Business of LifeToday is Ash Wednesday and via the Anchoress is this Lenten Labyrinth in a java applet allowing you to experience walking a labyrinth. Labyrinths are symbolic of the path of life and the spiritual journey. The most famous is the labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral near Paris, France.
Unlike mazes which are designed to confuse, a labyrinth has only one path. The way in is the way out.
Sometimes called a path of grace, 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.
Often thought of as a purely Christian symbol, labyrinths are found in many cultures. The Hopis call it the Medicine Wheel, the Celts describe it as the Never Ending Circle and in mystical Judaism, it's called the Kabala. At Grace Cathedral, there is a multitude of labyrinth articles and links and multi-media presentations.
To me, a labyrinth looks a whole brain. The walking of a labyrinth integrates both right and left sides of the brain as you quiet your mind and go with the flow to the center of yourself.
When you are in San Francisco, visit Grace Cathedral and experience this walking meditation either on their outdoor labyrinth made of terrazzo stone or inside on their wool tapestry labyrinth which is modeled after the labyrinth at Charles. Otherwise, allow yourself the time to quiet your mind while viewing the Lenten Labyrinth, one of Leo Wong's amazing applets. Others in his series include Circles of Om, Circles of Ankhs
