This Friday, April 14, is Good Friday. We will do Yoga to stretch and relax our bodies, walk the labyrinth to calm and center our minds, and I will play the gongs to help us connect more deeply to the Divine within us!
The following is an excerpt from “Godspace, a community blog” that explains the labyrinth experience:
“People walk the labyrinth as a tool to enhance prayer, contemplation, meditation and/or personal growth. There is no “required way” to walk the labyrinth. Thinking is not required to walk a labyrinth. At the same time, one must remain alert to stay on the path. This combination of reduced mental activity and heightened awareness makes the labyrinth ideal for walking meditation or prayer. The turns of the labyrinth are thought to balance the two hemispheres of the brain, resulting in physical and emotional healing. As reaching the center is assured, walking the labyrinth is more about the journey than the destination, about being rather than doing, integrating body and mind, psyche and spirit into one harmonious whole. The labyrinth meets each person where they are and helps them to take the next step on their spiritual path. Because it is so personal, it is a spiritual practice that can be enjoyed by everyone.
A “typical” labyrinth experience involves preparing yourself at the threshold, following the single path to the center (releasing), spending time in the center for as long as you like (receiving), following the same pathway from the center out, crossing the threshold (returning), and then responding to the experience. There is no single “right” way to pray a labyrinth. Praying in whatever way helps you connect with God during the labyrinth encounter is the “right” way and serves as the best guide possible. Journaling before or after the walk may help provide focus and insights.
Feel free to walk around other people if their pace is different or if they stop. It’s okay for other people to move around you. Some find it helpful to stop at each turn. The path can be a two-way street. Do what comes naturally when you meet someone else, just as you would if you were walking on a narrow sidewalk. Walking around the outside of the labyrinth before or after the walk may be helpful.
Approaches to the walk may include:
Intentional walks–where you address a specific intention, issue or concern as you walk
Intercessory walks–offering prayer for people or needs
Meditative walks–meditating on a specific word or passage or prayer
Conversation–having a conversation with God
Walking in a relaxed, peaceful state, temporarily releasing concerns, being open and peaceful”
Class is at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Fayetteville, 8:30 – 9:30 am.
Wow and namaste,
Jamie
Jamie White ~ Gong Song 