Solvitur ambulando – It is solved by walking.
St. Augustine of Hippo
Labyrinths and mazes have often been confused. When most people
hear of a labyrinth they think of a maze. A labyrinth is not a maze.
A maze is like a puzzle to be solved. It has twists, turns, and blind
alleys.
A labyrinth has only one path. The way in is the way out. There are
no blind alleys. The path leads you on a circuitous path to the center
and out again.
There are many beliefs about the origin of a labyrinth, but Christian
labyrinths seem to appear in the twelfth century. The most famous
is in the Chartres Cathedral in France. Christians often used a
labyrinth when making a pilgrimage to Jerusalem was not possible
so a symbolic pilgrimage was done on a labyrinth in the nave of a
church.
There are three stages of the process of walking a labyrinth:
Shedding – from the entrance of the path to the center.
This is a time of letting go of control of the things that may
block communication with God.
Illumination – at the center. It is usually a surprise to
reach the center after following a long, winding path. After
quieting the minding on the labyrinth’s path, the center is a
place for meditation and prayer.
Union – begins as you walk away from the center. Often in
this stage of the walk a sense of purpose or clarity is
experienced and one is able to move back into the world
replenished and directed.
Walking a labyrinth is a wonderful spiritual tool. When I walk the
labyrinth it helps to clear my mind and often provides insights to
my personal spiritual journey. Foothills church is fortunate to have
a labyrinth on our property in the Memorial Garden beside our
sanctuary, it always open and available to whoever is ready for a
spiritual journey. I invite you to take a walk and encounter God.
Loving God, provide for me a path to find you.
