by Renee Lindstrom, GCFP @ Inside Awareness, Living in Natures Love Blog & Renee Lindstrom Live
Visit #yyj’s Victoria Yoga Conference – 2020
Journey the Labyrinth Meditative Pathway Description for the Yoga Conference, Feb, ’19
“As people tread through the turns and counter turns of the labyrinth, the world begins to drop away. Walking, breathing, being—things that we never think of in the day-to-day whirl of life—become conscious and deliberate.”
Helen Curry, Author The Way of the Labyrinth
A labyrinth is a meandering clockwise or counter-clockwise spiral pathway that usually favours an east facing entrance. This entrance is the threshold that transitions one from the known into the unknown and this unfamiliar walk encourages one to deepen trust in their journey. The spiral leads through the four cardinal directions towards a center point and then back out. This 5000 year old walking pattern symbolizes a physical, metaphorical, spiritual, and healing walk through life and is designed for learning to listen to ourselves on the ‘inside’ while maintaining awareness of the ‘outer’ in a quality of exploration and curiosity. One does not need special training, or a level of fitness and spiritual belief to walk a Labyrinth as a meditative process.
The experiential process of walking a labyrinth is similar to a yoga asana practice that begins with setting an intention at the entrance and then when walking shift ones focus to the felt sensory awareness at the physical, mental, and emotional levels. At the center of the labyrinth there is time to pause to listen to ones
intuition before reversing and walking the pathway back out.
5 PARTS OF WALKING A LABYRINTH IN MEDITATION
- Intention: Prior to entering speak a prayer or mantra or set an intention to find resolve or answer to a decision.
- Release: The walk towards the center is a time to be receptive to ones sensory experience transition to what is seen, heard and felt and not focusing on thoughts and judgments.
- Receive: One then may spend time mediating in the center of listen to any inner guidance that may occur.
- Return: On the journey back out of the labyrinth one will be reversing the spiral pattern. This is once again a time for noticing the somatic sensation for any changes. On the way out one may find themselves with solutions to their intention simply coming with ease.
- Gratitude: Immediately after stepping over the entrance threshold, turn to bow to the center of the Labyrinth with attitude of appreciation.
The seed pattern of the Labyrinth will be explored in our workshop with a focus on how it is relevant to our physicality, balance and counter balance abilities. An
introduction on how to draw a 7 Circuit Labyrinth using this seed pattern that
reflects our ability to transition body weight to balance.
A short time will be spent on learning to drawing a 7 Circuit Labyrinth as this can be as effective as walking in one. It can be a nice skill for future creative walking
path creations. This seven circuit labyrinth can be set with the intention of becoming a Chakra Pathway which will be touched upon.
An introduction to walking a labyrinth for meditation will be introduced with a focus on the connection to the patterns effecting movement, mindfulness and emotion and how walking a labyrinth can be a pattern for integrating into leadership qualities. The labyrinth is a wonderful independent walk that is stronger when walked in community. A new way of being leaders of the heart can be reflected in how one walks a labyrinth while in community.
The Labyrinth pattern has been walked since before organized religion. Ancient patterns are still being discovered and new patterns are being created. Before
closing our workshop there will an opportunity to walk an 11 Circuit Labyrinth in community to explore this wonderful tool for centering and becoming present to the moment.
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