LABYRINTH

TUESDAY MORNINGS 7am - 12pm

ALSO AVAILABLE FOR GROUPS

YOU MAY SCHEDULE A MORNING, AFTERNOON, OR EVENING OF PRAYER USING THE LABYRINTH FOR YOUR GROUP HERE AT THE WESLEY OR WE CAN BRING THE LABYRINTH TO YOU. FOR SCHEDULING AND INFORMATION CONCERNING TRANSFORMATIONAL      PRAYER EXPERIENCE OF WALKING THE LABYRINTH, PLEASE CALL THE REV. EMILE TOSSO, AT THE WESLEY

 (985-345-6175 or sluwesley@bellsouth.net)

OVERVIEW OF THE PRAYER LABYRINTH

LABYRINTHS ARE FOUND IN MANY CULTURES DATING BACK AS MUCH AS 3,500 YEARS. UNLIKE A MAZE THE LABYRINTH IS UNICURSAL, HAVING A SINGLE PATH LEADING TO THE CENTER WITH NO LOOPS, CUL-DE-SACS- OR FORKS. THEY ALL SHARE THE BASIC FEATURE OF AN ENTRANCE, A SINGLE CIRCUITOUS PATH AND A CENTER OR GOAL. THE TWO MOST COMMON TYPES OF LABYRINTHS ARE THE CHARTRES AND THE CLASSIC-7. HOWEVER, THERE ARE MANY VARIATIONS. TODAY WE WILL BE WALKING THE EAGLE CREST. LIKE ALL LABYRINTHS, THE EAGLE CREST HAS NO DEAD ENDS OR FALSE PASSAGES BUT A WINDING PATH THAT LEADS UNERRINGLY OUT AGAIN. IT IS AN INNOVATIVE TOOL, CALLING FORTH AN AWARENESS OF ONE'S UNCONSCIOUS MOTIVES, ATTITUDES, WISDOMS AND EMOTIONS. EVEN JERUSALEM, THE HOLY CITY, WAS A GREAT LABYRINTH WITH COMPLICATED PASSAGEWAYS

THE JOYS OF THE LABYRINTH

• THERE IS A CENTER, AND WHETHER IT CONTAINS A TREASURE OR NOT REACHING IT HOLDS A REWARD

• ITS STRUCTURES BOTH TIME AND SPACE, BUT IT IS A CHOROGRAPHY THAT ANYONE CAN PERFORM

• IT INVITES VARIETY OF PERSONALIZED PERFORMANCES, FROM THOUGHTFUL STEPS, TO STATELY PROCESSION, TO WONDERING WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT A GOAL, TO DRIFTING ALONG WITH A CURRENT THAT CARRIES YOU, TO STRIDING PURPOSEFULLY,  OR ALL AT ONCE

• THE EXPERIENCE OF TRAVERSING A LABYRINTH IS SIMPLE, AND YOU CAN HONESTLY FEEL THAT YOUR EXPERIENCE IS VERY SIMILAR TO THAT OF ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS DONE AT ANY TIME IN HISTORY

• IT IS UNSCRIPTED: NO FORMAL STYLE OF EXECUTION IS REQUIRED

• IT IS A PUBLIC ACT THAT CAN BE WHOLLY PRIVATE

APPROACHES TO THE LABYRINTH

1. SIMPLY A QUIET MIND: LETTING YOUR THOUGHTS GO

2. ASKING A QUESTION

3. THE USE OF REPETITION: MANY MEDITATE BY REPEATING A WORK, A MANTRA, A PHRASE

4. READING OR QUOTING SCRIPTURE

5. ASKING HELP THROUGH PRAYER, POUR OUR YOUR HEART BEFORE GOD

6. HONORING BENCHMARK TIME: A BIRTHDAY, AN ANNIVERSARY OF A MARRIAGE OR A DEATH

7. PHYSICAL PRAYER: CHANT DANCE, CRY OR LAUGH, SKIP, CRAWL, GREET FRIENDS WITH HUGS

WALKING THE LABYRINTH

ENTERING: (ALSO REFERRED TO AS SHEDDING OR PURGATION) DURING THIS STAGE YOU WALK THE PATH TOWARD THE CENTER, AND SHOULD TRY TO ACQUIRE A RELAXED , PEACEFUL STATE

THE WALK: THERE IS NOT A "REQUIRED WAY" TO WALK THE LABYRINTH. THE BEAUTY OF THE LABYRINTH IS THAT PEOPLE CAN APPROACH THE EXPERIENCE ON THE OWN TERMS. ONCE YOU HAVE RELEASED, ALLOW YOURSELF TO FIND THE PACE YOUR BODY WANTS TO GO. WALK WITH AN OPEN HEART AND AN OPEN MIND.

ILLUMINATION: (THE TIME IN THE CENTER) THIS A TIME OF OPENNESS AND PEACEFULNESS: YOU EXPERIENCE. LEARN, OR RECEIVE WHAT THIS UNIQUE MOMENT OFFERS. TAKE YOUR TIME. IT IS A TIME FOR FOCUS, SILENT MEDITATION AND PRAYER.

UNION: THE JOURNEY OUTWARD. YOU CHOOSE WHEN TO LEAVE THE CENTER, FOLLOWING THE SAME PATH. THIS IS A TIME TO REVIEW AND CONSIDER WHAT OCCURRED IN THE CENTER, AND HOW IT MAY BE APPLIED TO YOUR LIFE.

IMPLEMENTATION: THIS STAGE REPRESENTS YOUR LIFE OUTSIDE THE LABYRINTH. YOU MAY WISH TO SHARE YOUR WALKING EXPERIENCE WITH SOMEONE ELSE.

THE CHALLENGE OF A LABYRINTH

• IT CAN BE MORE DESIGN THAT YOU CAN KEEP AT ONCE

• YOUR GAIT IS NECESSARILY MEASURED AND REPEATEDLY CHECKED: DIRECTION IS CONTROLLED AND CONSTANTLY CHANGED ACCORDING TO AN OUTSIDE DESIGN

• THE ACT ITSELF IS ESSENTIALLY AND INTENTIONALLY ANONYMOUS

• EVEN IF PERFORMED IN TOTAL PRIVACY, IT IS HARD NOT TO FEEL A LITTLE SELF-CONSCIOUS AND CONSPICUOUS, EVEN SOMEWHAT EMBARRASSED

• THE EXPERIENCE DEMANDS TO BE TRANSLATED INTO WORDS: AT SOME POINT YOU NEED TO EXPLAIN WHAT YOU DID AND WHY, EVEN IF IT IS ONLY FOR YOURSELF

• LABYRINTH EXPERIENCES MAY BE TOUGH TO EXPLAIN OR EVEN IMPOSSIBLE TO COMMUNICATE ADEQUATELY