Members of our congregation have constructed a labyrinth for anyone to come and walk. Based on the 13th century design in the Chartres Cathedral, the labyrinth is outlined in stones under the large pepper tree on the west side of the church campus.
The labyrinth is available for seekers of all faiths to assist in their contemplation and meditation. By helping quiet the mind, the labyrinth can be used as a path of prayer, and its metaphorical relation to our lives can offer helpful insights.
Please feel free to come and walk our labyrinth any time between 8:00 a.m. and dusk.
You are especially welcome to join us for our monthly Evensong and Candle Light Labyrinth walk held each 4th Sunday at 4 pm (new time).
Walking the Labyrinth
One way to walk the Labyrinth is to let all thought go and open yourself to experience whatever is there for you with receptive attention.Another way is to consider a question that you have and enter the Labyrinth with an open mind and heart to receive answers and insights about yourself. You can also use the Labyrinth as a prayer path.
When walking the Labyrinth, find your own pace and allow yourself to be conscious of your breathing, allowing it to flow easily.
Pausing at the entrance allows you to be fully conscious as you step onto the path. If there is someone ahead of you, let a minute or so pass before you begin. Simply step aside when you meet someone on the path.
Every person's experience is different and each time you walk the Labyrinth will be different for you even if you walk it many times.
You can find more information on Labyrinths in the book, Walking a Sacred Path by Dr. Lauren Artress', which is available in our bookstore.
Origins of the Labyrinth
The Labyrinth is an ancient tool for meditation. Unlike mazes, which have many entrances and dead ends, the Labyrinth is a single path. By following the one path to the center, the seeker can use the Labyrinth to quiet the mind and find peace and illumination at the center of one's being. Stepping onto the path, we can experience the Labyrinth as a metaphor for our spiritual journey.
Labyrinths can be found in many of the world's religious traditions. The Kabbala Tree of Life, found in the Jewish mystical tradition is an elongated figure based on the number eleven. The gates and pathways are similar to those in the Labyrinth.
The Hopi Medicine Wheel, based on the number four, honors the Earth and the four compass directions. The Man in the Maze, and the Navaho Sand Paintings are other kinds of Native American Labyrinth traditions. Examples of ancient Medicine Wheels have been found all across North and South America, both laid out on the earth, and depicted in art on pottery, cave walls, and other mediums.
A seven ring Labyrinth has been found on Crete in the Mediterranean, which is four to five thousand years old. We also find the Labyrinth in the East in the Tibetan Sand Mandalas and other Meditation Mandalas.
The Labyrinth image or form, holds the experience of wholeness and is universally recognized as a symbol for unity.
Our Labyrinth, here at Unity of Tustin, like the Labyrinth at the Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, California, is a classical eleven circuit Labyrinth. The most well known example of this type of Labyrinth can be found in the Chartes Cathedral in France. Our Unity of Tustin Labyrinth is also a consecrated Medicine Wheel with the four compass directions marked by special stones from our sacred grounds.
We are part of the Labyrinth Network sponsored by the Rev. Dr. Canon Lauren Artress through the Veriditas, The World Wide Labyrinth Project. This group is committed to envisioning and supporting the Labyrinth community that is taking root around the globe.
If you cannot come walk our labyrinth in person at this time, perhaps you would like to trace it with your mouse. Remember, this is not a maze; there are no wrong turns; just stay on the path.
Pictures of Our Unity of Tustin Labyrinth
The Labyrinth Locator, at Grace Online
The Labyrinth: Resources for Medieval Studies
WorldWide Labyrinth Project
