Walk this Way
Learning how to Labyrinth
In this technological era, time may be under siege—free time, especially—but a reprieve is afoot. Thirty reprieves are afoot, actually, in the form of labyrinths. Scattered throughout Santa Fe—in public parks, schools, churches, institutions, and private homes—these meditative pathways are free, operate year-round, and are as easy as taking a walk in the park. In fact, labyrinths are all about walking, only in circles, and quietly.
On October 3 and 4, as part of the Santa Fe 400th Commemoration, Santa Fe’s Labyrinth Resource Group will be sponsoring a weekend of presentations and walks, open to the public and free of charge. The schedule of events begins with a visual presentation by scholar Jeff Saward, who will speak on “The Origins and Symbol of the Labyrinth of the Southwest” (October 3 at 2:30 at the Museum of International Folk Art).
Saward’s lecture, followed by a communal walk, will explore the use of the labyrinth symbol among Native peoples of the Southwest and will further probe the mystery of how a symbol used throughout Europe (and already 3,500 years old at the time) may have been adapted and adopted by Native peoples of the region, appearing most notably as the Man in the Maze design. (The labyrinth at Milner Plaza, for example, is an architectural variation of the classic seven-circuit design, with the Sangre de Cristos forming an outermost ring of nature’s sublime design in the near distance.)
Known as a “walking meditation”—wherein the user follows the course of a single pathway of concentric circles that wind to a center and then back out again, an exercise that centers and attunes the mind to that innermost voice—labyrinths are more than 4,000 years old and have been used symbolically and metaphorically: chiseled on stone, imprinted on Greek coins, fashioned into Roman mosaics, and implanted on the stone floors of medieval churches (the most famous being the one at Chartres cathedral, which served as an alternative pilgrimage destination during the Crusades).
In his introductory remarks on World Labyrinth Day this past May 2, the Reverend Monsignor Jerome Martinez Alire said, “I was approached about having a labyrinth outside our cathedral in 2003. This replica of the one at Chartres has become a favorite place to come to pray or play. The walking is a kind of pilgrimage. The Anasazi called them prayer circles. Sometimes I will walk at night and have amazing insights.” (On October 4, a community labyrinth walk is scheduled to take place at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Asisi.)
Labyrinths nowadays tend to have fewer religious connotations than they did in medieval times, when they were deemed to represent the pattern of Christ’s own preordained life and inevitable fate, and in this role they would have served a contemplative purpose. “The structure of the labyrinth provides a safe, contained space for getting in touch with inner thoughts and feelings,” says LRG cofounder Marge McCarthy, explaining how a labyrinth walk differs from a hike. “Because you are not distracted by beautiful scenery and not intent on watching your steps, you can allow yourself to be in the present moment and focus on what is happening within.”
In this age of BlackBerrys and Bluetooths and iPods, and all the other gadgets and distractions that make up our “multitaxing” lives, taking time out to focus on what’s inside is no easy task. And although there is no right or wrong way to perambulate a labyrinth, the general idea is simple. Enter: Release, take a deep breath, then walk. Center: receive; the center is often a place to see clearly and gain insights. Return: Reenter your world, bringing into it insights that bear on your life. As stated in an LRG brochure, “Some see the labyrinth as emblematic of the path of life with twists and turns, encounters with others in your path, a thrill of pleasure as you approach the center and sometimes a flash of insight as you leave. Some enter the labyrinth with a problem to solve or an intention to change.”
Today, there are thousands of new labyrinths, from South Africa and Europe to the U.S. and Canada, and their meaning has evolved with the times—from pre-Christian rites to celebrations to meditations. Some people in Santa Fe walk every day, calling themselves members of the 365-Day Club; they’re part of a nationwide group of labyrinth walkers who’ve made it their goal to labyrinth-walk every day for an entire year—and share their daily experiences with others. Building upon the growing popularity of labyrinths, the LRG, founded in 1998 under the leadership of Marge and Bob McCarthy, has been involved in the construction of at least 27 labyrinths in Santa Fe and led the effort to establish labyrinths in ten area schools. (In 2007 the LRG compiled a listing of 81 labyrinths in New Mexico; nationwide, there are 202 school-based labyrinths.)
Colleen Dougherty, an animal-care technician at the Santa Fe Animal Shelter, led the way in building a labyrinth on Shelter grounds. She sees the site as offering a respite for volunteers and caregivers—a place to release emotions and experience a peaceful, quiet time away from the stresses of an often intense work environment. “Getting out of your own way,” she says, is part of walking the labyrinth.
“The left-brain, logical side wants attention and starts to talk and belittle the exercise,” adds Dougherty. “Don’t stuff it down—simply acknowledge it, and then override that left-brain voice and move into the walking.”
In some ways, then, a labyrinth becomes a footbridge to our ancient past, making each life’s journey seem less solitary and more akin to a shared passage. It’s a way to step—literally and figuratively—“out of this life,” says Bob McCarthy, while “allowing real thoughts to come through.”
In keeping with the mission of the Santa Fe 400th Commemoration, LRG vice president George Henke hopes that this labyrinth weekend “will bring people together in understanding the essential unity of walking, pilgrimage, and journey as practiced throughout time. The 400th commemorates the long journey of all the people of Santa Fe, wherever they came from and whenever they arrived.”
As Blaire Carnahan, an LRG director, said, “Walking the labyrinth is a spiritual experience that doesn’t cost anything. It just takes a personal commitment.”
