"Your life is a sacred journey. And it is about change, growth, discovery, movement, transformation, continuously expanding your vision of what is possible, stretching your soul, learning to see clearly and deeply, listening to your intuition, taking courageous challenges at every step along the way. You are on the path... exactly where you are meant to be right now... And from here, you can only go forward, shaping your life story into a magnificent tale of triumph, of healing of courage, of beauty, of wisdom, of power, of dignity, and of love." - Caroline Adams
We are all on the path... exactly where we need to be. The labyrinth is a model of that path.
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. The Labyrinth represents a journey to our own center and back again out into the world. Labyrinths have long been used as meditation and prayer tools.
The labyrinth at Chartres was built around 1200 and is laid into the floor in a style sometimes referred to as a pavement maze. The original center piece has been removed and other areas of the labyrinth have been restored.
In walking the Chartres style labyrinth the walker meanders through each of the four quadrants several times before reaching the goal. An expectancy is created as to when the center will be reached. At the center is a rosette design which has a rich symbolic value including that of enlightenment. The four arms of the cross are readily visible and provide significant Christian symbolism.
Before walking the labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral I meditate at the high altar for 15 minutes. I kneel before the altar at the crossing of this ancient place of worship with my hands in orans position, outstretched. My hands become warm. I feel comfort, a sense of floating, feeling an energy pushing me back and forth almost causing me to fall over. In this almost dizzy state I walk towards the labyrinth and walk around it twice in a counter clockwise direction before entering the sacred pathway.
At the start of the walk I begin to feel tension, worry about what sort of revelation will come to me. The first thing I do as I walk and pray is to unlock my jaw which is tight. I try to empty my head in order to be free of clutter. I shut my eyes as I walk only keeping them open a little bit so I can just barely see the path before me. As I walk closer to the center I once again feel comfort. I enter the center and five people are surrounding me in prayer as they stand in the rosette. I then join the others in the design. We stand in silence basking in the light and energy which is the presence of the Holy. After holy silence, each person surrounding the center enters the center one by one as we seem to pray for one another. We all seem connected even though we do not know one another. A deep sense of peace enters me and I begin to feel recharged. As I depart the center and walk the same pathway out I feel a cool breeze blow by me. I feel lighter. I begin to smile and am overcome with a holy giggle. Joy, peace, and laughter overcome me as I exit.
I had no major revelation walking and praying the Labyrinth, but I experienced the unconditional love of Christ. I felt the Holy Spirit enter my soul. I felt the peace that passes all understanding AND that is ENOUGH! Merci Merci Merci......
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. The Labyrinth represents a journey to our own center and back again out into the world. Labyrinths have long been used as meditation and prayer tools.
The labyrinth at Chartres was built around 1200 and is laid into the floor in a style sometimes referred to as a pavement maze. The original center piece has been removed and other areas of the labyrinth have been restored.
In walking the Chartres style labyrinth the walker meanders through each of the four quadrants several times before reaching the goal. An expectancy is created as to when the center will be reached. At the center is a rosette design which has a rich symbolic value including that of enlightenment. The four arms of the cross are readily visible and provide significant Christian symbolism.
Before walking the labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral I meditate at the high altar for 15 minutes. I kneel before the altar at the crossing of this ancient place of worship with my hands in orans position, outstretched. My hands become warm. I feel comfort, a sense of floating, feeling an energy pushing me back and forth almost causing me to fall over. In this almost dizzy state I walk towards the labyrinth and walk around it twice in a counter clockwise direction before entering the sacred pathway.
At the start of the walk I begin to feel tension, worry about what sort of revelation will come to me. The first thing I do as I walk and pray is to unlock my jaw which is tight. I try to empty my head in order to be free of clutter. I shut my eyes as I walk only keeping them open a little bit so I can just barely see the path before me. As I walk closer to the center I once again feel comfort. I enter the center and five people are surrounding me in prayer as they stand in the rosette. I then join the others in the design. We stand in silence basking in the light and energy which is the presence of the Holy. After holy silence, each person surrounding the center enters the center one by one as we seem to pray for one another. We all seem connected even though we do not know one another. A deep sense of peace enters me and I begin to feel recharged. As I depart the center and walk the same pathway out I feel a cool breeze blow by me. I feel lighter. I begin to smile and am overcome with a holy giggle. Joy, peace, and laughter overcome me as I exit.
I had no major revelation walking and praying the Labyrinth, but I experienced the unconditional love of Christ. I felt the Holy Spirit enter my soul. I felt the peace that passes all understanding AND that is ENOUGH! Merci Merci Merci......
Gliding along the winding path
in a circle of safety
releasing my grip on my cares
and opening up inside,
dilated at the center of my soul. . .
not a hole,
a vessel
a place of silence
a vacancy reserved for God
for spiritual communion,
an inner sanctuary
purified by the consuming fire
of the Holy Spirit
and what is left there. . .
etched in the center of my soul,
is:
"I am with you, there is nothing to fear"
in a circle of safety
releasing my grip on my cares
and opening up inside,
dilated at the center of my soul. . .
not a hole,
a vessel
a place of silence
a vacancy reserved for God
for spiritual communion,
an inner sanctuary
purified by the consuming fire
of the Holy Spirit
and what is left there. . .
etched in the center of my soul,
is:
"I am with you, there is nothing to fear"
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