The Sacred Labyrinth

The Sacred Labyrinth

Guest Writer Patty Kohler

labyrinth St. Francis, Heber Springs

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

St. Scholastica

Mary Oliver’s simple poetry resonates with my soul because of its simplicity. This verse recalls the circuits of a labyrinth, so 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 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 entire 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 will begin the slow walk, leading 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 shuffling 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 3, 2025. 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

van Buren

“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

Resurrection Stories

Resurrection Stories

“Our memory of Jesus’ resurrection fails us if we only understand his resurrection as a miracle. Jesus’ resurrection was indeed a miracle; however, Jesus’ resurrection needs to be more than a miracle. It needs to be normal … every day … how we live and breathe: with resurrection power.”—Br. Curtis Almquist, SSJE, from “Brother, Give Us a Word,” a daily email sent to friends and followers of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist (SSJE.org).

This is at the heart of spiritual direction, encouraging spiritual friends to see daily, yearly resurrection in their lives in the daily Good Fridays that present themselves. It often takes more than three days to become aware of these resurrections. However, as we become more conscious of the resurrections, we become more open to trust and a little more patient that there will be a resurrection from each new darkness we face.

empty tomb

My experience is that I most often draw closer and spend more time with God during the darkness. On the dark Good Fridays of my life, I learn about surrender, where I “re-turn” my life and my will over to God. We learn to look for a tiny light in the darkness to lead us through it to a new, resurrected life.

A close family member or friend dies. We learn about the sacredness of life and spend more time living in the present with gratitude for each day. We learn to honor and be grateful for our relationship by extending to others the love and kindness we knew in that relationship.

Our children act out. We see our part in it and try to change our relationship with them.

Our job becomes more and more difficult. But then, we finally leave it, or maybe even are fired. But, after much time, we find a job that is our bliss.

 A medical illness slows us down. We seek a more meaningful life by living at a slower pace, a day at a time.

We are caught in our addiction and lose our job. We change our whole lifestyle and outlook to live without the addiction.

Someone has harmed us mentally, physically, or spiritually. Over time, we realize that unless we can forgive and move on, that person is still hurting us. We then slowly learn about daily forgiveness for the small hurts we feel each day.

Miracles become the ordinary. We see God at work in our lives. Resurrection.

A gift of the past pandemic was to slow down our lives and live in the present moment. Slowing down is one of the best ways to see ordinary miracles. This is resurrection.

Today, our prayers are also for those whose lives could not slow down, especially our healthcare workers and first responders.

Joanna  joannaseibert.com https://www.joannaseibert.com/

Loaves and Fishes, Free Read

Loaves and Fishes, Free Read

“Young people say, “What can one person do? What is the sense of our small effort?” They cannot see that we can only lay one brick at a time, take one step at a time; we can be responsible only for the one action of the present moment.

But we can beg for an increase of love in our hearts that will vitalize and transform these actions, and know that God will take them and multiply them, as Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes.”–Dorothy Day, The Catholic Worker, September 1957

I often hear from friends that they want to give up their ministry. The need is overwhelming, and they cannot imagine how their small part can make any difference. My experience is that God calls us to bloom where we are planted in our small part of the world, try to help and make changes right where we are, and let God take over the rest.

This 20th-century social activist reminds us of something else we should have remembered. We do what God calls us to do, and God will multiply the works we have done, just like the loaves and fishes. How exciting that the story of the multiplying loaves and fishes did not only happen in Jesus’ time. It happens every day, every hour we do ministry.

I am thinking of one friend, Tandy Cobb, who heard a call to send books to women in prison during the scariest part of the pandemic. Tandy is a retired, much beloved high school English teacher who still wanted to share her love of reading with others and heard a call to women’s prison ministry. She presented her idea to our Daughters of the King (DOK) and then to the congregation at Saint Mark’s. As a result, 23 St. Mark’s parishioners joined the ministry, including 16 DOK members.

 The books go directly to inmates who have requested them and are not returned. One group called other individuals and bookstores for paperback books. The Boy Scouts helped move books and gave up a part of their scout hut to store them. Donations of money and paperbacks came in. Members of the group met with Tandy for three days each month to fill orders from the women in prison.

Then, the chaplain at the prison wanted the group, now called Free Read, to send books to the men’s prison as well. Soon, they filled an order from 324 men and women for 648 books. Sheila and Carly, two other team members, delivered the two carloads of books to the prison.

The notes written by inmates on their book request forms let them know that Free Read is a program that matters to them. They received letters saying they would leave prison before the last shipment of books they ordered, but could the books be sent to their home address? Most notes are expressions of gratitude, but they frequently receive glimpses of their lives. One man asked them to pray for his release.

One lady asked for a large print Bible for her bunk-mate, who is almost blind. Another Free Read regular wrote she has no family to visit her, so she looks forward to receiving books each month. Recently, Mary wrote, “Thank you for the wonderful books. We so enjoy sharing them. So many special friendships are formed. We learn a lot about one another. God bless you.”

The group at Saint Mark’s repeatedly talks about how this ministry blesses them.

Some might believe God is still in “the multiplying the loaves and fishes” business.

Joanna joannaseibert.com  https://www.joannaseibert.com/