I stepped into the Labyrinth!

Today I stepped into the labyrinth. This is my second day on retreat and Sister Mary set up a labyrinth in the basement of the Pastoral Center. When I usually think of a Labyrinth I think of a movie or a book in which a character is lost being chased by dragons and such. But this labyrinth is a path that looks like amaze, but you won’t get lost in it like a maze. While walking on the labyrinth, it is an opportunity to pray and reflect. We started on the edge of the labyrinth and followed the path that started as short chutes and turns. The further we got along the chutes became longer. As we were about three-quarters of the way through the paths were very long without a turn. So my reflection on the labyrinth was that I said prayers for my family and those I know. Then looking out of the window of the building, I reflected on our society and nature. I looked at the hills and wondered how it has been created over the period of thousands and millions of years. I looked at the stream below and wondered how it became essential to the lives of most living objects. I saw a trash can and thought about what humans are doing to this earth. Also, looking at the path and the others in the group taking part in this activity I saw it as the path of life. It started out as short path. We were close together where we could support one another like a parent could support a child. As we moved further in the path, I saw it as a person being an adult and able to function on his or her own. Towards the end of the path, the short turns returned and I viewed it as a point when life is nearing the end and who have to move slowly because we know what is coming. Finally the end is here at the middle and I think that I went through all these feeling and emotions I felt relieved. Then I back tracked the labyrinth and I was moving much faster than on the way in. I used this as a reflection of what I was thinking about at various points. I stopped at a point where I knew I thought of something important. Just like life, I was reflecting on the important memorable parts of life, but I don’t remember everything that I had done. I think going through the labyrinth is a metaphor for life and if done carefully, it is an opportunity to reflect on the things you have enjoyed in life and something to think about when you go through it.