Walking the Labyrinth: A Spiritual and Practical Guide

A labyrinth is a pattern consisting of a single circuitous path that winds into the centre, with no possibility of getting lost, as in a maze, and no dead ends. It is one of the most ancient tools for spiritual growth and development, dating back to medieval Christianity, and is currently enjoying a popular revival, especially in contemporary 'Fresh Expressions' of church. As an effective focus for prayer and worship, labyrinths temporary and permanent are increasingly found in traditional and alternative church communities and at festivals like Greenbelt. This book provides a complete guide for beginner and seasoned labyrinth explorer alike. An accessible and inviting illustrated guide, it: traces the history of labyrinths in the Christian spiritual tradition, explores the different ways groups and individuals can use a labyrinth for prayer and reflection, gives instructions for creating small and large, simple and complex, temporary and permanent, indoor and outdoor labyrinths based on the most well known designs - e.g Chartres, Rouen and Amien cathedrals, and it provides outlines for spiritual exercises using the labyrinth.