It began with a call to friend. I was suggesting that she light a couple of candles at dusk, (4:00 pm here in Portland) as it provides a nice glow and segue into the hours of dark. No sooner had I offered my suggestion and she asked if I wanted to do "the labyrinth."
"The labyrinth?" I asked.
"Yes, it's down the street at Trinity."
"What does it do? How do I do it?"
" It clears your head. You follow a path, like a maze, but it doesn't trick you."
Sounded good to me. Follow a path, clear my head. I'm all for exercise and an uncluttered mind!
Thus began the journey to the labyrinth...and a journey it became. Needless to say, her information wasn't entirely correct. There was a labyrinth, but it was in Brunswick. I was up for it and off we went.
Forty five minutes later we were at the First Parish Church. Now to find the labyrinth! Not your everyday occurrence. But I was committed. Finally we found the door that opened to THE LABYRINTH.
Candles flickered at the edges of the large white canvas floor mat containing the path. Shoes removed, I entered the walk. Carrying a stone in one hand and a small box containing notes in the other, I was focused on staying in the lines. Quite quickly I began to feel a peace. Everything that I brought with me in my mind was dissipated. I felt a sense of lightness...almost giddy. Upon reaching the center, I set the box and stone on the floor and sat for a while. When I felt ready and only then, I re-entered the pathway and began my exit journey.Upon completion I felt a total lightness of being. It was a feeling I had never experienced before. Could this be what Eckhart Tolle describes as achieving "BEING" in his book, "The New Earth, Awakening to Your Life's Purpose?" I know that I am closer to "BEING" after having done the labyrinth than I was before.
As my LA friend asked, "How do you end up in a labyrinth?" Well as I said in the beginning, "life happens."
I eagerly await my next journey.
To find a labyrinth in your area check with a store specializing in New Age and/or mediatation information. Also check http://www.labyrinthsociety.org/.
Maybe I'll see you on the path.
