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
Mary Oliver’s simple poetry resonates with my soul for its very simplicity. This verse recalls the circuits of a labyrinth, often made of a few small stones, evoking silence. It beckons the walker through a liminal doorway into another world composed of gratitude and thanksgiving, surrounded by the sweet music of silence. In this in-between state, my monkey mind chatter falls away; each thought drops from my consciousness, landing softly in the earth’s receptive arms.
The labyrinth pathway is designed to offer a place to pause at its entrance and begin a slow release of everything that competes for our full attention. Stepping in, we let go of what happened earlier in the day, what is running through our heads, and even what might be coming up in the next few hours. For now, we will begin the slow walk, leading only to the center.
The path may veer toward the middle or loop toward the labyrinth's outskirts. Still, it gently leads us to the middle, allowing us to set aside, at least temporarily, all those ideas, worries, and concerns that plague our minds. With a quiet mind and shuffling 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 gaze around at the path that has led us here. In this spot, we open ourselves to receive whatever Spirit has to offer. We soak it in, gratefully gather Love, Peace, and Life, and receive with gratitude. Here, we remain as long as we are led, soaking it in and filling us up silently.
As we prepare to leave the labyrinth’s center, we retrace our steps and gradually unwind our way back to the entrance. We reflect, sometimes with awe and wonder, on what we have received. We return in silence, knowing that somehow this brief pilgrimage has changed us in a subtle way.
Again, as we contemplate and return, we may walk nearer the center or the edge. The labyrinth, an ancient symbol of unity and wholeness, has fed us, and we are ready to step out and return to 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
labyrinth. Heber Springs St. Francis Episcopal Church
World Labyrinth Day this year is on May 2, 2026. It is always the first Saturday in May. It is still not too late to honor others around the world who will be walking the labyrinth with you. To find a labyrinth near you, go to https://labyrinthlocator.com/
Patty Kohler, Ed.D.
Advanced Labyrinth Facilitator
“Now, if I hear the sound of the genuine in me, and if you hear the sound of the genuine in you, it is possible for me to go down in me and come up in you. So that when I look at myself through your eyes, having made that pilgrimage, I see in me what you see in me, and the wall that separates and divides will disappear, and we will become one because the sound of the genuine makes the same music.” Howard Thurman
Joanna Seibert joannaseibert.com