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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 12, 2020)
BLUEMOUNTAINEAGLE.COM / 21 Labyrinth Continued from Page 19 Thus began Artress’s world- wide quest to revive awareness of ancient labyrinths as a spir- itual and healing tool. There are now over 6,000 labyrinths listed on her Veriditas Laby- rinth Locator website (veridi- tas.org), with at least 141 lab- yrinths located in Oregon. The outdoor CMC Labyrinth was completed and dedicated on March 20, 2016, over 20 years after Sandy Bay began her training with Artress at Grace Cathedral. What is a labyrinth? The labyrinth is an ancient walking meditation tool found in many cultures around the world. Many designs have been discovered, but each has only one path into the center and back out, unlike a maze which has dead-ends that create con- fusion. The path becomes a mirror for where we are in our lives. The rhythm of walk- ing (placing one foot in front of another) quiets the mind, relaxes the body and refreshes the spirit. It is best to walk the labyrinth with an open heart and an open mind, as each walk on the labyrinth is different and unique. Walking the labyrinth can be described as three stages (the three R’s): (1) Releasing (walking into the labyrinth): Letting go of distractions, quieting the mind, opening your heart; (2) Receiving (pausing in the center): Listening to guid- ance, being present, meditating, prayer; and (3) Returning (walking out of the labyrinth): Reflect- ing, resolving, integrating the experience. How do you use a labyrinth? There are unlimited ways to use a labyrinth. In religious terms, it can be called a path to prayer, contemplative, quieting the mind, union or a pilgrim- age. In the public arena, the lab- Contributed photos People walk on the Canyon Mountain Center Labyrinth in John Day. Canyon Mountain Center has a 24-foot indoor canvas labyrinth that can be used during inclement weather. It is portable and can also be taken to other locations for special events. yrinth can be described as a tool for stress reduction, self-reflec- tion, a walking meditation, mindfulness, creativity and wellness. In the new conscious- ness fields, it can be described as unity, intention, inner wis- dom, mind-body-spirit integra- tion, transformation, mystical or magical. As you may guess, the labyrinth can meet you where you are in your life and give you valuable feedback, no matter what situation leads you to take your first walk on it. Labyrinths are becoming very common in all areas, pub- lic and private. You will often find them in churches, hospi- tals, wellness centers, spas, schools, prisons, hospice cen- ters, corporations, parks, open spaces, beaches, private yards and college campuses. Laby- rinths can be used for spiritual insight, healing, anxiety and stress reduction, creativity, as a tool for rituals and ceremony, community building, focusing skills and innovation. What is the symbolism of walking a labyrinth? People new to the labyrinth experience often ask the ques- tion: How do you know if the labyrinth works? Only you can answer that question for your- self, as you “notice what you notice.” For example, did old memories or emotions come up that surprised you, did you receive any insights on an issue that you were wishing to resolve, did you feel calmer or more peaceful? Every walk on the labyrinth will be different; it is best to let go of any expec- tations about what will, or will not, happen. You can use everything that occurs on the labyrinth as a metaphor. Some examples are: Think of walking the lab- yrinth as a “two-way street” where you meet others on the path. Notice your reactions and inner impulses as you meet others walking toward you: What do you do? If you get lost on the path, how is that symbolic of losing your focus in your life? If you want to cross the lines of the labyrinth and don’t do it, where do you feel restricted or controlled in your life? Why are you hold- ing back and pleasing oth- ers? Any of these experiences on the labyrinth can give you profound insights into your- self and what drives you at a deeper level, and can free you to make choices to move for- ward in your life with clarity. The possibilities of self-aware- ness are endless. At Canyon Mountain Cen- ter, we have a 36-foot out- door labyrinth that is open to the public, and a 24-foot can- vas labyrinth that can be used inside CMC during inclem- ent weather. The canvas laby- rinth is portable can be taken to other locations for special events or educational pur- poses. Sandy Bay is a Veriditas Trained Labyrinth Facilitator and would be happy to pro- vide more information or do a labyrinth presentation for your group or organization. Come to CMC to walk the outdoor lab- yrinth at any time. Please call Sandy in advance if you would like to bring a large group for a labyrinth walk, 415-515-6316.
