Last year during Lent, Bob Vlach, who designs and crafts labyrinths in Hawai'i and Oregon, painted a labyrinth on the All Saints' lawn. Throughout the year, members of the wider Kapa'a community have maintained the labyrinth's design--most notably the Rev. Caroline Miura, chaplain at Kaua'i Hospice and the Rev. Barry Mick, pastor at UCC Kapa'a First Hawaiian.
This year, members of the All Saints' 'Ohana have expanded the labyrinth ministry: The entire lines of the labyrinth are now illumined with LED, solar-power, light strings. The labyrinth can be utilized at day or night--and during the night the experience is extremely peaceful and profoundly spiritual. What is a labyrinth? It is an archetype, a divine imprint, found in all religious traditions in various forms around the world. Walking the labyrinth is an invitation into forgotten mystical tradition. A labyrinth is not maze. Labyrinths have only one path, no dead ends, and are not designed to confuse or trick their users. The winding path of a labyrinth becomes a mirror for where we are in our lives. The experience is intended to touch our sorrows and releases our joys. Users are invited to walk the labyrinth with an open mind and an open heart. Three stages of walking the labyrinth: 1. Purgation (Releasing): A releasing, a letting go of the details of your life. This is the act of shedding thoughts and distractions. A time to open the heart and quiet the mind. 2. Illumination (Receiving): When you reach the center, stay there as long as you like. It is a place of meditation and prayer. Receive what is there for you to receive. 3. Union (Returning): As you leave, following the same path out of the center as you came in, you enter the third stage, which is joining God, your Higher Power, or the healing forces at work in the world. Each time you walk the labyrinth you become more empowered to find and do the work for which you feel your soul is reaching. Suggested Practices for walking the labyrinth Quiet your mind and become aware of your breath. Allow yourself to find the pace your body wants to go. The path is two ways. Those going in will meet those coming out. You may "pass" people or let others step around you. Do what feels natural.
1 Comment
Jana
12/28/2017 02:09:01 pm
Aloha, Is your labyrinth available for walking at night at this time?
Reply
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
January 14, 2022
January 07, 2022 December 31, 2021 December 24, 2021 December 17, 2021 December 10, 2021 December 03, 2021 November 26, 2021 November 19, 2021 November 12, 2021 November 05, 2021 October 29, 2021 October 22, 2021 October 15, 2021 October 08, 2021 October 01, 2021 September 24, 2021 September 17, 2021 September 10, 2021 September 03, 2021 August 27, 2021 August 20, 2021 August 13, 2021 August 06, 2021 July 30, 2021 July 23, 2021 July 16, 2021 July 09, 2021 July 02, 2021 June 25, 2021 June 18, 2021 June 11, 2021 June 4, 2021 May 28, 2021 May 21, 2021 May 14, 2021 May 07, 2021 April 30, 2021 April 23, 2021 April 16, 2021 April 09, 2021 April 02, 2021 March 26, 2021 March 19, 2021 March 12, 2021 March 05, 2021 February 26, 2021 February 19, 2021 February 12, 2021 February 05, 2021 January 29, 2021 January 22, 2021 January 15, 2021 January 08, 2021 January 01, 2021 December 25, 2020 December 18, 2020 December 11, 2020 December 04, 2020 To view earlier issues of our "E-News", click HERE. BLOG Archive
December 2020
|