Unity of Gainesville Florida
Contact Us
  • Home
    • Brochure & Bookmark
    • Donate
    • Location
    • Maintenance & Beautification
    • Rental Agreement
    • Unity's Logo
    • Vision, Mission, Values
  • What is Unity?
    • Basic Unity Principles
    • Board of Trustees >
      • Board Zoom Meeting
      • Letters to Congregants
      • Minutes
    • Bylaws
    • Our History 1975-2019
    • Our History 2020-now
  • Sundays
    • Serve as a Greeter
    • Serve on Hospitality Team
    • Sunday Zoom Service
    • Youth & Family Ministry
    • Zoom Video Files
  • Events
    • Art Exhibit >
      • Past Art Exhibits
    • Sage-ing while Aging workshop 3/14-4/18
    • Unique items in bookstore
  • Resources/Classes
    • ACIM
    • DEI - Diversity Equity Inclusion
    • Drum Circles
    • Earth and Personal Healing
    • Inner Meaning of Christmas
    • Qigong class
    • Sacred Community Discussion and Book Study Groups
    • Schedule of Classes/Meetings
  • Prayer
    • Care & Prayer Ministry
    • Rose Prayer Centre
    • Master Mind Prayer
    • Our Labyrinth
    • Pierce Memorial Garden
    • World Healing Meditation
  • Community Outreach
  • Service Opportunities
  • Photo Gallery
  • Privacy Policy
  • Tithing Policy

WE INVITE YOU TO WALK OUR LABYRINTH

Photos by Guy Abbott

A labyrinth is an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness.  It combines the imagery of the circle and the spiral into a meandering but purposeful path.  The labyrinth represents a journey to our own center and back again out into the world.  Labyrinths have long been used as meditation and prayer tools.

A labyrinth is an archetype with which we can have a direct experience.  We can walk it.  It is a metaphor for life’s journey.  It is a symbol that creates a sacred space and place… and takes us out of our ego to “That Which Is Within.”

Labyrinths and mazes have often been confused.  When most people hear of a labyrinth, they think of a maze.  A labyrinth is not a maze.  A maze is like a puzzle to be solved.  It has twists, turns and blind alleys.  It is a left brain task that requires logical, sequential, analytical activity to find the correct path into the maze and out of it.

A labyrinth, on the other hand, has only one path.  It is unicursal.  The way in IS the way out.  There are no blind alleys.  The path leads you on a circuitous path to the center and back out again.  It is a right brain task.  It involves intuition, creativity and imagery.  With a maze, many choices must be made and an active mind is needed to solve the problem of finding the center.  With a labyrinth, there is only one choice to be made.  The choice is to enter or not.  A more passive, receptive mindset is needed.  The choice is whether or not to walk a spiritual path.

At its most basic level, the labyrinth is a metaphor for the journey to the center of your deepest self and back out into the world with a broadened understanding of who you are.

There is no right way to walk a labyrinth.

You only have to enter and follow the path.  Your walk, however, can encompass a variety of attitudes.  It may be joyous or somber.  It might be thoughtful or prayerful.  You may use it as a walking meditation.

Adults are often serious in the labyrinth.  Children most often run in and out as fast as they can in a playful manner. 

When you walk a labyrinth choose your attitude.  From time-to-time, choose a different attitude.  Make it serious, prayerful or playful.  Play music or sing.  Pray out loud.  Walk alone or with a crowd.  Notice the sky.  Listen to the sounds; and most of all, pay attention to your experience.

Some general guidelines for walking a labyrinth are:

  1. Focus:  Pause and wait at the entrance.  Become quiet and centered.  Give acknowledgement through a bow, nod or other gesture, and then enter.
  2. Experience:  Walk purposefully.  Observe the process. When you reach the center, stay there. Focus for several moments.  Leave when it seems appropriate.  Be attentive on the way out.
  3. Exit:  When reaching the end, turn and face the entrance.  Give an acknowledgement of ending, such as “Amen.”
  4. Reflect: After walking the labyrinth, reflect on your experience.  Use journaling or drawing to capture your experience.
  5. Walk often!



... BLESSINGS ON YOUR SACRED JOURNEY ...


go home
go to resources
Copyright © 2014-2023  |  8801 NW 39th Avenue, Gainesville, Florida 32606  |  352-373-1030  |  unitygvl@gmail.com
Sue Henry Young, webmaster
Proudly powered by Weebly