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Thought I would share this with you guys. I’ve been experimenting with labyrinths alot recently and I find them very beneficial. The most famous western labyrinth is definitely the one in Chartres Cathedral, which I included a link to below.
I’m sure those used to the practices on here won’t take long to noticed the benefits of the motion, but if it seems obscure, begin in a bad mood and watch what happens to the mood shortly. The best way to try is just to print out the pattern and then use a pointer (not a pen, maybe a toothpick/athame/needle etc.) to go through the turns.
I believe it is possible to encode labyrinths for various purposes and am experimenting with this. The difference between a labyrinth and a maze BTW is that there are no false turns or dead ends in a labyrinth.
I don’t know about labyrinths in China, does anyone?
NN
Hi NN,
Yes, I do recall a Taoist practice if I remember correctly 🙂 I think it was walking a bagua. Nevertherless, the labyrinth can be and has been a way to powerful introspective experiences for people!
I once drew a labyrinth on our driveway with my children’s chalk. My oldest son loved it. He would walk it and he would sit in the middle for a long, long time. He really connected deeply (which he has also in meditation). I think I am going to see if he wants to draw one again on the driveway 🙂 it has been years since the last time.
Best,
Matt
The pattern Matthew is talking about is the 9 Steps of Yu, which is related to walking the bagua. I guess it could qualify as a labyrinth if you end up in the center?
I am now teaching a “star labyrinth” Big Dipper Qigong, which walks the adept through 28 steps of the Lunar Mansions in the 4 directions (x 7 stars of Big Dipper = 28). I guess it could be considered a kind of labyrinth as well. Very powerful – the Star Alchemy retreat I just finished used it to great success.
michael
>>I guess it could qualify as a labyrinth if you end up in the center?<<
It sounds like it might do, I can't really picture it…
With a labyrinth it seems to me that you have a set of definite features – a pattern not necessarily very easy to predict; an exact equality (nonetheless) in terms of how much time is spent in each direction as you go; and sense that you go to the centre, and then return. This gets you the feeling of having 'found it' if you like, which is so important.
The site below is one of the best labyrinth resources. The 'labyrinth community' is very genial and they all like to link to each other. There are services being offered in more than one place for the churches who are building new labyrinths of their own, so 'labyrinth designer' is a real job description just now. 🙂
NN
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