Post by paulmurdoch1975 on Aug 11, 2011 1:01:50 GMT
THE LABYRINTH
We are all on the path... exactly where we need to be. The labyrinth is a model of that path and of the intricacies of the human mind/psyche/soul. A labyrinth is an archetype with which we can have a direct experience. We can walk it. It is a metaphor for life's journey. It is a symbol that creates a sacred space and place and takes us out of our ego to "That Which Is Within," our Higher Self.
A labyrinth is an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness and completion. It combines the imagery of the circle and the spiral into a meandering but purposeful path. The Labyrinth represents a journey to our own center and back again out into the world. Labyrinths have long been used as meditation and prayer tools.
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. It is a left-brain task that requires logical, sequential, analytical activity and often, trial and error to find the correct path into the maze and out.
A labyrinth has only one path. There is only one way in, and the same way out.. There are no blind alleys. The labyrinth is a right-brain task. It involves intuition, creativity, and imagery, along with faith.. With a maze many choices must be made and an active mind is needed to solve the problem of finding the center. 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.
The following is taken from literature provided by Christ Church in Little Rock, Arkansas:
A Three-Fold Path of Prayer:
Entering: Stepping into the Labyrinth, we enter into sacred space with a willingness to let go of what needs to be released.
Centering: At the center, we open for what is there for us, we receive through meditation and prayer.
Returning: Integrating what is awakened in our hearts, we bring this experience back into the world.
How To Walk The Labyrinth:
There are probably as many ways to walk the Labyrinth, as there are people on the earth. Some people walk, some crawl, some dance, skip, jump or inch along. Most of all, it is important to be open and spontaneous as we move along this sacred path just like so many of our brothers and sisters before us have done.
Before you begin, it may be a good idea to pause, center yourself and reflect on where you are in your life. You may want to write down the boundaries that define you at the present moment. Things like: new job, new baby, needs new direction, where am I going?
Gracious Attention: In this approach, you may want to just let go of everything as you make your walk. Allow the graciousness of God to envelope you and flow through you. There may be tears, a sense of peace or just stillness. It was the Prophet Elijah who found that God was not in the wind, not in the earthquake, not in fire, but in the soft whisper (I Kings 19:12).
Asking a Question: There is no magic to the Labyrinth and it is probably best to take questions into the journey that are outside the realm of "yes" or "no." Perhaps you might want to spend some time journaling before you make your walk, in order to let questions surface that perhaps you have been carrying around subliminally. Let the deep, submerged parts of yourself come up and reveal themselves.
Repetition: If you have a mantra, or if you are used to meditating by using a repetitive phrase, you may want to employ what you are accustomed to as you walk the Labyrinth. Two schools of thought exist as to what kind of phrase to use. Contemplatives often suggest a word or phrase that has neither positive or negative images, feelings, nor thoughts. The other school suggests finding a meaningful phrase that fits the rhythm of the walk for you. You might consider the ancient Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me." Or you might try this meditation from Stephen Levine, based on the Buddhist tradition: "May I dwell in the heart; may I be free from suffering; may I be healed; may I be at peace." Other phrases include: "Come Holy Spirit, come" or "I am a child of the Light" or "Guide me O Thou Great Jehovah."
Three-Fold Mystical Path:
The walk in to the center is the time of (1) Purgation. To purge is to cleanse, to release, to let go of; to empty. In this stage, you are asked to let go of whatever you brought to this place today. Leave it all behind you now. You may experience joy or tears or grief. Some have a sense of coming home. It is important to experience whatever comes up from your deeper self without self-consciousness.
Once you reach the center you begin the second stage of (2) Illumination. Walk into the center with an open heart and mind to receive whatever is there for you to receive. Leave when you are ready. It's like eating; you stop when you full. You will know when you are ready.
The walk out is the (3) Union Stage. We realize that we are in the hands of God and we are the ones who must act through divine empowerment. We gain strength with each step, a sense of integration and wholeness for a larger life.
Please remember:
1. If you meet someone on the path, just step around him or her and get back on your path. Remember the labyrinth is a two-way street, as if life. If partners or spouses meet, you may want to give each other a hug. If you are inwardly focused, you may want to keep your eyes lowered and continue on your way.
2. Don't be inhibited by the presence of others. Follow your inclinations (within the reasonable standards of society). The labyrinth is a tool to be used unselfconsciously to nurture ourselves.
3. Find and honor your own pace. It may change as you walk and that's OK. The important thing is to let your body do what it wants to do, not your mind. We want to quiet what the Buddhists call the "monkey mind," and honor the body.
4. Please remove your shoes (if an indoor labyrinth).
At this point I would like to add just a few things. From personal experience I find that walking the Labyrinth is an excellent tool to release or to remove spiritual-psychological blocks. The layout of the Labyrinth seems to represent the hemispheres and quadrants of the brain; so as you walk this path, you will surely experience just "where" these blockages are (the physical locations within the brain) that need to be released. As you walk you will feel the need to slow down or even stop-this is a block. This is why you don't want to rush through this process; take your time and feel your body and mind as you walk. Concentrate on any issue that you are working on. If you don't have a specific issue when entering the labyrinth, concentrate on the walk itself. As you walk, you are facing the psychological and spiritual blocks in your subconscious, working through them and releasing them even if unknown to you. You are walking within yourself.
I prefer to walk the Labyrinth alone and view this as a very personal experience; however, don't let the presence of others distract you or prevent you from the walk. They are there for similar reasons that you are and will understand if you prefer to wait until the Labyrinth is clear. You may have specific issues or questions that you want to work on. However, sometimes you may not be clear on where to start, what to ask, or what even needs to be released. Hand it over to God and Spirit; intend to release what is most needed at this point in time, and just walk on faith that it will done.
Walk slowly, at least at first to get a "feel" of the Labyrinth, especially around the corners; this seems to be where many of the blocks or things that need to be released reside. These may be the "dark corners" of your mind. Do not be surprised if emotions well up inside you; you may even feel the need to cry. This is natural. You are releasing something that has become a part of you; that part is dying and passing over. Mourn it, forgive it, and let it go. There may be stretches in the walk when you just feel like gliding; do it. But when you feel the need to slow down, pay attention and abide by what you feel-not think.
When you reach the center, you will notice that is flower shaped. Personally, I stand inside each "petal" and then in the center before returning. There may be some "petals" in which you just don't feel anything, and that's OK. You will know when to move on to the next one. While standing in the center, really intend to receive all that you can and all that you need at that point in time. It may help to stand with palms out and upward so that you can fully receive all that is sent. Close your eyes and just allow the process to take place. Don't be alarmed if you feel light-headed when it's complete. Stand and allow this feeling to pass before returning on the path out of the labyrinth.
While walking out of the Labyrinth, go at the same pace at which you entered. You may still feel the occasional need to slow down or even stop. As you walked toward the center, you were releasing. At the center you were receiving-filling that void left behind by what you handed over. Now, you are integrating this new energy into your soul and body. The entire walk usually takes about twenty minutes; but don't time this or watch your clock-quality of the walk is the most important thing here; so plan your walk when you are not required to rush into something else. This is also beneficial since you may want to just sit and contemplate the experience for a while before going back to your daily life.
Now there may be a caveat to this process of Releasing, Receiving and Integrating. The process of Assimilation must also be experienced and completed. Whatever you have received-energy, knowledge, information or clarity-it must be absorbed into your Self and understood in order to be fully integrated. This process may take some time, so do not expect miracles from the first walk. I have found that it usually takes about three separate walks to really clear any given issue; and those walks should be spaced over a number of days or longer. Full assimilation of any given issue tends to take a minimum of two weeks to a month to complete. What you receive must become a part of you and a part of your life. It is up to you to continue the maintenance of this integration process and utilize that which you are given. Walk the walk, and then walk the talk.
Visit www.lessons4living.com for more information on labyrinths.
We are all on the path... exactly where we need to be. The labyrinth is a model of that path and of the intricacies of the human mind/psyche/soul. A labyrinth is an archetype with which we can have a direct experience. We can walk it. It is a metaphor for life's journey. It is a symbol that creates a sacred space and place and takes us out of our ego to "That Which Is Within," our Higher Self.
A labyrinth is an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness and completion. It combines the imagery of the circle and the spiral into a meandering but purposeful path. The Labyrinth represents a journey to our own center and back again out into the world. Labyrinths have long been used as meditation and prayer tools.
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. It is a left-brain task that requires logical, sequential, analytical activity and often, trial and error to find the correct path into the maze and out.
A labyrinth has only one path. There is only one way in, and the same way out.. There are no blind alleys. The labyrinth is a right-brain task. It involves intuition, creativity, and imagery, along with faith.. With a maze many choices must be made and an active mind is needed to solve the problem of finding the center. 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.
The following is taken from literature provided by Christ Church in Little Rock, Arkansas:
A Three-Fold Path of Prayer:
Entering: Stepping into the Labyrinth, we enter into sacred space with a willingness to let go of what needs to be released.
Centering: At the center, we open for what is there for us, we receive through meditation and prayer.
Returning: Integrating what is awakened in our hearts, we bring this experience back into the world.
How To Walk The Labyrinth:
There are probably as many ways to walk the Labyrinth, as there are people on the earth. Some people walk, some crawl, some dance, skip, jump or inch along. Most of all, it is important to be open and spontaneous as we move along this sacred path just like so many of our brothers and sisters before us have done.
Before you begin, it may be a good idea to pause, center yourself and reflect on where you are in your life. You may want to write down the boundaries that define you at the present moment. Things like: new job, new baby, needs new direction, where am I going?
Gracious Attention: In this approach, you may want to just let go of everything as you make your walk. Allow the graciousness of God to envelope you and flow through you. There may be tears, a sense of peace or just stillness. It was the Prophet Elijah who found that God was not in the wind, not in the earthquake, not in fire, but in the soft whisper (I Kings 19:12).
Asking a Question: There is no magic to the Labyrinth and it is probably best to take questions into the journey that are outside the realm of "yes" or "no." Perhaps you might want to spend some time journaling before you make your walk, in order to let questions surface that perhaps you have been carrying around subliminally. Let the deep, submerged parts of yourself come up and reveal themselves.
Repetition: If you have a mantra, or if you are used to meditating by using a repetitive phrase, you may want to employ what you are accustomed to as you walk the Labyrinth. Two schools of thought exist as to what kind of phrase to use. Contemplatives often suggest a word or phrase that has neither positive or negative images, feelings, nor thoughts. The other school suggests finding a meaningful phrase that fits the rhythm of the walk for you. You might consider the ancient Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me." Or you might try this meditation from Stephen Levine, based on the Buddhist tradition: "May I dwell in the heart; may I be free from suffering; may I be healed; may I be at peace." Other phrases include: "Come Holy Spirit, come" or "I am a child of the Light" or "Guide me O Thou Great Jehovah."
Three-Fold Mystical Path:
The walk in to the center is the time of (1) Purgation. To purge is to cleanse, to release, to let go of; to empty. In this stage, you are asked to let go of whatever you brought to this place today. Leave it all behind you now. You may experience joy or tears or grief. Some have a sense of coming home. It is important to experience whatever comes up from your deeper self without self-consciousness.
Once you reach the center you begin the second stage of (2) Illumination. Walk into the center with an open heart and mind to receive whatever is there for you to receive. Leave when you are ready. It's like eating; you stop when you full. You will know when you are ready.
The walk out is the (3) Union Stage. We realize that we are in the hands of God and we are the ones who must act through divine empowerment. We gain strength with each step, a sense of integration and wholeness for a larger life.
Please remember:
1. If you meet someone on the path, just step around him or her and get back on your path. Remember the labyrinth is a two-way street, as if life. If partners or spouses meet, you may want to give each other a hug. If you are inwardly focused, you may want to keep your eyes lowered and continue on your way.
2. Don't be inhibited by the presence of others. Follow your inclinations (within the reasonable standards of society). The labyrinth is a tool to be used unselfconsciously to nurture ourselves.
3. Find and honor your own pace. It may change as you walk and that's OK. The important thing is to let your body do what it wants to do, not your mind. We want to quiet what the Buddhists call the "monkey mind," and honor the body.
4. Please remove your shoes (if an indoor labyrinth).
At this point I would like to add just a few things. From personal experience I find that walking the Labyrinth is an excellent tool to release or to remove spiritual-psychological blocks. The layout of the Labyrinth seems to represent the hemispheres and quadrants of the brain; so as you walk this path, you will surely experience just "where" these blockages are (the physical locations within the brain) that need to be released. As you walk you will feel the need to slow down or even stop-this is a block. This is why you don't want to rush through this process; take your time and feel your body and mind as you walk. Concentrate on any issue that you are working on. If you don't have a specific issue when entering the labyrinth, concentrate on the walk itself. As you walk, you are facing the psychological and spiritual blocks in your subconscious, working through them and releasing them even if unknown to you. You are walking within yourself.
I prefer to walk the Labyrinth alone and view this as a very personal experience; however, don't let the presence of others distract you or prevent you from the walk. They are there for similar reasons that you are and will understand if you prefer to wait until the Labyrinth is clear. You may have specific issues or questions that you want to work on. However, sometimes you may not be clear on where to start, what to ask, or what even needs to be released. Hand it over to God and Spirit; intend to release what is most needed at this point in time, and just walk on faith that it will done.
Walk slowly, at least at first to get a "feel" of the Labyrinth, especially around the corners; this seems to be where many of the blocks or things that need to be released reside. These may be the "dark corners" of your mind. Do not be surprised if emotions well up inside you; you may even feel the need to cry. This is natural. You are releasing something that has become a part of you; that part is dying and passing over. Mourn it, forgive it, and let it go. There may be stretches in the walk when you just feel like gliding; do it. But when you feel the need to slow down, pay attention and abide by what you feel-not think.
When you reach the center, you will notice that is flower shaped. Personally, I stand inside each "petal" and then in the center before returning. There may be some "petals" in which you just don't feel anything, and that's OK. You will know when to move on to the next one. While standing in the center, really intend to receive all that you can and all that you need at that point in time. It may help to stand with palms out and upward so that you can fully receive all that is sent. Close your eyes and just allow the process to take place. Don't be alarmed if you feel light-headed when it's complete. Stand and allow this feeling to pass before returning on the path out of the labyrinth.
While walking out of the Labyrinth, go at the same pace at which you entered. You may still feel the occasional need to slow down or even stop. As you walked toward the center, you were releasing. At the center you were receiving-filling that void left behind by what you handed over. Now, you are integrating this new energy into your soul and body. The entire walk usually takes about twenty minutes; but don't time this or watch your clock-quality of the walk is the most important thing here; so plan your walk when you are not required to rush into something else. This is also beneficial since you may want to just sit and contemplate the experience for a while before going back to your daily life.
Now there may be a caveat to this process of Releasing, Receiving and Integrating. The process of Assimilation must also be experienced and completed. Whatever you have received-energy, knowledge, information or clarity-it must be absorbed into your Self and understood in order to be fully integrated. This process may take some time, so do not expect miracles from the first walk. I have found that it usually takes about three separate walks to really clear any given issue; and those walks should be spaced over a number of days or longer. Full assimilation of any given issue tends to take a minimum of two weeks to a month to complete. What you receive must become a part of you and a part of your life. It is up to you to continue the maintenance of this integration process and utilize that which you are given. Walk the walk, and then walk the talk.
Visit www.lessons4living.com for more information on labyrinths.
