The Labyrinth at Longport

The Labyrinth at Longport. . , Welcome to the labyrinth at the Church of the Redeemer. This labyrinth was truly a parish project: it was the inspiration of the Reverend Dabney J. Carr III, our longtime parish priest-in-charge; Milda Balsh, a church neighbor, donated the funds necessary to build it; and Joseph Craner did the actual design and construction. It is a full scale copy of the labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral in France, which is laid in the cathedral floor there and dates from around 1220 A.D. Our Longport Labyrinth, like the one in Chartres, is an eleven circuit design divided into four quadrants., Before you begin your journey through the labyrinth, you may want to pause, center yourself, and reflect on where you are in your life. Allow the graciousness of God to flow through you as you begin your journey. There is no right or wrong way to walk the path, but be open and spontaneous and remember that it is a sacred path. If you meet someone else on the path, step around him or her and continue your own path. Find and honor your pace, letting your body (rather than your mind) do what it wants to do. If you have a mantra or you meditate by using a repetitive phrase, you may want to employ it as you walk. Or, you may want to find a meaningful phrase that fits the rhythm of the walk for you., The actual journey through the labyrinth is seen as a three part mystical path. First, the journey to the center, is the time of purge, where you let go of whatever you brought with you today. this experience may come from your deeper self without self-consciousness and may be highly emotional. The second stage of your path is in the center of the labyrinth and will hopefully be an illumination for you, as you walk into the center with an open heart and mind and receive whatever is there for you. Leave when you are ready; you will know when it is time. As you take the same path out, you are in the third stage, the union stage. You realize that you are in the hands of God and it is you who must act through divine empowerment. Hopefully, you will gain strength and a sense of integration and wholeness for a large life., Walk in peace, knowing that God walks with you, and leave in peace, knowing that God leaves with you.