Walking the Labyrinth

Most of us have heard of mazes and labyrinths, and sometimes those terms are used interchangeably. However, did you know that there is a difference?
 
Mazes have multiple pathways that branch out in different directions creating a complicated puzzle of twists and turns designed to confuse the user. Sometimes these pathways lead to dead ends, which can be quite frustrating. A maze can have one or more exits. I have heard that putting your right hand on a wall of the maze at the beginning and walking through while remaining contact with the wall can help you through the maze, but I have never had the opportunity to test that theory. A popular use for mazes these days are the corn mazes created at Halloween for entertainment purposes.
 
Labyrinths, on the other hand, have a singular and continuous path that leads to the center. The objective is to walk the path to the center and back out again slowly and with purpose. It is meant to be a contemplative act of personal transformation, not a puzzle. Walking the spiral like path inwards represents the journey into self, while retracing one’s steps back outwards is the return to the world. Just the act of walking the labyrinth is peaceful and can reduce stress. Using it as a way to journey inward and reflect on the self can help one promote self-understanding, compassion, and reflection on one’s purpose and path in life.
 
Labyrinths have been a part of many ancient cultures including Greek (like the famous myth of the Minotaur), Hopi, and Hindu, and have been depicted on many objects including pottery, stone carvings, and even church walls and floors. During the middle-ages labyrinths located in churches were used as a symbolic journey to the Holy Land, and people would undertake a pilgrimage to one rather than Jerusalem for that purpose. In Hindu culture the labyrinth (also known as Chakravyuha) was seen as a symbolic temple; the uncoiling of Kundalini energy and the path to enlightenment.  Hopi culture saw the labyrinth as the symbolic representation of the connection between people and Mother Earth; life’s journey and the divine creator of life. While these are rather simplified explanations, they do show how different cultures had similar ideas regarding the cyclical nature of life (physical and spiritual), and used the spiral like labyrinth as not just a symbol of it, but a way for any individual to experience it.
 
While they do seem to have gotten a bit lost in history for a while, walking the labyrinth became popular once again in the 1990’s, and can now be found as part of the landscape of parks, gardens, and even cathedrals and churches. One need not travel far to experience this for themselves either. All that is needed is some space to create one. Most anything can be used to do so. If you are doing it outside, you can use rocks or sticks, or it can simply be drawn in the dirt or sand. One could also be drawn/painted on a large sheet/piece of cloth or paper and laid out on the floor inside if you have a big enough floor space. While I have not personally done this myself (yet), I believe it could be a great personal and spiritual experience.
Have you ever walked the labyrinth before? Would you like to? What would you hope to learn about yourself or your journey by doing so?

Maze Photo: https://www.longleat.co.uk/adventure-attractions/hedge-maze
Labyrinth Photo: ​https://www.stphilipvictoria.ca/pages/labyrinth