Labyrinths

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Registered: 03-09-2001
Labyrinths
10
Sun, 05-28-2006 - 5:10pm

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/pbccentral/content/local_news/epaper/2006/05/27/m1a_labrynth_0527.html

from the article:

"Circuitous labyrinth helps many find their center

By Lona O'Connor
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Saturday, May 27, 2006

Catholics, pagans, Episcopalians, Unitarians and a nursing college all share a passion for the labyrinth, an ancient device that has been used for thousands of years for healing, meditation and prayer.

Sister Peggy Lane, a Catholic nun, fretted as a bookstore clerk filed books about labyrinths under "New Age." She wanted them to go on the shelf on Christian prayer and meditation.

But that's the thing about labyrinths. Their appeal transcends the usual religious boundaries.

"The labyrinth is a universal form, the circle, the spiral," said Lauren Artress, author, Episcopal minister, international labyrinth expert and founder of the Veriditas movement, which seeks to restore the mystical core of Christianity using labyrinths as the tool.

Artress is leading a weekend labyrinth retreat and training workshop, under way now at the Duncan Center, an Episcopal retreat in Delray Beach.

Lane leads labyrinth retreats at the Cenacle in Lantana. She was trained by Artress and has walked with her on the famous labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral in France.

Pagans find it significant that Chartres cathedral was built on a powerful druidic "goddess site," over ley-lines, which are thought to converge healing energies.

Sophia LeTourneau, a pagan, uses an outdoor labyrinth for her annual Witches Ball and the ancient festivals of Beltain and Samhain. That labyrinth is on the grounds of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Lauderdale, whose members also use it.

Pagans point out that labyrinths appeared eons before Christianity. There is evidence of labyrinths in all of the six inhabited continents, some going back 2,000 years before Christ.

But the most famous ancient labyrinth, built by Daedalus on the island of Crete to contain the Minotaur, probably is as much a myth as the Minotaur, half-man, half-bull."

(article continues...)

Some other links about Labyrinths:

http://www.labyrinthsociety.org/
http://www.veriditas.net/
http://www.lessons4living.com/labyrinth.htm
http://www.knowth.com/labyrinths.htm

Anyone walked a labyrinth? Studied them? Have a table top model? What's the experience like, walking one? Is it something like sitting meditation or t'ai chi or yoga, in reaching your center? I've never walked one, but have been curious about them.

Gypsy



Blessings,

Gypsy

)O(



iVillage Member
Registered: 01-20-2006
In reply to: gypsywolfwoman
Mon, 05-29-2006 - 9:45am

I walked one once ~ in a cathedral (Grace?) ontop of Nob Hill in S.F., CA.

We were on a family trip and went in to look at the church. When my Dds saw the labyrinth on the floor and read that anyone was welcome to walk it, they both really wanted to! Eldest Dd headed in to it first. My youngest Dd was only about 7 or 8 at the time and a somewhat hyper (easily distracted) child, I didn't want her to just run around . . . but I'd never seen her so reverent and intent. When they finished they were both quiet, yet "charged" the emotion on their faces was just incredible. They both insisted that I walk it. It was a time in my life when I was unsure of my feelings about/relationship with God/Devine and I really didn't want to . . . but my respect went deep enough that I wouldn't walk it half-heartedly either. Sooooooo I cleared my mind (yes, much like meditating) and walked in towards center . . . it's hard to describe . . . but it was powerful. And in some ways may have been the beginning of my belief that God/dess is there whether I choose to believe or not and regardless of how I go about that process (if that makes any sense).

I would love to walk one again! I've never tried a "table-top" version, but have often wondered if it would be similar. The experience (for me anyway) of actually walking it (whole body/soul) was very powerful. And I can see where it would trenscend "religion" (man-made expressions) and go directly to The Source (JMHO).

Neat post ~ I;ll have to go check out the links you supplied!

Thanks and Many Blessings, "M"

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: gypsywolfwoman
Mon, 05-29-2006 - 11:08am

I've never walked one either, but they do intrigue me.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-20-2001
In reply to: gypsywolfwoman
Thu, 06-01-2006 - 11:05am
I've walked a labyrinth twice...both times were enjoyable... I felt like it was very peaceful and I did get some insight from doing it... can't quite remember what that insight was now, but it made sense at the time. :-) I do think I "heard" something of a "goddess voice" when I did it, too... :-) I haven't done enough yoga or meditation to say that the experience was similar to those...
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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-09-2001
In reply to: gypsywolfwoman
Thu, 06-01-2006 - 3:08pm

What an awesome experience! Thank you SO MUCH for sharing!!! ;))

Gypsy



Blessings,

Gypsy

)O(



iVillage Member
Registered: 03-09-2001
In reply to: gypsywolfwoman
Thu, 06-01-2006 - 3:16pm

That insight must have been absorbed by you, having made sense at the time! ;)) Sometimes someone asks me about something, and the answer pops out of my mouth (or my fingertips) and I wonder, "Where the heck did *THAT* come from?!" LOL! I think some wisdom got absorbed when I wasn't looking or something. :D Perhaps that happened to you that time, also?

The closest I've ever come to this is learning Zen walking meditation in the years I spent practicing Zen, before the Goddess found me. It was entirely different than sitting Zazen or doing t'ai chi. Somehow a patterned walk, which I guess a labyrinth would be, also, with regulated breathing and a calm and open spirit, gets through to nourish us in a very special way. I would love to walk a labyrinth if I ever come across one. :P

Gypsy



Blessings,

Gypsy

)O(



iVillage Member
Registered: 08-20-2001
In reply to: gypsywolfwoman
Thu, 06-01-2006 - 3:44pm

Yes, Gypsy, that definitely makes sense!!! :-)

I don't know if you've seen this article yet but I thought you might be interested:
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/religion/stories/MYSA052006.1R.labyrinth.1ce2de2.html

Are you anywhere near Santa Rosa? This might be interesting for you too:
http://www.srlabyrinthfoundation.com/evnt.html

And the largest outdoor labyrinth in CA:
http://www.campingfriend.com/OutdoorWorldRVPark/default.asp?file=Activities

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-20-2006
In reply to: gypsywolfwoman
Thu, 06-01-2006 - 6:52pm

Just an idea ~ one of the links you provided above has "portable" labyrinths for sale (printed on heavy canvas to fold and store and bring out when you wish).

Or I'm thinking about printing a labyrinth design off of a web-site (there are soooo many, I had no idea!) and getting my Dd (my artist) to do a scale model (perhaps on a queen size sheet or something).

Also one of the sites has designs on how to do garden labyrinths (which if I had the room to, I'd love to do !! That be so wonderful ~ but alas, I'm in an apartment . . . for now anyway . . .).

Just a few thoughts . . . .

Many Blessings, "M"

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2003
In reply to: gypsywolfwoman
Thu, 06-01-2006 - 9:00pm

Hi!


iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: gypsywolfwoman
Fri, 06-02-2006 - 8:27pm
There is one 15 miles from my house. Incredible. The entire grounds were made for meditation and retreat. In one place is a meditation area with a stone rabbit, like alice in Wonderland. The paths are labeled, like peace etc. I can't even explain it, it is like disney world. in Raymond, NH. I need to go there some time soon. trails, things hanging from trees. There is an area that has flags from Tibet on each side, it is like a medicine man prayer area. white crushed stones, a fireplace in the middle. Guess one large stone that is around this area is turning to a silver shine. The place is so neat. Takes you to a different level. Of course the labrynth is one part of it, only one part. Love, Leila
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-06-2003
In reply to: gypsywolfwoman
Sun, 06-04-2006 - 6:31pm

Hi Gypsy,

I actually visit the Labyrinth Society webpage daily and walk one *virtually* every day. I find that the provided meditations are inpiring and help me get centered. I visited a hospital recently that has a labyrinth in the cancer center. They say it helps the patients! I adore the concept and hope to have my own labyrinth someday!

**Star**

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