BRISTOL — The Bristol United Church of Christ invites the community to join in a walk along a canvas labyrinth in Fellowship Hall between March 13 and 17. The event is free to all who are interested in a meditative and prayerful experience.
Labyrinths are ancient symbols related to wholeness and have long been used for prayer and meditation. The oldest known labyrinth design is from Crete and dates to 3,000 BCE or is about 5,000 years old. During the Middle Ages, 22 cathedrals in Europe had labyrinths on their floors. The only surviving labyrinth is on the floor of Chartres Cathedral in France, built in 1201.
The labyrinths served as symbolic journeys for pilgrims unable to reach the Holy Land because of war, disease, and inaccessibility to Jerusalem.
A labyrinth is not a maze — a maze is a puzzle with twists, false turns, and dead ends. It is a problem that requires logic and analytical thinking.
A labyrinth, on the other hand, has one clear path into the center and back out again. Since the mind is not needed to figure things out, walking a labyrinth quiets the mind and invites intuition, creativity, and meditation. One might think of a labyrinth as a “prayer practice.”
There is no right or wrong way to walk a labyrinth. It can be serious, celebratory, used as a ritual of good-bye, or a joy walk. Children generally do a "Joy Walk" — or "run" — but, no matter what the intention, the walk will be to the center of the labyrinth and back.
The canvas labyrinth at Bristol United Church of Christ will be on loan from the South Congregational Church in Concord. It will be available mornings, Thursday through Sunday, from 9 a.m. to noon; and evenings on Wednesday through Sunday, 5-8 p.m. All ages — adults, youths, and children — are encouraged to attend, either alone or with a group.
There will be resources available for those who wish to know about labyrinths, as well as Mandela coloring pages to do if you have to wait, and information for children.
For more information, contact Rebecca Herr at 603-744-6526 or hatsherr@gmail.com.
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