The Labyrinth: A Path to the Sacred
by Tricia Kibbe
 The labyrinth is much discussed and asked about these days. Where does it come from? Why does it look the way it does? How was it used originally and why would we want to walk it today? Those of us walking it in our yards and bringing it on canvas to others are finding much deeper questions and sacred responses.
It is true that the labyrinth is often confused with a maze. Just the word, labyrinth, brings to mind a puzzle to be deciphered with dead ends and no exit. For some, labyrinth evokes the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. The sacred labyrinths of Crete and Chartres being walked by many today hold no tricks; they are unicursal paths. Hence, the only decision needed is when to enter. Once that first step is taken, the path takes you to the center and back out again. This simplistic design is the first hint of the labyrinth’s power.
It is not known how the labyrinth was used in ancient Crete but its use in France and Northern Italy is more widely understood. The records that would document this were destroyed during World War II but the story lives on. Pilgrims ventured to the Holy Land as a sacred journey from all over Europe during the early Middle Ages. When the Crusades began, travel became very dangerous and the Church wanted to prevent a greater loss of life. Cathedrals were being built in France and Italy at that time and the labyrinth was placed in the floor of many of these churches to represent the sacred pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The pilgrims came to the cathedral and walked the sacred path arriving at the center called the "New Jerusalem". Over time, the labyrinths’ use became unpopular and its power came under suspicion. It was torn out or painted over in many of the church floors where it had been widely used.
In Chartres Cathedral, the labyrinth remains. It is an intricate part of the Cathedral’s grand design. The stones that make up the path are not painted with the pattern as you might imagine; the stones are the pattern. The path is laid out in eleven concentric circles intricately woven in a sacred geometric pattern. It is surrounded by lunations, twenty-eight semi-circles per quadrant creating a quarter year’s lunar calendar around the labyrinths’ perimeter. The labyrinth’s relationship to the magnificent stained glass Rose window in the church’s entry is also significant. If the front wall were placed down flat on the floor, the entire window would exactly cover and match the size and shape of the labyrinth. The Sacred space is created in part by the labyrinth’s presence.
All of this being said, the question still remains, why would we walk the labyrinth now? In its simplest form the labyrinth is a walking meditative path. It can be used individually as an alternative to sitting meditation. Because it requires no figuring out, one can simply walk, allow the mind to quiet, and let the body take over. We may walk, dance, or crawl the path, do what the body calls forth; there are no rules, there is no right or wrong way. The labyrinth is also widely used as a group meditation activity. Walking on a painted canvas that is a replica of the Chartres labyrinth or outdoors between the stone outline of the Cretan labyrinth evokes thoughts of our interactions with each other on life’s journey. It becomes a metaphor for life...
>>> Click to Continue Reading "The Labyrinth"©
Copyright Tricia Kibbe. This article was originally
published at our website, SoulfulLiving.com, in April
2002, as part of Soulful Living's "Sacred Signs & Symbols" Issue.
Click to View Our "Daily Soul Retreat" Newsletter Archive |
