“the labyrinth is truly a tool for transformation. it invites our intuitive, pattern-seeking, symbolic mind to come forth. our own life experience, our role in the cosmic dance, is the raw material for the sacred ritual of walking the labyrinth.”
-reverend doctor lauren artress
~~~~~~~
two weeks ago, a childhood friend and i went on a road trip.
a sojourn to the redsun labyrinth in victor, montana.
the labyrinth is based on an 800-year-old pattern,
found in the floor of the chartres cathedral in france.
a place of possibility. a walking meditation.
a labyrinth is seen as a representation of our path through life.
an ancient symbol that exemplifies wholeness.
as you walk the labyrinth, you are advised to be mindful of your life’s goal.
to allow connection to your center.
metaphors abound in the literature about labyrinths.
the place around, to, and from which we travel.
no beginning or end.
the journey of growth and becoming.
a call to action, an aid to healing.
a tool to help illuminate our purpose.
general guidelines:
release previous thoughts.
(remember to breathe.)
receive from each petal what it wants to offer.
accept joy, love, peace, whatever beckons to you.
allow yourself to find the pace your body wants to go.
choose your attitude.
notice the sky. listen to the sounds.
most of all pay attention to your experience.
i was eager and willing to engage in my own labyrinth exploration.
what follows is a narrative from my on-the-spot journaling.
~~~~~~~
greeted on our way in by an elegant deer.
we all stared at one another, transfixed.
and then, a split second later, the glimpse of beauty was gone.
i imagined walls.
the labyrinth is much more open, less mysterious, than i had envisioned.
release. (breathe.) receive. accept.
high temps mixed with wind.
why don’t the articles left behind blow away?
bothered by the silly (a dairy queen lanyard, a plastic rat).
startled by the memorialized (obituary clippings, photos).
fearful i’m not breathing enough, not opening myself up.
release. (breathe.) receive. accept.
bitterroot mountains represent and offer such strength to me.
quiet. peaceful.
a light breeze the only sound.
blue sky. wispy clouds.
inviting me in, whispering to me.
release. (breathe.) receive. accept.
still in the releasing phase though i’ve moved out of the inner circle.
others’ items blurred my way, jumbled my thoughts, interfered with my vision.
a bit of taller growth on the path. obstacles.
bring a stone to leave within the pattern to commemorate your walk.
brought my stone but never wanted to leave it behind.
feel as if i need it instead.
holding it, embracing its solace, gripping it tightly in my hand.
today i would rather take away than give.
release. (breathe.) receive. accept.
how would i color this giant mandala, this labyrinth?
mind already wandering.
very hot! when will we leave? what is carol writing?
what am i seeking here anyway?
how will all of this coalesce into the appropriate words?
words that will capture the meaning of this moment?
i don’t feel ready to release it all.
still can’t say a final goodbye to my mom, to certain memories/things.
someone had spelled out the word “forgive” with wood chips.
getting better at that.
release. (breathe.) receive. accept.
have that sense i’m not doing this right.
feeling defensive, yet what could be wrong?
not following the circular journey the way carol is?
suddenly realized with a jolt how that describes my life!
always the unconventional, unorthodox road for me.
the path is two directions.
do what feels natural.
there is no right or wrong way to walk a labyrinth.
do not concern yourself with what other walkers may be doing.
this is your experience.
a metaphor for one’s existence as well.
release. (breathe.) receive. accept.
a grasshopper jumped onto my journal.
i shooed it away.
should i have welcomed it?
what is its meaning?
what else have i pushed away, out of my life?
i looked it up.
symbolically a grasshopper signifies your inner voice.
to go ahead, to move forward, to try a new venture.
to take a leap with the wisdom necessary to overcome obstacles.
good luck. happiness. abundance.
but does everything in the midst of the labyrinth have to have a meaning?
maybe i just don’t like bugs.
everything that occurs on the labyrinth can be considered a metaphor for your life.
oh.
well, i still don’t think i’m ignoring my inner voice.
or pushing any opportunities away.
release. (breathe.) receive. accept.
i dislike physical discomfort.
i feel itchy, sweaty, overheated.
makes me want out of the labyrinth.
beginning to feel a bit suffocating to me.
that acceptance piece of the puzzle.
hard for me.
always fighting, always rebelling.
when i can’t see a clear way through, i fumble but keep pressing.
release. (breathe.) receive. accept.
~~~~~~~
later we exchanged our individual experiences with each other.
my favorite part was the walkway of quotes.
my friend shared her interpretations of the six petals in the center.
and especially her thoughts on the divine petal.
i was too distracted by what had been left behind by others to properly notice.
significant. interesting.
we also discussed our very different views on spirituality and religion.
while coloring mandala drawings.
in a safe, respectful, we-will-always-love-each-other kind of way.
until we were interrupted by the loudest volunteer fire department siren in the world!
perhaps another metaphor?
release. (breathe.) receive. accept.
~~~~~~~
so what did i take away from this unique adventure?
did i find myself?
because the thing is, i wasn’t lost.
however, the labyrinth did give me something important that day.
it reacquainted me with myself.
my path may not be crystal clear, it may still be unwinding.
but i realized that day that i am not searching for anything.
i am not seeking answers.
the act of introspection is a constant in my life.
so i’ve already found that essential place inside of me.
and though i may need a gentle reminder every once in awhile,
i am happy to say i go there often.
i’ve never felt more alive, more aligned.
exactly where i need and want to be right now.
i like my present.
and i like the direction and promise of my future.
i like the people i choose to spend time with.
i like me.
i feel complete.
and purposeful.
and expansive.
release. (breathe.) receive. accept.
~~~~~~~
have you ever visited a labyrinth?
what were your impressions, reactions?
if you haven’t been, do you think you would enjoy the experience?
[sections in italics taken from the redsun labyrinth brochure and website.]
Lots to think about! Our life is a continuous change. I rebel, I argue with powers greater than me. Mourning your mom, makes you who you are. Embracing what we like and don’t like about ourselves. Journey outside myself and get lost in something bigger than myself…. You do that. You are inspiring and honest. I appreciate that. Your mom made you who you are. Her memory shapes you daily. My friend that passed last year speaks into my daily laundry chores! How crazy is that? I have a single tear occasionally, but mostly smile and keep moving. As I drive past her exit, I miss not taking the exit. Her smile, her words, her quirks. She’s still affecting my life. I hear her encouraging me, irritating me, bossing me around, checking up on me, showing up at my door. Waiting outside the doctors office for me. Helping bury a pet, marry off a daughter. We are made for people, they hurt us intentionally and unintentionally. Yet we are loved, and forgiven. We have hope. Would love to see you again, April. Blessings, Elise
One of my last days at Duke Integrative Medicine, for my health coaching training, we walked the Labyrinth as a class. It was a very interesting experience, walking in silence with 42 other individuals. I felt awkward at the time, wearing heals and feeling overdressed for the experience. But when I went inside to write down my thoughts and work through my emotions, the tears started to flow. I wondered why self-acceptance has to be so hard at times. I wondered why so many of my 40 years of my life were spent wanting instead of being grateful. And I walked away feeling new…refreshed…eternally grateful and forever changed!
I haven’t been to a Labyrinth but I imagine I would really enjoy it based on your writing. Thank you for sharing your experience with your friend!
Thanks for sharing this journey with us April! I could feel the energy of the labyrinth as you wrote. It’s so beautiful!
April–I love the honesty of this. Am I doing it right? Am I feeling what I am supposed to feel? Did that mean something or am I just making things up? I find myself struggling with many of these same questions as I struggle to always do things properly. What I am learning is that there is no right or wrong, only our experience. And that is what should be embraced, no matter what it is. Thanks for another great post.
April, I’ve meditated my way through two labyrinths — one here in Phoenix at The Franciscan Renewal Center and the other in Sedona. They are magical and healing. “Walk a maze to lose yourself; walk a labyrinth to find yourself.” That quote took my breath away. Wow.
Though I’ve never been through a labyrinth, I can see how it really is a metaphor for life. You ask the questions we all do (at least I do): Am I doing this properly? What’re the others writing/experiencing? Getting too distracted by what others have done to concentrate fully on my own experience.
And then there’s the question of when is a grasshopper just a grasshopper – is it a symbol or a message because I want it to be. And is wanting it to be a message enough?
Lovely experience and food for thought, April. Thanks for sharing.
April, I just loved this post! The labyrinth concept is awesome and I hope to find one so that I can experience it too. You are so lucky to have had such a beautiful day to enjoy it. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and also for posting the quotes and photos along with the post.
Wow, I really felt taken on your journey with you. And I felt different by the end, calmer, more centered. Thank you for sharing this. The level of detail that you included was very affecting and also took me deeper. I also loved the repetition of the “release. (breathe). receive. accept.” Every time I read it, it sunk in a bit more. I’ve walked many labyrinths, including the one at Chartres, and they never fail to center and ground me. They are some of my favorite places in the world. 🙂
What a beautiful journey you took. I love that you journaled the occasion with your inner self–purely responsive. What a magical experience a labyrinth is, and each step an awakening unto self. I’ve been through several labyrinth walks, and it always surprises me what surfaces, is most needed.
I’ve never even heard of walking a labyrinth, but now I want to. I love the juxtaposition of your thoughts/experiences and the site brochure. I think this is my favorite post to date!
The rock you kept, the grasshopper, the uncomfortable feeling of the heat – I could feel all its significance and could totally relate. It sounds like it was challenging but well worth the effort!
Hmmmm April, this resonated deeply. I walked the Peace Labyrinth in Aruba last year at the Alto Vista Chapel…an amazing experience. You have captured this journey so beautifully.
What a wonderful experience! I have yet to walk a labyrinth, but my daughter has and absolutely loved the experience. I love how you shared the entire experience with us. It makes me want to experience it for myself first-hand! Thank you for sharing this!
Very very deep stuff indeed! quite a journey and like following the white rabbit, or the yellow brick road. As if it’s dream but actually happening in your very own reality!
Peace. Love. Happiness.
You reminded me of when I walked a labyrinth after my mothers death. I remember thinking it wouldn’t really do anything I was so devastated. But I was so wrong. It centered me, impressed upon me like your post did. I feel a lot of gratitude for your post in this moment. Thank you.
“…allow yourself to find the pace your body wants to go.”
Walking a labyrinth? I would love to try this one day, April. I love the way you took us on the journey with you. I could feel every moment. Thank you for this.