Labyrinth experience

The institutional focus here at seminary is academics. There are no APTS courses in spirituality or spiritual formation. So, to feed my soul here at school, I am in a spiritual direction group and I try to attend the monthly events offered by the student group, Still Small Voice--whose goal is to provide students various opportunities to find, experience, and share spiritual practices.

Last Friday, Still Small Voice provided a brief talk about labyrinths. Afterwards, four of us drove to the nearest labyrinth, at Hyde Park Christian Church to walk their labyrinth.



In our talk about labyrinths, the facilitator had suggested using the walk into the center of the labyrinth to think about what is weighing you down and why. Once in the center, think about Christ, the Light of the World, and bask in his love. Let go of whatever has been your burden. Now that you have shed your burdens, walk out of the labyrinth thinking about sharing Christ's light with others.




As I walked into the labyrinth, on my journey toward the center, there was a point when it seemed as if I was almost at the center, then the twists and turns took me away from the center. I thought about how my spiritual journey has mirrored that experience. I've felt like I'm on the right track and getting closer to being in sync with God, and then something happens, and it seems as if I'm moving away from instead of toward God. Just as in the labyrinth though, if I continue my journey, even when it seems as if I'm forcing myself, I find myself in the Light of Christ. Sometimes I would be walking parallel with, though not in the same path as, one of my classmates. I was reminded that often we share part of our spiritual journey with others, but it's not the same spiritual journey and there will be times when we reach a bend that takes us away from each other for awhile.






As I was coming into the center, one of my classmates was on her way out and we met briefly. I thought about how sometimes we meet someone ever so briefly on our spiritual journey. We may think that we'll walk together for awhile, but we don't have "awhile" to walk together. We waited outside the labyrinth and quietly welcomed each other as each of us completed the labyrinth. Perhaps, at the very end of our spiritual walks, we'll be doing the same--waiting for our friends, ready to welcome them into glory.


Afterwards, we had supper together--talking, eating, laughing, and lamenting our first year here at seminary. A labyrinth and table fellowship---all in all, a great way to spend a Friday afternoon and evening.