Using a Labyrinth for Meditation - Val
Retreat Labyrinth Word Document
Using a Labyrinth for Meditation
Life is a sacred journey. It is about change, growth, discovery, movement, transformation, continuously expanding our vision of what is possible, stretching our thinking, learning to see clearly and deeply, listening to our intuition, responding to challenges along the way. We are all on our own path…….
*The labyrinth is a model of that path.
A labyrinth is an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness.
It combines the imagery of the circle and the spiral into a meandering but purposeful path.
The Labyrinth represents a journey to our own centre and back again out into the world. Labyrinths have long been used as tools for meditation and prayer.
A labyrinth is a symbol with which we can have a direct experience.
We can walk it.
We can trace it slowly with our finger [a miniature ‘walk’].
It is a metaphor for life’s journey.
At its most basic level the labyrinth is a metaphor for the journey to the centre of our deepest self and back out into the world with a broadened understanding of who we are.
*A labyrinth has only one path.
It is unicursal. The way in is the way out. There are no blind alleys.   
The path leads you on a circuitous path to the centre and out again. ï‚
A labyrinth is a right brain task. It involves intuition, creativity, and imagery.
With a maze many choices must be made and an active mind is needed to solve the problem of finding the centre. With a labyrinth there is only one choice to be made. The choice is to enter or not. A more passive, receptive mindset is needed. The choice is whether or not to walk a spiritual path.
*Many newly-made labyrinths exist today, in churches and parks.
Labyrinths are used by many modern mystics to help the user achieve a contemplative state.
By walking amongst the turnings, the user loses track of direction and of the outside world, and thus quiets the mind.
The result is a relaxed mental attitude, free of internal dialogue.
This is a form of meditation.
Many people believe that meditation has health benefits as well as spiritual benefits.
[In other words: it’s good for you! ïŠ ]