You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11, NRSV)*

Our spiritual growth is a journey, a path. It is rarely a straight line from point a to point b. Instead it is usually circuitous with some detours along the way, filled with joy and sorrow, fulfillment and frustration. Regardless of where our path leads and what experiences meet us along the way, though, God is there.

For centuries Christians have used the spiritual discipline of the Labyrinth to represent this journey with all of its twists and turns and emotions. Labyrinth expert, Lauren Artress, wrote:

Walking the labyrinth is a spiritual discipline that invites us to trust the path, to surrender to the many turns our lives take, and to walk through the confusion, the fear, the anger, and grief that we cannot avoid experiencing as we live our earthly lives.

Walking the Labyrinth offers a place of solitude even when others are walking at the same time. Labyrinth walkers connect with God in their own ways, each bringing personal joys and concerns to God’s gracious presence.

Westminster has a lovely Labyrinth in our Columbarium. Our Labyrinth is based on the famous one in Chartres Cathedral (circa 1210 BCE). Our Labyrinth is outdoors and, therefore, not locked which provides easy access to come, walk, and pray at your convenience. Some worry that there is a right way to walk the Labyrinth. Fear not, there isn’t. Walking the Labyrinth allows you to bring your individual needs and styles to the walking and the praying. It is not a maze; therefore, there is no danger of getting lost along the way. Instead, there is just one path in and out. This prayerful walk provides a beautiful opportunity for quiet communion with God.

H. Richard Niebuhr once said:

Pilgrims are persons in motion passing through territories not their own, seeking something we might call completion, or perhaps the word clarity will do as well, a goal to which only the spirit's compass points the way.

What a meaningful way to perceive ourselves on our spiritual journeys and as we walk the Labyrinth: as pilgrims…persons in motion passing through territories not our own, but God’s. Our spiritual growth is a path, a journey, leading us on an often circuitous, detour-filled route. It is a path, a journey, along which God walks with us. Consider the invitation to walk the Labyrinth as an experience of prayer and of connecting anew with God. Consider the invitation to use the quiet space of the Labyrinth as a time to gain clarity as to God’s purpose and direction in your life as your “spirit’s compass points the way.”

For more information and to further explore the Labyrinth:
• Walk the Labyrinth at Westminster Presbyterian Church located in the Columbarium.
• Explore the website of Labyrinth expert, Lauren Artress at http://www.laurenartress.com/ .
• Explore the Labyrinth information and resource website, Labyrinthos at http://www.labyrinthos.net/index.html.