Labyrinths to Try in Massachusetts: Steps Towards Peace and Wellness

Only recently did I begin to develop an interest in the Labyrinths in Massachusetts. In fact it wasn't the suggestion of a friend but rather reading a book called An Altar in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor that got me interested. Her sharing of several labyrinth related stories made me think that this was a topic worth investigating and perhaps an activity worth pursuing. As I was in the Massachusetts area at the time it seemed like the place to begin.

For those not familiar with the layout or purpose of the labyrinth there are plenty of on line sites that will help you fill in the blanks. My own experience has been one of moving from ignorance to amazement that I have been missing out on this soothing and meaningful experience. Sure I have had fun exploring mazes with my children and grand children, there's a simple one not 3 miles away from my home and I guess I believed that a maze was the same thing as a labyrinth. Well I was dead wrong there.

You might be surprised to discover that while a maze and labyrinth have marked similarities, both involve walking for example, there is something more centering and inward directing to a labyrinth experience. The idea is to move along geometric paths marked by slightly raised grass, rocks or even shells on a course to the center but as you go along you realize that you are being called in a special way to move to the center not just of a design but of your own being. Pretty heady stuff for someone who is expecting to run in and out of a corn maze.

Those who know what they are doing approach the labyrinth experience with a sense of respect and awe. Unlike the maze setting where you hear folks calling out to one another as the try to make their way from one end of the maze to the other and keep getting lost , the labyrinth setting is quiet, serene and almost spiritual . People come not to explore the grounds but rather to look inside themselves. Many reasons bring people to a labyrinth experience - anything from preparation for one life situation to closure for another.

I was surprised to find that Massachusetts was home to a variety of labyrinth experiences. While there aren't a million labyrinth options from which to choose you do have some alternatives. One choice near the city of Boston is the Growing Center in Somerville, MA which provides a monthly labyrinth option. What was surprising to me about this site is that it is located in what is known locally as a busy and densely populated city , not the kind of area that one thinks of as being ideal for slow meditative walking and yet here it is and so are people ready to use it. Scheduled walks are held once each month here and you can get more complete information via their website.

Less urban in its location is the classical style labyrinth at the Rolling Ridge Retreat and Conference Center in North Andover. The labyrinth here was added as recently as 2002 as one of many features offered here for those seeking a special time away for reflection, rest and renewal. A visit here can be arranged via the Rolling Ridge Retreat and Conference Center website.

If like me, you are brand new to the practice of walking a labyrinth you might enjoy the irony of walking on a newly created labyrinth in Palmer, MA . Finished just one year ago in August of 2009, The Blue Star Equiculture is actively seeking folks to come and make use of the labyrinth You can make arrangements to make use of this meditation walk by calling in advance or visiting the Equiculture Website.

Even Cape Codders have gotten into the labyrinth practice. If you can't find enough serenity y along the beautiful beaches of Cape Cod, you can give a local labyrinth a try by visiting the Church of the Holy Spirit at 204 Monument Rd. in Orleans, MA. Labyrinth walks are scheduled here throughout the year. A walk at this location will give you an entirely different labyrinth experience because it is set up indoors and is structured of canvas. No distractions here.

It is amazing to me how there is this whole world of labyrinths practically at my doorstep to which I had been previously oblivious. Thanks to Barbara Brown Taylor's book, I discovered there's a whole new world of meditation waiting to be experienced.

sources: An Altar in the World by Barbara Brown,Taylor Harper Collins, NY, 2009

www.growingcenter.org

www.rollingridge.org

www.equiculture.org