THE LABYRINTH- A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY 

IN ANCIENT GREEK MYTHOLOGY, WE FIND REFERENCE TO THE “CRETIN  LABYRINTH”. IT DESCRIBES AN ENCLOSURE MADE UP OF INTERCONNECTING CIRCLES DESIGNED BY THE ATHENIAN  CRAFTSMAN DAEDALUS, MEANT TO IMPRISON A CREATURE  CALLED A MINOTAUR, A BEAST THAT WAS HALF MAN –HALF BULL. THIS BEAST WAS SAID TO POSSESS TERRIBLE POWERS AND WAS A DANGER TO MAN. THE LABYRINTH WAS DESIGNED TO CONFUSE THE CREATURE AND KEEP IT CAPTIVE, MAKING IT POWERLESS.

WE ALSO FIND REFERENCE TO THE WORD LABYRINTH  IN ANCIENT TEXTS THAT DESCRIBE A LABYRINTH AS A SERIES OF INTERCONNECTING CIRCLES  DISPLAYED ON THE FLOORS OF VARIOUS PLACES OF WORSHIP. SOME  DESIGNS WERE A CRUDE PATHWAY IN THE DIRT FLOOR WHILE OTHERS ARE DESCRIBED AS ELABORATE DESIGNS EITHER PAINTED ON THE FLOOR OR CONSISTING OF INTRICATE MOSAIC TILES. WHATEVER THE METHOD THE SIGNIFICANCE  OF THESE CIRCLES WERE THE SAME.

BECAUSE OF VARIOUS DEGREES OF RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION , MANY BELIEVERS WERE NOT PERMITTED TO MAKE AN ANNUAL JOURNEY TO A CENTRAL HOLY PLACE AS WAS REQUIRED BY THEIR FAITH AND AS SUCH,  A WALK THROUGH THE LABYRINTH WAS SYMBOLIC OF THAT JOURNEY.  TO THIS DAY,  LABYRINTHS STILL EXIST IN CHURCHES, SYNAGOGS AND MOSQUES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD

.THE GALILEAN LUTHERAN CHURCH LABYRINTH, LOCATED TO THE NORTH OF THE CHURCH, IS A 40 FOOT CIRCULAR SACRED PATTERN CUT IN AN OPEN FIELD. IT IS TO BE WALKED AS A SPIRITUAL MEDITATION EXPERIENCE. THE DESIGN REQUIRES THE WALKER TO BEGIN AT THE OUTSIDE OF THE CIRCLE AND WIND SLOWLY IN TOWARD THE CENTER OF THE CIRCLE , SPEND SOME TIME IN THE CENTER OF THE CIRCLE AND THEN BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY OUTWARDLY TO THE STARTING POINT.

THERE IS NO RIGHT OR WRONG WAY TO WALK THE LABYRINTH. THE ENTRANCE CAN BE A PLACE TO STOP AND REFLECT ON YOUR INTENTIONS.

ENTER THE LABYRINTH WITH AN OPEN MIND AND  A QUIET HEART.

USE IT AS YOUR HEART DESIRES. PLEASE RECOGNIZE  THIS AS A SPIRITUAL PRACTICE AND NOT A MAGIC TOOL.

THE LABYRINTH IS OPEN TO ALL FAITHS.

PEACE BE WITH YOU

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