More and more people are asking me this question. I smile and tell them, "Labyrinths". They are tools for transformation. They are a way of meditating or praying that is automatically very effective. 

They really are circle things. A Labyrinth is a series of concentric circles or circuits, one inside the other, which are connected to make just one path. Since there's only one path with no branches or dead ends, the walk to the center is always successful if you'll just keep going. The Labyrinth is a very clear metaphor for life. We're born into this world and it seems like there is this confusing array of choices to be made. In reality, if we just keep going along the path, from a cosmic perspective, we'll be a success. Once you're in the Labyrinth, it doesn't matter if you have a new Jag or big house. You're just a human on the path. You're just there with your Self. 

The Labyrinth is sacred space. It's a place where we can get in touch with that which we each consider Divine. If we take an issue that's troubling us into the center of the Labyrinth, we'll often perceive the solution. We typically pray when we want something. The Labyrinth is a place where we're answered when we pray. The still small voice within becomes audible in this space. It doesn't always speak English, but it does communicate solutions that we can apply in our lives. 
 

The seven circuit Labyrinth  first appears on the back of a scribe's clay palette. On one side is a tally for goats entering the palace of Pylos in southern Greece and on the back is this square circle thing. That was 3200 years ago in southern Greece. The form evolved over the centuries into a much larger eleven circuit form. 
 
 

The most famous eleven circuit Labyrinth is inlaid into the marble floor of Chartres Cathedral outside Paris, France. The Chartres example is especially fascinating because it incorporates Sacred Geometry into it's structure. The stained glass Rose window above the entrance to the cathedral will exactly cover the Labyrinth if you 'fold' the window onto the floor. That is, the center of the window is exactly the same distance from the threshold of the cathedral as the center of the Labyrinth. The metaphor  'As above, so below', is built right into the church! 

Modern Labyrinths made by Alex Champion (www.earthsymbols.com) and others are beginning to appear in the city and countryside. His 3-D earth works are not only beautiful but also excellent concentrators of celestial and terrestrial energies..

They bring us full circle from our lives on this physical plane into contact  with the Divine.  The Divine is not always earth shaking, thunder and lightning, flashing rainbow colors. It's ordinary.  In the Labyrinth, you can get back to your most basic self. Calm centeredness prevails. Life on this planet falls into a grand perspective where one's problems are no longer overwhelming. They can be faced one at a time, in a manageable way. This is the real beauty of the Labyrinth. It is Sacred Space where one is safe to think clearly, evenly. It's a place where we can relax and hear our Selves without all the static that is usually injected into consciousness by our hectic culture. When we relax, stress dissolves. 

Labyrinths are popping up everywhere: Hospitals, churches, beaches, back yards, corporations, on student's desks, school yards. The obvious reason for this is that they work! They relieve stress. They help people relax and think clearly. Another reason is that they are simple to make. Using the following seed pattern, try making your own seven circuit Labyrinth. It's easy! My first several Labyrinths were scratched in the sand on the beach with a lot of thinking and figuring and mistakes. Then I learned this simple seed pattern of cross, four chevrons and four dots, and I was able to easily make an excellent beach Labyrinth in about 5 minutes! 
 
 

This drawing technique works for making your own personal  Labyrinth. I found it at "The Labyrinth Society" web site. 

For this Labyrinth, we're going to draw lines or circles in a clockwise pattern. Start with the end of the central bar in the 'seed' or cross pattern. Draw clockwise on this first Labyrinth. First, draw an arc from the end of the cross to the end of the chevron to the right. Next, drawing in the same direction, connect the end of the chevron at the left of the starting point to the dot to the right of the first arc.  Keep connecting the ends of the features step by step until you have your Labyrinth. 

Try drawing it on a piece of paper and then tracing the path inward and then outward with your finger. Do you notice how your system quiets down as you're tracing the pattern? 

Now that you have your own Labyrinth, what do you do with it? You could just play with it. Trace the path into the center and back out again, paying attention to what thoughts are coming up while tracing. You could define some aspect of your life which is challenging; An emotional conflict, a difficult business issue, some impossible situation. Ask for help with this topic as you enter and walk the Labyrinth. Listen to the still small voice within. The solutions often come automatically, naturally. 

I've found that walking a Labyrinth is the most powerful way to use this tool of transformation. The desktop labyrinth works well, but I still prefer the walking meditation. Unity of Naples on Davis Blvd. has a permanent seven circuit Labyrinth open to the public. It's at the north east end of Unity's parking lots. There's a sign that says 'Labyrinth'. There are also several labyrinths on private land in Collier County. The Labyrinth Society (They are listed in 'Links to our Friends' sites') is an international association dedicated  to support all those who create, maintain, and use labyrinths and to serve the global community by providing education, networking, and opportunities to experience transformation. 

The Labyrinth experience is defined in three stages. The trip into the center is a time of release. One is shown, and surrenders, whatever is unnecessary to their issue. At the center of the Labyrinth illumination occurs. The issue is seen in a new light. The perspective is changed. The trip back out into the world is a journey of integration. Ways of fitting the new perspective into one's life come easily during this phase of the walk. Release, illumination, integration. It's easy. 

Acknowledgements: 

Alex Champion, Robert Ferre,  Sig Lonegren, The Labyrinth Society, Unity Church of Naples. 

Back to the Naples Labyrinth Index Page

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Chuck Hunner makes Labyrinths and Labyrinth Jewelry  in Asheville, North Carolina. Contact him by email at info@goldenspirit.com   He's eager to install Labyrinths and to lead Labyrinth Walks. Call 828-298-1798 for information on the next Walk.