The Ordinary Mystic

As I was driving home the other day and I spotted this sign.

I have to admit I was surprised to see this being featured at a church. I had considered labyrinths to have more in common with eastern religious thought rather than western. Buddhists have their walking meditations, the labyrinth design resembles Buddhist mandalas, a symbol for meditation, and the meditation experience itself is a core practice in Buddhism and Hindu Yoga. So are labyrinths incompatible with Christianity?

But this isn’t the first time labyrinths have appeared in churches!

Eleven-Circuit Labyrinth Design

One of the most well-known labyrinths is the one at the Chartres Cathedral in France, built around 1220 CE. With a little research, I found out that over twenty of the eighty Gothic cathedrals in medieval times included labyrinths. You can even see the Christian symbol of the cross within the design. Christians at that time made pilgrimages to the cathedrals and then walked the labyrinths as a substitute for their pilgrimage to Jerusalem. So labyrinths do have a history with the medieval churches, but they are also experiencing a renewed interest in our day. Why?

So why are some churches embracing it now?

There is a resurgence of interest in spirituality going on, a desire within people to reconnection with their spiritual side, but many aren’t looking to the traditional churches. The churches realize this, and so look for other possible tools that will help people in their journey. Walking the labyrinth is one such tool.

Labyrinths speak to a universal consciousness

Part of the power lies in its ability to reach various levels of consciousness, which itself transcends religious dogma. The labyrinth transcends all religions, but people can, if they choose, use it within the context of their own religion. For example, like their medieval counterparts, Christians today can reflect on the journey from sin to redemption.

But there doesn’t have to be a specific context, and you don’t need any special instructions or training to benefit from the experience. You can use it to have a heart-to-heart talk with yourself. You can use it to clear your head, relax, and re-establish psychological equilibrium. Whatever your own needs are, the labyrinth is a great tool to help you address those needs.

Or, you can just walk it and see what happens.

As more and more people find tools such as these, as they explore practices that benefit anyone - no matter what their religious upbringing might be, I sincerely believe that the world will benefit from this spiritual revolution. This is something that people of all religions should welcome.

Labyrinth Resources

• The Labyrinth Company provides portable and permanent meditation tools for your organization.
• If you are interested in finding a labyrinth in your area, use the Worldwide Labyrinth Locator.

Related Posts

• Walking Meditation

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 12th, 2006 at 3:43 pm and is filed under Meditation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.