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16 March 2008 - The Labyrinth

On 16th March the Sacred Space team at Holy Trinity held a special labyrinth service in the church hall. The Labyrinth is a kind of “prayer path” traditionally walked during Lent as a way of helping to prepare for Easter. It has roots in ancient Christian traditions and classic examples of the labyrinth are found in Ely and Chartres Cathedrals.

The design of the labyrinth is a bit like a maze but rather than being a place where you can get lost or find a dead-end the labyrinth is unicursal - that is, there is only one path which leads to the centre of the labyrinth and onwards, back out again.

We took the basic concept of the labyrinth as a prayer path and added various ‘stations’ or stopping points on the journey to help the person walking the labyrinth to fully explore the themes.

You can find out more information about the Labyrinth at www.labyrinth.org.uk.

The Labyrinth at Holy Trinity

Having never seen a Labyrinth before, I imagined it something like a maze. But as I approached the Church Hall I heard strains of gentle, spiritual and haunting music and I realized this was different.

Being used to the usual noises of that area I was amazed to see the transformation.

Tea-lights flickering like little diamonds lit the floor and strange patterns were projected onto the ceiling and walls. But the thing that struck me most was the total change in atmosphere. From a noisy meeting place to a Sanctuary of complete Spiritual Peace. The presence of the Holy Spirit was overwhelming.

It was easy to follow your pathway as small arrows led you round and round the Hall. Having washed your hands, a virtual cleansing, you slowly walked on your prayer path to the next place of learning, wisdom and meditation. There were many places to kneel or rest and the feeling Peace overcame you.

As I try to recall my experience, I realize that my mind was so lulled in to serenity that it is hard to break down the aura of Spirituality that surrounded me. My memory of detail was vague and unimportant.

I do remember at one spot being encouraged to let go of past hurts.

The process involved holding a smooth pebble tightly in your hand, as you recalled the pain you felt years ago. Then slowly you released your fingers and allowed the stone to drop into a bowl of water. The affect was quite dramatic and cathartic.

Further on, in the centre of the pathway, was a low table with bread and water where you were invited to sit and take refreshment with God. Again a humbling experience as you centred on the Holy Spirit.

I only intended to stay a short time – but how I hated to leave this place. I wanted to stay all 3 hours.

My thanks go to Kevin, Ann, Thiago and all the group for their hours of preparation.

Even the younger group had made their own spiritual journey in the stage area. They had concentrated on God’s world and the affect of Global Warming, with great success – well done all.

Don’t miss it next year.

Sally Moore

Play & Pray: an A-maze-ing Spiritual Journey

Kevin and Ana took the Labyrinth to Barcelona in April:

St George’s 2nd Play & Pray Weekend Away held 4-6 April in Barcelona drew 63 people in all, including 15 children. Ana Draper and Jenny Baker led sessions on creative prayer and worship, introduced us to the thinking behind labyrinths, and shared a new monastic model they are developing for use in small groups in their home church. Kevin Draper, meanwhile, led sessions on Godly Play with the children giving our Sunday School leaders lots of food for thought. The highlight of the weekend was actually building a labyrinth using objects that we had brought, and then going through it on a personal prayer pilgrimage of spiritual discovery. The weekend ended with a communion service and a talk focusing on Jesus as the Good Shepherd. There was also plenty of time for food, fun and fellowship, relaxing in the sunshine on the grounds of the retreat centre.

One participant reflected on the Labyrinth in the following way:

The still small voice of calm is perhaps underrated by Christians. Dramatic signs or fantastic episodes may strengthen our faith, but marking out time to be quiet in front of God can seem impossible and worthless. God knows we need it amidst our 21st century urban lifestyles, with all the busy-ness that entails. Yet the pace of life means it is the hardest discipline to master.

Which is why the weekend away in April – and especially the meditative experience of what was called the Labyrinth – was so special.

To explain: a temporary Labyrinth was marked out with tape on the floor of one of the conference rooms. As each church member made his or her way through it in silence, there were various stations at which to ponder particular aspects of our life now or in the past.

In the centre there was an extended opportunity to pray, having brought the concerns of our lives before God before exiting, with more points at which to stop and focus on the future.

It was a simple concept developed by Christians looking for creative ways to engage people with the Holy Spirit. For me, it was enormously helpful.

Partly it was the originality of the idea, which allowed us to approach meditation in a fresh way. But more than that, it was being forced to give some time, without noise or interruptions, to speak to God – and even to try to listen to what He might be saying. The first bit I can do quite comfortably; the latter is usually squeezed out of my life.

The experience was moving and refreshing and reminded me of the 19th century hymn, “Dear Lord and Father of Mankind.” The words were written by the Quaker poet, John Greenleaf Whittier, who alludes to the episode from 1 Kings 19, when the prophet Elijah took refuge on the mountainside. Though a storm rages, lightning flashes and an earthquake thunders, the authentic voice of God is not to be heard in those dramatic signs. As Whittier put it: “Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire/Speak through the earthquake, wind and fire/O still, small voice of calm!”

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