Discover The Labyrinth

This week I attended a talk about Labyrinths. The talk was given by Sue the Chaplain from The Isabel Hospice Care Group that I am involved with. Sue explained how Labyrinths are paths that follow a certain pattern, often created on the ground. They have one entrance and exit and a beginning and end. The following of a Labyrinth can be a powerful and spiritual experience for many people and they can be found in places of worship and meaning. I listened to the talk with intrigue and a little pessimism as I doubted that walking one would offer me anything other than dizziness but I was quite wrong.

After the talk, I was offered the chance to walk the Labyrinth.

In a large room that was dimly lit, the labyrinth was before me. It was a circular pattern painted on to a large canvas, the perimeter was lit by small tea light candles and there was instrumental music playing. When I entered the room, there were already two men walking on the path and I felt uneasy about sharing the labyrinth, in case I got in their way. After waiting some time at the side of the room, I decided that I would begin regardless of the other walkers, because much like in real life, you can spend a long time waiting for the perfect moment but it is often time wasted. Once I entered the labyrinth I felt a sense of pressure from within to reach the end, I wasn't paying much attention to anything else. I then decided to slow down and take in the journey rather than the destination. I felt peaceful, I felt and huge sense of calm and wellbeing and totally at ease. I started to feel like I wanted to sit down, not because of my dizziness but because I didn’t want it to end and this made me realise that it was mirroring something about my own life, as a child I was busy trying to grow up that I didn't appreciate the childhood that is such a wonderful gift, then as a teenager I felt like I wanted to stop time and stay as a child. On the Labyrinth I decided to pause at his point and take it all in.

The next part of the journey felt very typical of my life. Whilst walking serenely not bothering anyone I came face to face with another walker and before I could consider it, I moved aside to let him pass. and politely yielded, No biggy, but on deeper thought, I saw again how it mirrored my life. I have always politely moved aside, with no consideration of my own needs, and the walker represented all the obstacles I face without objection. I felt like the walker was the very embodiment of the hurdles of my health. Poor git, he was only having a walk :)

And so I stepped back on my path and continued my walk. When I reached the end I felt as though, it was over too quickly, and although I had experienced some highs and lows on this 5 minute walk, I didn’t want it to end.

I was very sad when it did, I felt moved and emotional. I think it made me realise that within me there is a feeling of grieving that my life is moving too quickly towards the end and although I can't change it, I can just simply take in every moment and enjoy the journey.

I really don't like telling people what to do, but here is the exception. Please find a Labyrinth and walk it. Simple.

If walking isn't something you can do then you can find printed versions that you can follow with your finger, at least with those you won't have to move aside for some other walker :)

http://discoverlabyrinths.com/

https://labyrinthsociety.org/