Labyrinths

[Loki]

Does anyone have a ritual or rituals that use labyrinths?
I have recently discovered them and was wondering if anyone could tell me anything about them??

[Shy Hawk]

I'm interested in Labyrinths aswell....any insight would be awesome.

[Myst]

I'm just curious as to what you mean to use them for?

The only thing that comes to mind is that they could symbolize reaching goals and finding the right path as well as working through mysteries and solving answers. They could be a good symbol for spellwork. Is that what you mean?

[Loki]

I know they have a spiritual link and perhaps that is it, Myst.
I stumbled on a web site which mentioned them and I have heard about them being used in spiritual ways and was curious about them.
the little info I found just tripped my trigger :D

[Shy Hawk]

Well, I enjoy walking them, however, I read somewhere that the shape of the labyrinth can help focus on different things.....I guess I'm curious as to whether or not that's true. If so, what shape does what. lol
Hawk

[aquinnah]

I don't know much about labyrinths, but this I do know...they are often found on the floors of medievel cathedrals, such as the famous Notre Dame de Paris. Many of these were built directly on top of pagan groves or sacred wells. Early churches didn't have pews, and worshippers could walk the labyrinth while praying. Many have a stylized rose (goddess symbol) in the center. I'm sure a search engine would turn up lots more info. I belong to a local Unitarian Universalist Church and the Minister there wants to do a labyrinth workshop with our pagan group. I guess I'll be learning more then.

[Lavender]

I would love to hear about the workshop when you're done!

[Eeluna]

I'm reading a book called "Labyrinth Walking:Patterns of Power" by Patricia Telesco. It's quite interesting and has info on the history and mythology. Plus activities and magical workings that use the labyrinth. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the subject.

I am planning a ritual using something like a labyrinth for the near future. I've decided to make mine using luminarias made from paper bags partially filled with sand. I have a big backyard,
so I'm going to make quite a large pattern using the luminarias.

Of course it will take place at night. I will light candles in the bags, and I envision that it will be quite beautiful. I'm hoping for a warm, starry night. I am planning to walk to the center thinking of my path and life so far. In the center, I plan a circular area where I can sit and meditate upon my future path and whatever knowledge or thoughts the Goddess/God gifts me with at the time.

When I am finished meditating, I will continue walking the pattern
until I have exited it. Then I will give thanks and throw an offering of flowers into the creek that runs along the edge of my yard. I am looking forward to this ritual with anticipation.

Of course you don't have to do anything quite so ambitious. Drawing labyrinths on paper can be quite satisfying. Choose colors (of both paper and ink), styles, shapes and symbols that are meaningful to the purpose you have in mind. Then you can hang the labyrinth on the wall and trace it with your finger to invoke its power or you can carry it with you and look at it or envision it when you want/need to. There are many other ways to
use the labyrinth. I think the important thing is to personalize it and make it meaningful to your purpose.

[aquinnah]

That's beautiful, Eeluna, thank you for that ritual.

[Myst]

Great post, Euluna!

[Loki]

Thats the kind of thing I'm talking about. :D
I want to know the many uses for a labyrnth.

That is a wonderful ritual Eeluna, thanks for sharing it.
I like the luminary idea too, kind of a temporary labyrnth and when your done fold it up and put it away. :p

I have a good sized backyard so I could do something like that too. I will have to look into that book too.

[Eeluna]

Glad to be of help. I stumbled upon something today that you might find interesting.

http://www.cs.utk.edu/~mclennan/BA/HL/index.html

There's a ritual involving labyrinths with Theseus, Ariadne, the Minotaur and others. They also include the option for a ritual using only two people or a Solitary. It seems like a beautiful ritual, but it's a little complicated for my tastes. I like to keep things simple.

Here's a section with more information and examples of labyrinths:

http://www.cs.utk.edu/~mclennan/BA/HL/constr.html

[nehelia]

http://www.crystalinks.com/labyrinth.html

has soo much information. the website in general is just really amazing, a huge database on almost anything spiritual and metaphysical, from ancient civilizations and prophecies to sacred geometry and crop circle glyphs. take a peek! do a search!

one of the things i do is use it to work out problems. i focus on an issue, and then think of all the confusing things about it and different facts really fast and furious until im completely lost. then i kinda blank out my mind, walk the labyrinth, and then sit in the center. i pose the question again to myself and sit in silence and insight generally comes soon after.

a labyrinth is a VERY powerful earth symbol, kind of like the spiral; making one concentrates earth energies in that area, and is especially powerful when near a vortex or on a ley line. flowers and herbs grow well around them, and rocks love to form labyrinths (and spirals).

in magikal areas, doing a spell in the center of a labyrinth is hidden in the earth. you can leave it there to gestate, or walk it out of the labyrinth to manifest it at the end. a labyrinth is one of those things that can be used for many purposes, and its basically up to your creativity.

[Eeluna]

Just thought I'd let you know about my ritual. After our feast on the Summer Solstice, we filled a 100 small, brown paper bags with a little sand and set them up in the backyard about 2-3 feet apart. I decided to keep it simple and used a spiral design. We placed a tea candle in each one and lit it. I'd say it took at least an hour to get everything done and that's with about 4 people working.

It was a beautiful night with an almost full moon, and it was a wonderful experience walking the spiral--almost otherworldly. We walked it alone, and then the couples walked it together holding hands--something I hadn't thought about doing before but it just developed spontaneously, and that was a magical experience too. It seemed like an affirmation of our love.

I believe everyone enjoyed it immensely, and I would love to make it a new traditon for Litha.

[Demeter]

I walked a labyrinth recently at an expo. It was one of the ones on canvas that was a repro of the Notre Dame labyrinth. While I could obviously not do any kind of ritual under those circumstances, I found myself humming "We All Come From The Goddess" at a certain point. I got through several rounds of it, and stepped into the center of the labyrinth just on a final line of "and to her we shall return ...." I found in that center a profound stillness and peace and Presence. The Circle had been cast by walking as strongly as any other.

My husband also walked that same labyrinth about an hour previously. He said he had the same experience--same song!, even to stepping into the center at the same verse ... he hadn't told me about his experience before I went into it.

[Grey]

Labrynths were used in medetation as it was thought that the unguided persons thoughts would twist and turn with the walls coming to the right conclusion at the end.