Walking a Labyrinth for Meditation in Erie, PA

Are you looking for a method of meditation? Walking a labyrinth can be a useful tool for prayer, meditation, and contemplation. It is now possible to walk a labyrinth in Erie, Pennsylvania, thanks to the Carrie T. Watson Garden Club.

For four years the Club members planned and raised more than $36,000 to create a labyrinth in Frontier Park. This park is a very popular area for jogging, playing tennis on the courts, listening to music during the jazz festivals and snow sledding on the hills during the winter. Now it is possible to reflect while walking the labyrinth which was dedicated just a year ago.

Many people confuse the labyrinth with a maze. A maze is meant to confuse the walker and it is more like a puzzle. The labyrinth, an ancient spiritual tool, has one way in and one way out and its purpose is to provide a simple path for meditation and contemplation. Meditation is a means of quieting the mind, living in the present, and being attentive to listening to your soul. As humans, we seem to either live in the past or plan for the future. By using a labyrinth, it forces you to focus upon the present time and live fully in the moment.

The labyrinth that was built at Frontier Park is fashioned after the one built over 1200 years ago at the Chartres Cathedral in Chartres, France. This type of labyrinth has twelve circuits. By following the circuits, one travels to the center and then returns to the outside. You do not need to think about where you are going, you just follow the path and therefore your mind is left to contemplate or meditate.

The labyrinth built by the Garden Club was to commemorate their 80th Anniversary. It is nestled among trees and shrubbery along side a creek. This quiet meadow is a perfect spot for mediation.

A Personal Walk

Each person's walk is a personal experience. The reason can vary from clearing the mind or reflecting upon a problem for which you seek a solution. As you enter the labyrinth, you begin to meander back and forth in the circuitous pattern leading to the center. Some say this back and forth pattern creates a state of receptive consciousness. When you reach the center, you can reflect or pray. As you return to the outside, you integrate what you have received in the center. Your may experience just a pleasant walk or it could have a profound impact.

Three Parts to a Labyrinth Walk

1. Purgation or Releasing: This is where you initiate your walk. You may think of a problem or a concern. You let go of the details of your life by eliminating distractions.

2. Illumination or Receiving: It is here at the center where you can open you heart and listen through prayer or meditation. You may receive an answer or a thought to ponder.

3. Union or Returning: This is the point where you have fused with a Higher Power and return to the world refreshed.

We live in a hectic world. The stress can be overwhelming. Terrorism, hurricanes, and high gas prices create a chaos felt deep within ourselves. The labyrinth presents a tool for us to seek peace; to achieve a sense of calm while walking its path. Many people are seeking ways to add to their spirituality and have found the labyrinth. It can be a sacred place for you to experience a oneness with the universe.

A labyrinth can be a useful tool on your spiritual journey. By utilizing this ancient spiritual tool, you can free yourself from the turmoil of today and achieve a moment of living in the present to connect your mind, body and spirit. Thanks to the Carrie B. Watson Garden club, the residents of Erie and those visiting this city can experience this potent means of meditation.