Labyrinth

Situated at the back of St Catherine’s church, the Labyrinth is open at all times. You are invited to come alone or with family and friends to experience a meditative exercise to restore balance in a busy world. Whilst the intention for this labyrinth is for Christian meditation and prayer, the Labyrinth is a helpful tool for anyone seeking a moment of peace.

There is no right way to walk a Labyrinth, but an easy pattern to follow is the Three R’s: Release, Receive, Return.

Release: Let go of that which you are carrying. Take some time to reflect and notice what no longer serves you. As you slowly walk to the centre, release those things and begin to clear your mind.

Rest and Receive: When you arrive at the centre, take a moment to rest. Spend as long as you need, allowing yourself to be open to receive the gifts of the Spirit offered to you, humbly and with gratitude.

Return: When the time is right, mindfully retrace your steps to where you started and resolve to engage in the world differently. Remember that life is winding and seems to sometimes turns back on itself, but as you stand in the same place where, at the beginning, you released that which no longer served you, notice that you are not the same now as you were moments ago.

Good for the neurodivergent
Because this exercise involves the whole of your body, many people who are neurodivergent find this a helpful way to engage in a meditation practice. Come and try it out for yourself.

History
Labyrinths can be traced back over 3500 years. Our Labyrinth is modelled after the famous Labyrinth in the Cathedral of Chartres, France. Many people have made pilgrimages to Chartres to walk that Labyrinth. During times when pandemics such as plague made pilgrimage to the Holy Land nearly impossible, Labyrinths came into use as a pilgrimage-in-place. Pilgrims could engage in the same kind of prayer journey without leaving their home-land. Today, the Labyrinth can be used in a similar manner especially if you find you are ‘stuck’ on something. Come and try walking the labyrinth and see what difference adding this to your spiritual practices can make.

Resources
Australian Labyrinth Network
World Labyrinth Day - First Saturday in May
The Labyrinth Society
The Labyrinth of Chartres Cathedral
Labyrinth Journey: finger labyrinth app