time or a prayer you would like to say for your home, your community or the world.
- Build your labyrinth (instructions below)
- Stand at the entrance of the labyrinth and speak your question, your intention, your prayer in to the middle. Then release it, know that the labyrinth will hold it for you.
- Just put one foot in front of the other as you walk in to the center. Once there, sit down, close your eyes, breathe and listen.
- Stay there as long as you like then begin your journey back out one step at a time, noticing thoughts, feelings and body sensations.
- When you get to the end of the path, turn around and thank the labyrinth.
- Go back to your journal and draw or write about your labyrinth walk. How did it inform your question, your intention or your prayer?
Spiral Labyrinth Classical Labyrinth
BUILD YOUR OWN LABYRINTH
Click here for an explanation on how to draw a Classical Labyrinth
A great way to use the labyrinth container is to draw a version of it right onto a journal page or spread, big enough for your finger to “walk” it.
HINT
Begin the creation of a Spiral Labyrinth in its middle, leaving a space large enough for you to sit in. Continue spiraling the material, leaving at least a 12″ path between, spiraling out until you are out of your material. As you work, secure lighter material with tape occasionally so it will stay in place.
SUPPLIES
- You will need about 60 ft. of material (toilet paper, yarn, masking tape, rope, chalk, contractor’s spray chalk) for a simple Spiral Labyrinth.
- Journal and Pen
You can easily create a labyrinth to walk indoors or outdoors if you have space (at least 15′ by 15′) using either chalk or yarn.
Outdoor
For a large space, such as the beach, a patio or open floor space in your home, you can draw or lay out a labyrinth in several ways.
At the beach I’ve laid out a labyrinth, drawing in the sand with a heavy rebar, for my group to walk.
You can do the same outside with chalk on concrete.
You can use contractor’s chalk spray, laying it out on a grassy area. The next mowing will take it away!
Indoor
In my art studio I invite participants to draw a spiral labyrinth using chalk directly onto the carpet. After several vacuumings the marks fade away.
A way to lay out an indoor Spiral Labyrinth is to use a lightweight, temporary material that will stay put on the floor, such as rope, yarn, masking tape or even a roll of toilet paper.
More Labyrinth History
Unlike a maze, we can trust the path to lead us into the center and back out again. There is only one path in and one path out. Walking the labyrinth is a metaphor for going into the center of ourselves and coming back out.
The earliest labyrinths to be found in Europe are estimated to be around 4000 years old.
Christians began walking the labyrinth for devotion and prayer in place of their pilgrimage to the holy land when the crusades were too dangerous to allow travel.