Constancy

A living grass labyrinth is always the same, and never the same. It changes each day— grows, flowers, and seeds. It is different at different times of day—at dawn, midday and dusk. It is different in the sunshine, in the rain, in mist. It is different in the moonlight. But it is always the same. 

Constancy is something I love about the labyrinth.

Over the last couple of months, when I have had big feelings that I didn't want to be with, but didn't want to run from, the labyrinth has helped. 

Unlike going for a walk, there is no sense of trying to outpace the feelings, resolve them, shake them off or leave them behind. 

Unlike sitting still, walking the labyrinth has allowed me to be with the feelings without the experience of feeling like I am being overrun by them. 

It is soothing to walk a path that is taking you nowhere, requires you to make no decisions, and will return you home again. The circular path feels natural and right, the way it curls in closer, leads you away, takes you to the centre at which point there is nothing to be done but to turn around and start walking again. 

I walked the labyrinth today thinking of some people very dear to me, who have lost someone very dear to them. I thought of how life is never the same when we lose someone, except for the fact that we love them still.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO READ MORE ABOUT the labyrintH?

Read the essays below, visit the main In the Labyrinth page, and get your very own letterpress labyrinth card, for meditation and mindfulness.