The Sacred Labyrinth
Guest Writer Patty Kohler
Praying
“It doesn’t have to be
the blue iris, it could be
weeds in a vacant lot, or a few
small stones; just
pay attention, then patch
a few words together and don’t try
to make them elaborate, this isn’t
a contest but the doorway
into thanks, and a silence in which
another voice may speak.”—Mary Oliver
Heber Springs
Mary Oliver’s simple poetry resonates with my soul because of its mere simplicity. This verse calls to mind the circuits of a labyrinth, so often made of a few small stones, evoking silence, beckoning the walker through a liminal doorway into another world composed of gratitude and thanksgiving, surrounded by the sweet music of silence. Within this in-between state, my monkey mind chatter falls away; each thought drops from my conscious mind, landing softly onto the earth’s receptive arms.
The labyrinth pathway is designed to provide a place to pause at its opening and begin a slow release of all that competes with our full presence. Stepping in, we let go of what has transpired earlier in the day, what is rolling through our heads, or even what might be coming up in the next few hours. For now, we begin the slow walk which leads only to the center. The path may veer closer to the middle or loop to the outskirts of the labyrinth. Still, it gently leads us to the middle, allowing us to discard, at least temporarily, all those ideas, worries, and concerns that plague our minds. Left with a quiet mind and the shuffling of our feet, we walk the circuitous route around and around, turning at unexpected places into the waiting center.
Thus emptied, when we reach the center, we stand, sit, or even gaze around us at the path that has led us here. In this spot, we open ourselves to receive whatever Spirit has to give us. We soak it in, gratefully gather Love, Peace, and Life to us, and receive with gratitude. Here, we remain as long as we are led to soak it in, filling us up silently.
As we prepare to leave the labyrinth’s center, our steps are retraced, and we gradually rewind our way to the labyrinth’s entrance. We reflect, sometimes with awe and wonder, on what has been received. We silently return, knowing that somehow, this brief pilgrimage has changed us in some subtle way. Again, we may walk nearer the center or the edge as we contemplate and return. The labyrinth, an ancient symbol of unity and wholeness, has fed us, and we are ready to step out and move back into our lives and the world.
Excerpt from In Circles
“Everywhere and ancient the circle
is repeated, shaping us to its original wisdom.
Give us each day or daily hunger,
to be more than we are now,
to be less solitary selves doubting our place,
to be more a circle of connection and acceptance,
spherical harmony of the heavens.
Each one a single voice, a sacred story,
but always in the larger circle of meaning and mystery.”—Gary Boelhower
World Labyrinth Day this year was May 4, 2024. It is always the first Saturday in May. To find a labyrinth near you, go to https://labyrinthlocator.com/
Patty Kohler, Ed.D.
Advanced Labyrinth Facilitator
St. Scholastica
Joanna Seibert joannaseibert.com