Have you ever done a corn maze in the fall? These complicated trails have “dead ends,” blind turns created by the tall stalks, and can even trigger feelings of claustrophobia in some people.
Have you felt like the past year was one long maze like when buying toilet paper was a major operation?
Labyrinths are different from mazes. In a labyrinth there may be many twists and turns many times before reaching the center, however there is only one path in and you follow the same path out. There is no feeling of claustrophobia because labyrinths are open designs intended to encourage calmness.
Labyrinths have a very long and rich history, with one of the earliest dating to 350 C.E. One of the most famous is the labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral in France, which dates to 1205. Because they are essentially one-way paths, labyrinths make it easy to “lose oneself” in thought or prayer. With their ability to calm the mind and body, you can now find labyrinths in parks, schools, hospital gardens, and even in private yards.