From the moment SHEMATRIX was formed and the GIFT - A Woman's Rite to HerSelf was birthed, the labyrinth appeared as the symbol representative of this inner journey.

It is symbolic of entering the unknown, making a journey of deep inquiry into the truth of oneself at the very core of being . Unlike the maze, the puzzle which is designed to confuse and hinder progress, there is only one way in to the centre of a labyrinth, and only one way out. It is impossible to get lost. It is a pathway to the centre.

The labyrinth is a form of sacred geometry that appears in many forms throughout human history and has traditionally been located on sacred sites, power places or energy vortices on the earth. Many of these are now the sites of churches and some still exist under the foundations of these buildings. Chartres Cathedral in France is renowned for this and its sister Church, Grace Cathedral in San Francisco has an indoor and an outdoor labyrinth that have been walked by many thousands of pilgrims. Found as far apart as India, Arizona, Java, Peru, Iceland, Crete, Egypt and Europe, traced through early Minoan civilizations back to the Neolithic they are universally symbolic of initiation, death and rebirth.

Appearing in several different forms, each is inherently designed for the same purpose; as a form of meditative inquiry, an entrance into sacred time and space through ritual dance to seek insight at the centre of the unknown. By literally walking the pathways toward the centre, turning back on themselves over and over, it is believed some neurological pathways get activated between the left and right hemispheres in the brain and we literally begin to unravel our current viewpoint on reality. The inner and outer worlds become congruent and balance can be restored.

At the point of entering the labyrinth, it is usual to have a question or to set an intention and then surrender it up to 'grace' or 'God' to reveal the answer. On the way to the centre, thoughts and energies are often released or shaken off and on entering the centre, you simply stop, wait and receive. Each journey is unique, no response is the same and guidance or insight appears in many ways. The journey out again is often calmer, more meditative and rejuvenated and further insights into your current situation can be revealed. It can be extraordinarily healing and walked at night, candlelit with music or silence in the background, can be quite literally a magical experience. It can also serve as a tool for group alignment, when each member of a group enter with the same inquiry and each receive individual insights that are shared in a circle afterwards.

The labyrinth we use as our logo is one of the most ancient, found originally in Crete and closely parallels the spiral, which is a universal symbol of the feminine mysteries.

There are many resources available to further investigate this mystical tool and there are many people now dedicated to reactivating its wisdom in our culture through guided walks and workshops.

 

"A labyrinth is a walking meditation...a spiritual tool for reconnecting with your inner voice. Walking these single path designs assists us in bringing together the analytical/rational part of our consciousness with the Intuitive/Spiritual level of consciousness. An exercise for the mind, body, and spirit."

Sig Lonegren

LINKS

Rebecca Rodriguez, Canyon Lake, Texas.

The Labyrinth Society