The Labyrinth at St. Hugh's
Welcome to our Sacred Path! It truly is a “moving meditation.” Dedicated in 2008, this moving meditation has now been a feature of St. Hugh's in Idyllwild for 10 years. Come, walk the Labyrinth at St. Hugh's.
Labyrinths have a long history, being found in many cultures for at least three thousand years. They have always been associated with the mystery that we call Life.
A labyrinth is not a maze, although it may resemble one. With a maze the challenge is to discover a way to its center and then to discover a way back out; it is a puzzle of immense proportions. With a labyrinth the path is delineated and the way in and back out is predetermined; it is not a puzzle, but a journey. In a maze you may lose your way, but the purpose of a labyrinth is to help you find your way.
Labyrinths became a very popular form of Christian devotion in the Middle Ages and were found all over Europe, both inside buildings (usually churches) and outside. Our labyrinth is modeled on the one that is embedded in the floor of the nave of the Cathedral Chartres in France. For centuries it was covered with a large carpet; only in recent years was it “rediscovered" and returned to its intended use.
Labyrinths are intricate patterns of symbols, usually circular. They are designed as a purposeful path to the center and back out again. There are no obstacles, no puzzles to figure out, nor dead ends to avoid. The destination is assured. The labyrinth walker is engaged in a deeply meditative discipline, simply putting one foot in front of another, honoring the journey itself and what it has to divulge or teach.
In contemporary times labyrinths have often been referred to as a "Sacred Path." They are universal symbols for unity and wholeness that spark the imagination. A labyrinth can be a tool to enliven our intuition, stir our hearts, and connect us to our deepest self. The walk is meant to awaken the deep rhythm that unites us to our self and to the divine, both within us and outside of us. Our mind can be stilled and our attention focused on our body and the wisdom: of our heart. It is a walk of focusing on our being rather than on our doing. At its most basic level a labyrinth is a metaphor for the journey to the deepest part of our self and back into the world with a broadened understanding of who we truly are.
The Chartres Labyrinth is an eleven circuit labyrinth. This means that the walker will complete eleven circuits before reaching the center, and another eleven before returning to the entrance/exit.
There is no "right" way to walk a labyrinth. You will have a unique experience. Moreover, you will have a different experience each time you walk.
Suggestions for walking our labyrinth
You will notice that you will approach the center several times, each time turning away. This mimics our experience in life—our journey to the fulfillment of our goals is rarely a straight path. In time, with dedication to following the Path, you will suddenly find yourself at the Center.
Labyrinths have a long history, being found in many cultures for at least three thousand years. They have always been associated with the mystery that we call Life.
A labyrinth is not a maze, although it may resemble one. With a maze the challenge is to discover a way to its center and then to discover a way back out; it is a puzzle of immense proportions. With a labyrinth the path is delineated and the way in and back out is predetermined; it is not a puzzle, but a journey. In a maze you may lose your way, but the purpose of a labyrinth is to help you find your way.
Labyrinths became a very popular form of Christian devotion in the Middle Ages and were found all over Europe, both inside buildings (usually churches) and outside. Our labyrinth is modeled on the one that is embedded in the floor of the nave of the Cathedral Chartres in France. For centuries it was covered with a large carpet; only in recent years was it “rediscovered" and returned to its intended use.
Labyrinths are intricate patterns of symbols, usually circular. They are designed as a purposeful path to the center and back out again. There are no obstacles, no puzzles to figure out, nor dead ends to avoid. The destination is assured. The labyrinth walker is engaged in a deeply meditative discipline, simply putting one foot in front of another, honoring the journey itself and what it has to divulge or teach.
In contemporary times labyrinths have often been referred to as a "Sacred Path." They are universal symbols for unity and wholeness that spark the imagination. A labyrinth can be a tool to enliven our intuition, stir our hearts, and connect us to our deepest self. The walk is meant to awaken the deep rhythm that unites us to our self and to the divine, both within us and outside of us. Our mind can be stilled and our attention focused on our body and the wisdom: of our heart. It is a walk of focusing on our being rather than on our doing. At its most basic level a labyrinth is a metaphor for the journey to the deepest part of our self and back into the world with a broadened understanding of who we truly are.
The Chartres Labyrinth is an eleven circuit labyrinth. This means that the walker will complete eleven circuits before reaching the center, and another eleven before returning to the entrance/exit.
There is no "right" way to walk a labyrinth. You will have a unique experience. Moreover, you will have a different experience each time you walk.
Suggestions for walking our labyrinth
- Allow at least twenty minutes for walking the Labyrinth.
- On the journey in — release, letting go;
- At the Center — illumination, insight;
- On the journey out — empowerment, energization, healing.
- Give yourself permission to be fully conscious that you are entering Sacred Space.
- Breathe deeply and feel the energy, in your body.
- Recognize your unity with all of Creation. Feel the air around you, hear the murmur of the stream (if Strawberry Creek is running), the wind in the trees, the sounds of the various animals and birds.
- Pause at the entrance. Some people like to visualize an angel at the entrance guarding the entrance, protecting the Path. If you are part of a group that is walking the labyrinth, one of your members may perform this function.
- As you enter upon the Sacred Path, begin walking at a pace that feels natural to you.
- If multiple people are walking simultaneously allow some distance between yourself and the person in front of you (two turns are sufficient).
- If someone catches up with you, you can simply step aside and let them pass; if your pace is more rapid than the person in front of you, simply move gently around that person if they do not defer to you.
- You may meet someone coming toward you on the same section—one or both of you can move a bit to the side as you pass one another. You may wish to nod to one another to acknowledge your common presence on the Sacred Path, but please do not interrupt the other’s meditative solitude.
You will notice that you will approach the center several times, each time turning away. This mimics our experience in life—our journey to the fulfillment of our goals is rarely a straight path. In time, with dedication to following the Path, you will suddenly find yourself at the Center.
In the Center you will notice six "Petals." You may occupy one of these Petals as your space for as long as you wish. In the very center of the Center you will notice two symbols: the letters alpha and omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet recalling from the New Testament the words "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end" (Rev. 22:l3), We have placed the alpha and omega in the middle of our labyrinth to remind us that God, however one envisages God, is the beginning and the end of our life's journey.
Before you leave the Center ask yourself if there is anything you wish to leave there as you prepare to re-enter the world. Examples might be, "I leave my anger about _________ and move through release into forgiveness," or “I let go of the life I had planned in order to accept the one that is waiting for me."
When you are ready you will begin your journey out of the Labyrinth. Even as you wound in and out as you approached the Center, you will repeat this pattern as you leave. This, too, mimics life. On your walk out, allow your imagination to activate ways in which you can integrate your experience with the world to which you are returning.
As you finish, turn toward the Center and acknowledge the sacredness of the space and the presence of all Creation which surrounds and upholds you.
Before you leave the Center ask yourself if there is anything you wish to leave there as you prepare to re-enter the world. Examples might be, "I leave my anger about _________ and move through release into forgiveness," or “I let go of the life I had planned in order to accept the one that is waiting for me."
When you are ready you will begin your journey out of the Labyrinth. Even as you wound in and out as you approached the Center, you will repeat this pattern as you leave. This, too, mimics life. On your walk out, allow your imagination to activate ways in which you can integrate your experience with the world to which you are returning.
As you finish, turn toward the Center and acknowledge the sacredness of the space and the presence of all Creation which surrounds and upholds you.
Remembering – Releasing – Receiving – Resolve
One method for walking the Labyrinth at St. Hugh's
One method for walking the Labyrinth at St. Hugh's
