A labyrinth is an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness. It combines the imagery of the circle and the spiral into a meandering but purposeful path. It represents a journey to our own centre and back again out into the world.
This year I have been using the wonderful symbol of the labyrinth to help us explore the changing seasons through our yoga.
You can find the date of the next session on my Events page.
Labyrinths are found all over the world and can be created from all kinds of things including rocks, grass, paving, cobblestones. They are used as a tool to connect with yourself. They are not religious, but they are used by many religions as a tool for prayer. The most famous is in Chartres Cathedral in France.
A Labyrinth is not the same as a maze. A maze has dead ends and false leads and is designed to trick, whereas a Labyrinth is ‘unicursal’, meaning it is a single continuous path that leads in to the centre and out again. This means it is safe, and as long as you follow the path, you can’t get lost.
The Path to the centre of a Labyrinth winds in a clockwise direction and is believed to soothe the mind. The Path out unwinds in counter clockwise direction and is believed to integrate the experience.
If you get the chance, do go and walk an actual Labyrinth, it can be an interesting meditative experience.