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Walking the Labyrinth Part of the Healing Process
This article contains a brief description of the installation of a labyrinth at Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre as part of the healing process for patients, families, and staff.
Walking the labyrinth is an ancient tradition that goes back thousands of years. The oldest labyrinth structure is believed to have been built by the Egyptian King Amenemhat in 2300 BCE. Millions of people have found it to be a meditative practice that provides healing for mind, body, and spirit.
John Vincent explains the finger Labyrinth to visitorsThe first permanent labyrinth in an institutional health care facility has been created at Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre. The chaplain, John Vincent, writes: "On November 29, 2000 the employees of S&W's had their first opportunity to experience the benefits of walking a labyrinth. As with any experience of a labyrinth, the effects were varied - some felt a profound sense of peace, other formed new insight or a sense of inner healing. The staff's experience was exemplary of the goal of walking a labyrinth, that is. to create a heightened awareness of the human condition and aid in psychological and spiritual growth. With new awareness, the experience of life can be seen differently and new possibilities may be opened. Changes in patterns of thought, emotions and behaviour do occur, especially in a critical care context of a trauma hospital." He adds that "anyone from any religious tradition or spiritual path can walk a labyrinth and benefit from it. A labyrinth may be thought of as an archetype symbolizing unity and wholeness. Experience suggests that to build a labyrinth is to create a sacred space. To walk a labyrinth is to imbue it with power and meaning. The more a labyrinth is used the more powerful it becomes as a symbol of transformation."
Walking the labyrinthThere is a trend within the health care system to promote ways to support people taking a greater role in their own health and healing. This is a laudable goal, albeit motivated partly by a similar trend for health care cost containment, and the labyrinth is considered to be an effective tool for self-care. Research and evaluation studies will be conducted at the site to measure the effectiveness of this healing tool.
How do you walk the labyrinth? There are three stages to the walk. As you enter the labyrinth it is a time to let go of the details of your life. The everyday thoughts fade away and the deeper elements in your mind become focused. This continues all the way to the centre. When you reach the centre it become a place of meditation and prayer. You can remain there as long as you like and when you feel ready or satisfied you follow the same path out of the labyrinth. What you have received at the centre is what you take back out into the world.
What can you hope to receive in the walk? There is no answer to that question. What you get out of it depends on what you bring into it. It could be an answer to a problem, a new sense of direction, a release of disturbing emotions, or a cleansing of the spirit. But in most cases people experience a sense of peace and wholeness. In the words of Dr. Lauren Artress, who has brought the labyrinth to the forefront in North America, the labyrinth walk "opens ourselves to the well within us and we are strengthened and encouraged."
We look forward to hearing more of the results of this innovative tool and how it has made an impact in the healing process.
If you are interested in finding out more about the labyrinth walk connect with www.omc.on.ca and link up with Events and note an upcoming conference in Toronto with Dr. Lauren Artress.
Paul Chidwick is Editor of OMNI.
Posted by editor on September 30, 2003 10:36 AM