Labyrinths - A Path to Healing

L is for Labyrinth

A labyrinth is an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness and healing.  It combines the imagery of the circle and the spiral into a meandering but purposeful path.   Labyrinths represent a journey to our own centre and back again out into the world.  They have long been used as meditation and prayer tools. 

A labyrinth is not a maze.  Mazes are puzzles with twists, turns and dead ends where many decisions are required to find your way to the centre.  Navigating a maze is a left-brain task that requires logic and sequential thinking.  A labyrinth on the other hand is a right-brain activity that invokes intuition, creativity and imagery.  It's a more passive, receptive experience where there's only one decision to make - to enter or not.  There's only one path in a labyrinth - the way in is the way out.  Once you decide to walk a labyrinth you're on the path to renewing the mind-body-spirit connection.

Research conducted by Harvard Medical School's Mind/Body Institute has found that focused walking meditation such as walking a labyrinth is highly effective at reducing anxiety.  Done on a regular basis walking a labyrinth can result in long-term health benefits including reduction of insomnia, reduction of chronic pain, lowering blood pressure and improved concentration.

If you're interested in walking a labyrinth in Canada or the U.S. click here to access the labyrinth locator.

Click here to see some beautiful labryinths and read a short history of labyrinths and mazes.

Journey together

"J" is for Journey

We're all on a journey, and as Maya Angelou wrote, I "Wouldn't take nothing for my journey now."

In her great inspirational way, Maya tells us about Annie who "looked up the road I was going and back the way I come, and since I wasn't satisfied I decided to step off the road and cut me a new path".  Annie made a conscious decision to abruptly change her life.  This change was forced on her by circumstance, and she boldly moved forward on her own.  But not every new path starts with a sharp left turn.  Sometimes small decisions pile up one atop the other and, like waves lapping at the side of a boat, nudge us in a certain direction.  Or we may not make conscious decisions at all (which in itself is a decision-making style),  and just go with the flow.  Each path is as unique as the traveler.  But what is common to all is the opportunity to do what Annie did - stop, take stock, and strike out in a new direction.  The resulting changes can be subtle or significant - it's up to you.