St. George's Episcopal Church, Riverside CA

Seeking and serving Christ in all persons.
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The unpredictability of the labyrinth's twists and turns helps us to relinquish the need to feel in control and to acknowledge our dependence upon God.

To set an appointment to use the Labyrinth call 951.686.9936


The Labyrinth at St. George's

Suggestions
for Walking a Labyrinth
  • Quieting:
       Before entering the labyrinth, spend a few moments sitting quietly. Allow yourself to become still and attentive. The Rhythm of your breath can also help you to become quieted as you notice its tidal flow in and out of your body.

  • Journey in:
       When ready, step onto the labyrinth and enter the path. Many people pause before their first step and offer a prayer or intention.

  • Pace:
       Walk as slowly or quickly as is natural. Feel free to pause at any time, and especially as you reach the turns in the path.

  • Companions Along the Way:
       If others are on the path, feel free to step off the path and go around or let them go around you. Sometimes, you will meet someone going in the opposite direction. Again, just walk around each other. You may acknowledge one another with a smile, or a touch as you pass. You may also maintain your inward focus by refraining from eye contact. The choice is yours.

  • Presence:
       Time spent in the center of the labyrinth has beendescribed as a time of seeking awareness of God's presence, healing and clarity. It can also be a space of self-offering.

  • Journey Out:
       When you are ready, begin the journey outward, carrying with you any insights or blessings you have received.

Walking the Labyrinth: A Path of Prayer

What is a Labyrinth?

   The Labyrinth is an ancient tool for prayer and meditation consisting of a winding path that begins at the periphery and leads to a central space, and then out again by the same path. Although the words "labyrinth" and "maze" are sometimes used interchangeably, there are critical differences between them. Unlike a maze, a labyrinth has no blind alleys or dead ends.

Chartres Cathedral & Labyrinth

Where Did They Originate?

   Labyrinth-like patterns have been uncovered by archaeologists in a great variety of ancient and contemporary cultures. They have been carved into rocky hillsides, etched into stone, and painted on ceramic vessels. Some of the simplest and most ancient patterns have been discovered in the Mediterranean and in Celtic lands. In Christian history and practice, the labyrinth is most famously associated with Chartres Cathedral in France,where during the thirteenth century, an eleven-circuit labyrinth was inlaid onto the floor of the sanctuary. It was used by believers as a way of symbolically participating in the great pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

A Contemporary Tool for Prayer

   As a tool for spiritual formation, the labyrinth allows us to offer up to God the reality of our lives, trusting in God's immense love and grace. Not only our 21st century world but also the very life of Christian faith is a labyrinth—full of unexpected turns and twists requiring us to step forward in faith, confident that Christ— our Way, our Truth and our Life— is at the center of the very universe and at the heart of our life in God. As we prayerfully seek Christ's guidance in the symbolic walking of a circuitous canvas path, we may be offered a chance to truly lay our hearts open before God, who is the searcher of our hearts.
   Walking the labyrinth can be a time of simply opening one's self to the presence of God, without any particular "agenda" in mind, or it may be part of an ongoing discernment process which clarity for a particular question or concern is sought.
   One can also "know" things while meditavely walking the circuitous path of a labyrinth, which can't be known sitting still. The very action of walking serves to still thoughts, allowing space for God amid the usually jam-packed confines of one's mind. The rhythm of walking is conducive to prayerful contemplation. The unpredictability of the labyrinth's twists and turns helps us to relinquish the need to feel in control and to acknowledge our dependence upon God. The certainty of reaching the center inspires us to trust in God's providence. All of these things can serve to draw us into the geniune experience of prayer—of allowing our hearts to lay"open before God."

For More Information

Lauren Artress, Walking a Scared Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Tool. New York, NY: Riverhead Books, 1995.

Verdiditas, the labyrinth project of Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, www.gracecom.org

Melissa Gayle West, Exploring the Labyrinth: A Guide for Healing and Spiritual Growth. New York, Ny: Broadway Books, 2000.