Outdoor Labyrinth
Our outdoor meditation labyrinth is in a lawn area near the church offices at 104 East Federal Street.
ABOUT: Labyrinths resemble a maze but without walls or dead ends. The point is not to get lost, but to emulate a pilgrimage.
HOW: As walkers follow the path toward the center, they release the cares of the day and open up to God. When they reach the center, they wait contemplatively for a word from God. When the time is right, walkers retrace their steps out of the labyrinth as they incorporate what they experienced into their lives.
TRADITION: The Christian Church began using labyrinths in the 4th Century, when a Roman mosaic labyrinth
was placed in a North African church. Over the centuries, it evolved to its medieval form, which is captured elegantly in the world-famous labyrinth in Chartres Cathedral, France.
Church tradition generally holds that the power of a labyrinth comes from the act of walking it, not from the labyrinth itself. Labyrinths are widely seen as being a very effective means for promoting meditation and well-being. Walking can be a spiritual practice or simply an opportunity to calm the mind and enjoy peace, quiet and reflection. Christians sometimes describe walking the labyrinth as being a form of body prayer, or walking prayer, that helps lead them to God.
EMMANUEL'S LABYRINTH: One of our parishioners created the temporary labyrinth by mowing a pattern in grass. This way we could introduce the parish and the broader community to the labyrinth. Creating a temporary
labyrinth gives us the chance to see how people use the labyrinth and to solicit helpful feedback before we move forward with a more permanent installation.
LEARN MORE:
Interested in learning more about labyrinths? Visit:
“The Sacred Path Companion” by Lauren Artress
“Church Labyrinths” by Robert D. Ferre