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Recently, my boyfriend and I decided to escape the city and visit Vashon Island, a small hippie enclave a short ferry ride away from Seattle traffic.
Our car screeched to a halt when I saw a simple sign in front of a church that said “Labyrinth” on the side of the road. I’ve always loved a Labyrinth and on this visit, I began to discover exactly why. My significant other and I walked hastily past the inviting well crafted chapel. The whole scene reminded me of Frank Lloyd Wright’s philosophy that architecture should grow from and be a blessing to the landscape.
We quickly walked to the entrance of the Labyrinth; ignoring the informational signs like we normally do (an urban habit from always being in a hurry?). We were quiet, mostly out of respect for a fellow traveler who appeared to be meditating. We walked around the first few circles at our normal pace, then the world started to fall away. Our pace and breathing naturally slowed as we reached the center. Enjoying rare moments of silence and calm on the way out, we wanted to learn more. Both of us are anxious overthinkers; often nearly paralyzed by our own thoughts and eager to discover ways to escape our addled brains. According to the brochure we ignored on the way in, a Labyrinth is an ancient symbol that has been found all over the world, calculated to be over 3,500 years old in some forms. There are 3 generally recognized steps to walking the Labyrinth: releasing on the way in, receiving in the center, and returning when you walk back out of the labyrinth; incorporating that which you received into your life if you choose.
Since that day, our travels have taken us to another Labyrinth. An indoor one staffed by volunteers in a downtown Baptist Church! It seems the Labyrinth is a universal symbol, one with no right or wrong way to complete as long as you are respectful of fellow travelers on the path. I learned from our experiences to slow down. REALLY slow down, not just act like it. Walking in those tight concentric circles made me physically see exactly what one can appreciate, even in a small space (a good lesson for an apartment dweller). It was a reminder to me that sometimes all we have to do is breathe and keep one foot moving in front of the other, no matter how difficult or complicated things might seem. We plan on visiting many more labyrinths, but for now, I’m happy to reflect on our previous travels and try to remember the calm I felt in the center of each. Particularly on those days when I don’t know what to do, where I should be, or what are we all doing here anyways? In those still, small, anxiety free moments, I know that the only thing that matters is moving forward in whatever way we can.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
