Clarifying My Journey

During my first labyrinth walk on the Winter Solstice, December 21, 1995, I quickly saw how I walk the labyrinth the way I live my life and how walking as an observer reveals many of my life patterns.  Struck by the twists and turns, also quite common in life, the center seemed so close as I rounded the first couple of turns.  Thinking, “I’ll be there soon, this is quite fast and easy”, then quickly finding myself on the outer edge of the winding design left me wondering and puzzled.  How did I get there and when I would ever reach the center that now seemed to elude me?  You see I’d been looking for my center all my life with only fleeting moments of connection.  I soon realized the search for my center was playing itself out right here on the labyrinth!

The ebb and flow of life’s dance is also beautifully and effortlessly choreographed on the labyrinth.  People walking parallel or on the same part of the path soon are at opposite sides of the design. Whole groups can be closely clustered together in one area and then quickly scattered in different directions.  Once during a labyrinth walk while feeling sadness and loss over my daughter’s upcoming move to another state coupled with the ending of a long-term relationship, the person who had been walking beside me followed her straight path while my path turned in the opposite direction.  Immediately I was reminded how we each must follow our path to stay true to our respective journeys.  When that woman and I were reunited in the center a little while later, the understanding that even though loved ones may no longer be physically close, we can always reconnect brought me peace and reassurance.   How wonderful to remember that each person has a specific role in the Divine Choreographer’s production!

Speaking of dancing, after a couple of years of frequently walking the labyrinth, I found my body instinctively starting to dance along the paths relinquishing my usual walking mode.  Even though my childhood dream was to be a prima ballerina, I hadn’t danced in recent years.  The labyrinth energy was reminding me how much dance nurtures my soul and to bring more of it into my life.

Each time I step into the labyrinth I feel I’m stepping into the outstretched arms of Spirit to be held and loved unconditionally.  During one of many life transitions, while traversing the hairpin turns on the labyrinth, I had no idea what was waiting for me around the next turn and yet, I felt completely safe and protected. So how can I fear the next turn in my life if I’m continually walking with Spirit?

During the first year of my relationship with the labyrinth, the beginning of each walk evoked a tearful longing in my heart.  Finally it was clear that my soul connection to labyrinths was being re-ignited creating a deep sense of my soul “coming home” to my authentic self!

While in the spiritual discovery phase of my journey, I loved being in the center of the labyrinth not wanting to leave.  My deep need for spiritual connection far exceeded my desire to be “in the world”.  An insight soon arose that the journey is just beginning when I’ve brought the light, strength, courage and joy I’ve received from my connection with Spirit into the world to serve with the gifts I’ve been given.

One way to describe the spiritual journey taken while on the labyrinth is through three phases:

1. From the entrance to the center, surrender, letting go of what is blocking your road to peace due to a particular situation/issue or in your life generally.
2. As a result, when you reach the center you are open to receive and experience enlightenment/illumination through touching the light of Spirit, God/Goddess, Source or our light within, however you define that deepest of connections.
3. Once you’ve experienced enlightenment, illumination or received guidance, retrace your steps on the path exiting the labyrinth at the place of entry.  This phase of the journey allows space to integrate the light/guidance received and prepares you to actively bring that light in the form of your talents and gifts into the world to serve others.

One gift from the labyrinth is reconnecting to your natural rhythms, which most of us have lost as we are pulled into this warp speed world.  Awareness was increased and changes made after noticing how easily I adapted to the speed and rhythm of someone walking in front of me, allowing a quick release of what was true and comfortable for me rather than going through the agonizing experience of passing them.  This pattern of giving ourselves away to others plays out in many areas of life with debilitating effects as we move farther away from our purpose and potency, as you’ll see in the next paragraph.

Insights and Clarity for Others

A frequent walker gained a powerful insight when she realized that each time someone walked toward her on the same path, she automatically stepped off the path to let him/her pass.  She then frequently forgot to step back on her path and therefore, got lost (which we say you can’t do on the labyrinth).  Seeing how she had been relinquishing her path/needs in favor of others for years explained why she continued to feel lost and disconnected from her own path.

Another pilgrim walked directly out from the center of the labyrinth without retracing the path.  As she watched others walk, she couldn’t understand why it took them so long to complete their walks.  She soon saw that they were following the path back out from the center.  She admitted this was exactly how she lived her life – never finishing anything.

Some people who don’t like structure create their own paths, walking all over the labyrinth in their own way or walking straight to the center – “cutting to the chase” – again reflecting their life patterns.  One “cut to the chase” woman felt cheated as our group debriefed our experiences wondering why she didn’t have the same powerful effects described by others.   Being in such a rush to get to the goal, short circuits your journey leaving no time or space for insights, peace or transformation.

A woman who had experienced many losses in her life found that she felt a wall before her as she approached every turn.  During her reflection, she saw that because many turning points in her life had been quite painful, the wall was her fear of what was around the corner.  She experienced profound healing during her walk as she felt God’s love and protection allowing her to release those fears.

A young woman using a finger labyrinth called me to ask about her frequent compelling feeling to stop at various points on the labyrinth, most often at the turns.  When I asked if she was experiencing any transitions in her life, she replied she had just had a baby and was moving into a new home that week.  No wonder she wanted to stop at the transition points – she was going through two major life transitions at once!

Not all insights gained feel great at first.  A woman in tears came to me after her walk saying that all she felt during her walk was rage and a strong desire to push everyone else off the path.  She was very distraught; clearly judging her experience as “wrong” because she thought everyone else was enjoying himself or herself.  She soon revealed that there was much to be angry about in her life whereby I encouraged her to stay with her feelings.  This was the perfect time for her to feel them and process what was going on.

Gifts from the Labyrinth

Learning to trust the perfect timing of whatever is shown to me on the labyrinth while remembering that this container provides endless ways to process and gain insights into my life/spiritual journey thereby releasing patterns that no longer serve me has been an enormous gift.   Activating and trusting my intuition and creativity has expanded and enriched my life in countless ways while generating a sense of peace during all types of transformation continues to gift me.  The opportunity to introduce and offer the labyrinth to so many people in this country and abroad has generated experiences and relationships beyond my wildest imaginings.  The profoundness of the gifts I’ve enjoyed from the simplicity and power of these designs continues to leave me speechless.  Our only job (joy of being) is to have faith, be present and put one foot in front of the other! How does it get any better than that?