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Spiritual Formation |
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How to Use the Labyrinth at Rolling Bay Presbyterian Church There are many ways to use the labyrinth as an aid to one’s faith journey and spiritual growth. Three basic labyrinth walks are for prayer, reflection, and meditation. A Prayer Walk: Adding the kinetic to prayer is very powerful. Simply pray as you walk the path into the center of the labyrinth. You may choose to offer your prayer in cadence with your walking. We invite you to consider the walking itself a prayer so that you need not be offering something specific to God the whole time. It is interesting to simply walk slowly, see what comes up and let that become your prayer. When you reach the center, pause again, offer all that has happened or not happened back to God. You have set this time aside; you know best how to use it, but on the walk out of the labyrinth, We invite you to listen for anything God might want to offer to you. Then, walk and notice anything that seems to come from beyond yourself, a thought, an image, a feeling, a memory, and wonder with God what that is and how it is connected to your prayer and life. A Reflective Walk: If you have a question, an issue, a concern, or a desire to give thanks, bring that to the walk. As you enter, state what you bring as clearly as possible to God. Walk slowly or quickly saying whatever you need to say to make space inside for a response to emerge. Think of it as pouring out your full glass so there is room for a new insight or direction. You may want to spend the whole walk to the center doing this. In the center, pause again and specifically ask God to speak to you about what you have brought, perhaps providing new insight, wisdom, or guidance. Walk the path slowly, trying simply to listen to what comes to your attention from the still small voice inside and from beyond that which you have conceived yourself. A Meditation Walk: Choose a scripture passage and bring it with you to your walk. Read it slowly with pauses between readings, even between phrases or words as you walk. Read and walk with different cadences as you choose. Listen for what catches your attention and notice what emerges in thoughts and feelings about the passage. When you get to the center of the labyrinth, pause and read the scripture through one more time. As you walk out, instead of reading the scripture simply let it now read you. Be open to whatever comes up as you consider this scripture in your life. Labyrinth Etiquette: At the entrance to the path, pause for a moment and ask God, the Holy Spirit, to be your guide and offer this time to God. Many people can be walking the labyrinth at the same time, but as a courtesy, let a little space develop between you and the person who is entering the labyrinth before you. Shoes or no shoes: it does not matter. If the person ahead of you stops on the path, you may walk around them or not, as you choose. If you have stopped for awhile and someone is behind you, you may step off the path to let them pass and then move back to your place. How you respond to interruptions and others on the path may also become an illuminating aspect of your walk. Most of all, enjoy this time of quiet and peace. Do not worry about doing it right. |
