Labyrinths were used for prayer in medieval times and are found in many religious traditions around the world. The Cathedral of Chartres in France has one of the most famous prayer labyrinths.
The entry to the labyrinth symbolizes birth and the center a place of dying and rising to new life in Christ. Unlike a maze, labyrinths have only a single path to the center and back. The winding path is a metaphor of our journey through life with all its twists and turns.
Walking the labyrinth helps focus your entire body, mind and heart on God and is an act of worship and prayer. As you walk the path to the center, release your stress, clear your mind and open your heart.
You might walk the labyrinth to deepen your relationship with God, to give thanks and praise to God, and to pray for yourself and others. Find a labyrinth near you at http://labyrinthlocator.com.
This message is adapted from “Speaking with God: Conversation Tools” written by Kevin Anderson in the July/August 2010 issue of Lutheran Woman Today (now Gather) magazine.