Sarah Todd Labyrinth
Labyrinths: An Ancient Pattern
Labyrinths are ancient patterns that have been found all over the world for over 3,500 years. Christians rediscovered their labyrinths in 1991, when a 13th century pattern was found in the main cathedral of Chartres, France (pictured).
The Sarah Todd Labyrinth is an adaptation of this pattern.
In the Middle Ages, walking a cathedral labyrinth may have been a substitute for the arduous journey of a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Today, labyrinths are often used as walking meditations, to focus the mind and put the walker in tune with the greater reality of Spirit.
Walking the Labyrinth
Unlike a maze, the Labyrinth has a single, undivided path and no choices to make other than travelling onward through the winding pattern to an assured goal. There are no tricks to it and no dead ends. Come to the labyrinth as you would come to prayer or meditation. Just as in prayer or meditation, there is no right, wrong or single way to do it. A common practice is to “quiet the mind, open the heart” before beginning. Some people walk with the intention of addressing an issue in their lives, a struggle or a joy; others come to pray or meditate and watch for what shows up.
A few suggestions:
- Begin with a time of letting go or an emptying of that which can block us in life. Do you have an intention (or question) that needs addressing?
- When you reach the center, you may want to pause and listen with the ears of your heart for any clarity or inspiration.
- As you leave the center, in communion with God, go back into the world with renewed life, bringing your gifts to others.
If several persons walk a labyrinth together, they may pass one another, going in either the same direction or opposite to each other. They may pass in meditative silence or quietly nod the head or raise a hand. The effect of meeting fellow pilgrims on the path is part of the labyrinthine experience. The labyrinth is a joyfully sacred space.
Tip: In the evening, many people find the labyrinth takes on a serene and inspiring quality when only the center light is illuminated. This can be activated using the fourth switch from the left in the bank of switches below the Labyrinth signage.