All Saints Labyrinth
Labyrinth at All Saints Church
10 Irving Street,
Worcester, MA 01609
508-752-3766
What is a labyrinth?
Labyrinths are usually in the form of a circle with a meandering but purposeful
path, from the edge to the center and back out again, large enough to be
walked into. Each has only one path, and once we make the choice to enter
it, the path becomes a metaphor for our journey through life, sending us
to the center of the labyrinth and then back out to the edge on the same
path. The labyrinth is a spiritual tool meant to awaken us to the deep rhythm
that unites us to ourselves and to the Light that calls from within. In
surrendering to the winding path the soul finds healing and wholeness. (Walking
A Sacred Path, by Dr. Lauren Artress, pg. xii)
There are many labyrinth designs; however, the one used here at All Saints
is a replica of the original one found at the Chartres Cathedral in Chartres,
France and the recent one installed at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.
Painted on a large canvas, the eleven-circuit path is based on a sacred
geometry design that has 28 loops leading to a center rosette.
Details of the Labyrinth
Details of the Center of the Labyrinth
History of the labyrinth
Although the labyrinth dates back to pre-historic times, the one used here
at All Saints has its origin in the Chartres Cathedral, France, where a
large labyrinth forty feet across was set with blue and white stones into
the floor of the church nave around 1230 AD. Before the Crusades of the
Middle Ages, the faithful often had a life goal of making a pilgrimage to
Jerusalem. During the Crusades, this trip was considered too dangerous for
the ordinary person to take. Instead, Christians would make a pilgrimage
to important cathedrals in Europe. Many of these had a labyrinth, which
was walked as a substitute for entering the celestial city of Jerusalem.
By the middle of the 16th century, the labyrinth had dropped
out of human awareness as reason replaced mysticism as the way to finding
Truth.
Labyrinth revival
Today, mysticism has found its way back into Christian spirituality. The
labyrinth, a medieval French mystical meditation tool, has become the center
of an international spiritual movement, thanks largely to Dr. Lauren Artress,
Canon Pastor of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. In 1991, Lauren brought
the Labyrinth to Grace Cathedral. She had first heard about this ancient
mystical tool at a spiritual retreat that then led her to France where she
walked the long unused pilgrim’s path embedded in the floor of the Chartres
Cathedral. After studying the sacred geometry of the design with British
architect, Keith Critchlow, Lauren was able to create the first canvas labyrinth
used at the Cathedral in San Francisco. Later a permanent wool carpeting
labyrinth was installed at the back of the sanctuary where thousands have
come to walk and meditate. Lauren Artress has dedicated her ministry to
bringing the labyrinth to the world’s attention, through Veriditas – The
World Wide Labyrinth Project. She leads workshops, gives lectures and attends
conferences on spiritual renewal. All Saints is a member of Veriditas.
Experiencing the labyrinth
Walk the path slowly and with deliberation. Dance your way to the center
and back. You may want to use a traditional walking meditation, concentrating
on your breath or footsteps while letting go of the daily chatter in your
mind. Or, you may want to read scripture; recite a prayer or a poem. You
can pray a petition, an intercession, a praise, or a thanksgiving. When
you reach the center stop for a short prayer, or stay and meditate for a
time. The choice is yours. There is no right or wrong way. Let your heart
lead you.
The classical Threefold Path is used by some to deepen their sense of union
with the Divine.
• Walking in: Purgation, to cleanse, to let go, to empty.
• Time in the center: Illumination, meditation, receive insight.
• Walking out: Union, communion
with God, integration of an insight, action in the world.
Feel free to pick up one of the colorful veils, symbolic of the Chartres
Cathedral reverence for the veil of Mary, said to have great healing powers.
Labyrinth etiquette
Wear comfortable clothing for your walk. Shoes are usually removed before
stepping onto the labyrinth, however, if you need to keep them on for support,
please do. It is ok to pass the person in front of you or to step aside
when you meet someone coming from the other direction. You may want to stop
at different places for a moment of reflection or meditation. The only requirement
is that you respect the others along the path and do not disturb or inhibit
their experience.
Recommended reading:
Walking A Sacred Path, Rediscovering the Labyrinth
as a Spiritual Tool, by Dr. Lauren Artress
Grace Cathedral Labyrinth- San Francisco, CA
Labyrinth Links - Labyrinth Enterprises
