All Souls Quarterly Review—Walking the Labyrinth

All Souls Quarterly Review
Vol. VII, No. 2		Winter 2001-2002

WALKING THE LABYRINTH Ministerial intern, Kelly Murphy Mason, conducted a class and organized a workshop called "Winding Our Way to Wholeness" in mid-December in Reidy-Friendship Hall. The Pre-holiday event involved walking a labyrinth borrowed from Riverside Church. Evolving from ancient traditions, among them Buddhism and Judeo-Christian mysticism, the labyrinth is used as a means of centering oneself and meditating, disconnecting from daily concerns and focusing on problem solving. Kelly explained that the labyrinth is a healing walk based on Theresa of Avila's three-step plan: Purgation—Shedding of burdens on the journey to the center. Illumination—Rapt attention at the center of the labyrinth. Union—Integration of insight on the journey outward from the center. Kelly went on to say that the labyrinth walk is enhanced by choosing a yogic mantra such as "Om" and repeating a monosyllabic prayer such as "Peace" or "Love." Also helpful, she added, is a Celtic prayer to be said at the entrance to the labyrinth, again at the center and finally, upon returning to the entrance: God ahead, God behind, God be on the path I wind, God above, God below, God be everywhere I go. The popularity of labyrinth walks was revived recently in the early 1990s by the Reverend Lauren Artress, a San Francisco minister. Kelly said that forty people attended and that she plans to repeat the program next year.

Cover Editor's Corner	Our Organized Church	Inwood House	Walking the Labyrinth	Afghan Women	Who We Are: Decifering Plant Life Then for Now—David Lentz
The Young Adults	Beyond the Church Doors: Dick Leonard and David Robb	Books by Members	In the News at All Souls	All Souls Home Page

WALKING THE LABYRINTH