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The labyrinth as a whole is a symbol of many things, and primarily it is a symbol of wholeness, oneness, your journey in life, and the interconnectedness of all of existence. When dissected, the labyrinth reveals many constituent parts, each of which symbolises an aspect of the wholeness that is contained within the labyrinth. When viewed as representing your life’s journey, each part of the labyrinth is related to a part of you or a part of your journey.
The Path
The path, or journey, is central to many forms of personal and spiritual development. Writing about the tarot, Naomi Ozaniec says that “The path itself is a universal symbol of the spiritual life. Buddhism speaks of the Lam Rim, the graduated path towards enlightenment. Yoga speaks of the Marga, the Path or Way. In the Western Mysteries the Path is to be found in the twenty-two byways and the Sephiroth of the Tree of Life. In tarot trump 0, the Fool is clearly about to take the first step. We do not see the path. The path lies ahead somewhere in the future” (Ozaniec 2002).
The path of the labyrinth more clearly represents your journey. What is important to note about the path of the labyrinth is that to be on the path you first have to step onto it. This involves a clear decision and action on your part. Once on the path, to progress along the path you need to continue taking steps.
Ariadne’s Thread
Synonymous with the path is the concept of Ariadne’s thread that originated in the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. The term is now associated with any form of assistance through a difficult situation or problem. An Ariadne’s Thread labyrinth is one where the path to be walked is indicated by a single line along which you walk. You are being guided along the path. Its significance for working with the labyrinth is the recognition that as you walk your own path you are not alone. There is help available to you, sometimes visible and sometimes invisible. But, as with everything associated with the labyrinth, you need to be aware enough to see the help, to recognize the assistance that is available and being offered to you, and to make the best use of this help.
The Circuits
The circuits of the labyrinth carry their own symbolism. There are seven circuits in the classical labyrinth. These are often shown as having the seven colours of the rainbow. They are commonly associated with the seven chakras or main energy centres in your body. The significance of the number seven is explored further in the section on sacred numbers.
The eleven circuits of the Chartres labyrinth have been considered to represent the seven chakras plus the elements of earth, air, fire, and water. Another interpretation of the Chartres labyrinth’s eleven circuits is the seven planetary bodies, the stars of heaven as the eighth, and the veils of soul, mind, and God as the last three.
Turning Points
In the Tao Te Ching there is a phrase “Turning back is how the way moves” (Tzu 1963), indicating that life’s twists and turns, even a turn in the opposite direction, are central to progressing. They are energizing and life enhancing. There are nine turning points in the classical labyrinth associated with key stages in your growth and development. When taken in a specific order, they illustrate a scheme of progression on your life’s journey. The significance of these points is directly experienced when you become aware of a different sensation at any one of these turning points.
Figure 4: Nine DNA turning points
The associations of the turning points in the labyrinth (Figure 4) give you further guidance and insights into where you are in your life. These nine points are described by Vincent Bridges in his article “Notes on the Labyrinth, DNA and Planetary Alignment” (Bridges 2012) as DNA triggers, some of which trigger automatically (security, territory, intellect, social), some which we consciously trigger (pleasure, psychic, mythic, cosmic consciousness), and one (Spirit) that triggers randomly. The first four are related mainly to your physical development and trigger automatically at certain ages up to adolescence. Security is about feeling safe and triggers at birth. Territory is the definition of self versus others. It is a boundary imprint that is in place by the time you reach about three to five years old. Intellect is related to your environment and the world around you. The social trigger is about the groups that you engage with. It occurs at puberty, usually between the ages of thirteen and fifteen, drives us to seek out partners, and is essential for the continuation of the human species.
The second set of four turning points are ones that you consciously choose. When you are walking your path of personal and spiritual growth, you are seeking and developing these aspects. These inner trigger points are directly related to the lower outer ones. For example, the pleasure trigger is related to security, psychic, related to territory, and so on. The first main area of choice on the path of your spiritual life is pleasure. This is a tricky one and if not watched carefully can lead to excesses or pleasures that do not serve your path of growth. Next comes psychic, which appears to be prominent in some people more than others. If you are not yet fully aware of your psychic abilities, it is possible to fire this trigger by focusing on this aspect of you or even by contact with someone else who has it. The psychic connection to territory suggests that your ability in this area is related to how well your inner and outer boundaries are defined. The seventh point is mythic, which is about the truth that you find in myths and stories. Many gurus and teachers tell stories to their students to help them better learn life truths. For example, Jesus told parables so that his followers would better understand his message. Similarly, mythology holds many truths for you when you can see the layers and deeper meanings in the myths and stories. The eighth point is cosmic consciousness and is an awareness of the vastness of the cosmos and your connections to it.
The final turning point is at the centre of the cross of the labyrinth and is the spirit point. Spirit is the all-seeing, all-knowing, and all-loving presence that permeates all of existence. The labyrinth is a wonderful device for helping you become more aware of the presence of Spirit within you, and the actions of Spirit all around you. Spirit triggers in you at moments of gnostic grace. It is something that fires in you when you are ready and have travelled your path. It is not something that you can control, although you can ready yourself by working on all the previous points.
There are twenty-eight 180-degree turns in the Chartres labyrinth, while there are four 90-degree turns. Each of these turning points also has a meaning and significance that has yet to be identified. Most of the turning points in the Chartres labyrinth are created by a labrys, which is a double-headed axe shape that appears to cut across the path to create a turn.
Labrys
The labrys turning points of the Chartres labyrinth (see Figure 5) carry their own symbolism. The labrys is a double-headed axe that has origins in Crete, where it was used by Minoan priestesses for ceremonial purposes. It was commonly associated with female power and female divinities. The labryses in the labyrinth have also been associated with butterflies, a symbol of transformation. In engaging with these when walking the labyrinth, you are being invited to step into your power and be transformed.
Most labyrinth walks entail walking into the labyrinth and walking back out the same path. Gothic cathedral labyrinths offer another approach. Almost all Gothic cathedrals in France are oriented eastwards. The entrance to the cathedrals is in the west and as you move up through the cathedral, you are moving in an eastward direction. This is the direction of the rising sun. The Christian belief in the second coming of Jesus saw the sunrise as a symbol of the resurrection and oriented their churches and cathedrals towards the east.
In Chartres Cathedral, the labyrinth is located approximately one-third of the way up the nave from the entrance in the west. When you walk into the centre of the labyrinth, you are facing towards the east, and have a choice depending on whether you feel the need to walk back out of the labyrinth the way you came in and revisit certain aspects of your experience and your life, or whether you feel ready to move on. Moving on from the centre of the labyrinth is done by using the labryses as stepping stones to exit the labyrinth and move further up the cathedral, stepping into your power and being transformed.
Figure 5: Parts of the Chartres labyrinth
This approach to exiting the labyrinth was further affirmed by my wife, Fionnuala, when she was walking a labyrinth at Seaton, Devon, England. As she stood in the centre looking across the labryses she heard the words “The doorway to Excalibur is open.” Excalibur is Arthur’s sword and is symbolic of stepping into your kingship and wielding your power. Through the labyrinth, you bring yourself to a stage where you are ready to step into your power and move on.
The Centre
The centre of the labyrinth is where the path appears to end. The centre of the labyrinth has been presented and represented as the ultimate goal that is to be achieved or attained following the journey. The centre is symbolic of the merging of heaven and earth where all is one. It is here that our sense of balance and equilibrium is re-established.
The centre is both a destination and a beginning. It is symbolic of the omega and the alpha, the journey’s end and the gateway to the infinite self. Philip Gardiner writes that “we should also be looking for the idea of the centre being the true Gateway. This should be obvious to us now, as the true centre is the point between the brain’s hemispheres, and the sacred location on earth where the earth energies cross … The key to the Gateway is through seven levels of consciousness, or alternatively through attaining the harmonious level with the frequency of the earth. But it is also gaining the centre, balancing our own minds” (Gardiner 2007a).
Chartres Centre
The centre of the Chartres labyrinth is one of the few ornate labyrinth centres. It is often called a “rose centre.” Although there is some debate as to the correctness of this name, as a rose has five petals while there are six “petals” in the Chartres centre (see Figure 5). Staying with the rose for the moment, there is both apparent and hidden symbolism in this centre. The rose is a symbol of Our Lady (Mary), and as the cathedral is dedicated to Notre Dame (translated to mean “Our Lady”), it appears to make sense to have a rose centre.
Yet, equally symbolic is the lily, with six petals. Or, more botanically correct, the lily has three petals and three sepals that are almost identical to the petals. The lily is a symbol of fertility and birth. The six petals represent the upward pointing triangle and the downward pointing triangle coming together into a six-pointed star. It is the coming together of the masculine and the feminine in a centre of wholeness.
The geometry of the centre is based on seven circles: the six petals and another circle in the middle. The six circles that make up the petals are slightly overlapped to create space for the entrance to the centre. Seven is also a number associated with Our Lady, the Virgin Mary.
Less well known are some of the associations of the centre petals. Kathleen McGowan in her book The Source of Miracles has associated the six petals with the qualities of faith, surrender, service, abundance, forgiveness, and strength contained in the Lord’s Prayer, while the centre itself is love. The petals of the centre of the Chartres labyrinth can also represent the six realms or kingdoms of existence: mineral, plant, animal, human, angelic, and divine. In the centre of these six petals, you are in contact with each of them and in a space of enlightenment with knowledge and connectedness to all of existence.
When walking the Chartres labyrinth, you can stand for a few moments in each of the petals at the centre and contemplate your connection with the different realms. For example, when in the mineral realm, consider how your body is made up of compounds from the earth; in the plant petal consider how plants provide food for you and the oxygen in the air that you breathe. Having passed through all the petals, you can then step into the centremost point of the labyrinth centre and become aware of your connectedness to all of these realms at the same time.
The sevenfold centre can also be viewed on the deeper level of soul consciousness. The Rosicrucians considered that while there is only one soul, there are seven planes of consciousness to the soul: element, mineral, plant, animal, human, demi-god, and god consciousness. It is man’s role to work through each of these to become fully self-aware. In The Secret Doctrine of the Roscirucians this is summarised as “The soul of man is sevenfold, yet but one in essence: Man’s spiritual unfoldment has as its end the discovery of himself beneath the seven-fold veil” (Incognito 1918).
The Node, Cross, and Quadrants
The node of the classical labyrinth is the crossing point of the vertical and horizontal axes of the seed pattern. This cross is symbolic of the cross in many traditions; the intersection of the physical, or material, with the spiritual. The node is a powerful place in the labyrinth, and it is interesting to stand at the node of a labyrinth to see what you experience. While facilitating a labyrinth walk on a classical labyrinth, I had given the participants a brief introduction to walking in and out of the labyrinth. I noticed that one participant paused when passing the node and then stood directly over this point. She stood there for quite a while and then made her way out of the labyrinth. She told me afterwards that she felt a strong impulse to stand on this point. While standing there she first felt a deep sense of peace. Then she began to feel more powerful, almost as if she was being made to stand up taller while her legs felt solid and rooted to the spot. She said that this was a clear indication to her that she should stand up for herself in a situation that she was currently dealing with. It was only after being out of the labyrinth for a few minutes that she realised that she hadn’t walked to the centre. She felt that she didn’t need to and that she had gotten everything that she needed from that labyrinth walk.
While the node of the classical labyrinth is the centre of the cross in the seed pattern, there is also a cross in the Chartres labyrinth formed by the placing of the labrys and the entrance paths. Anthony Stevens in his book on symbols called Ariadne’s Clue says that “the notion of wholeness seems to be satisfied by the representation of a quaternity, especially if the quaternity is integrated within a circle,” just as it is in a labyrinth (Stevens 1998).
In the Chartres labyrinth, the labrys forms a cross shape so that when you stand at the centre you are at the centre of the cross. From here you can orientate yourself in all directions—you can be centred—and not only in the four traditional directions but in the seven with the inclusion of above, below, and within.
Lunations
The lunations of the labyrinth at Chartres are the part-circular type shapes around the outside edge of the labyrinth (see Figure 5). They have also been called cusps, cogs, and several other names. The projections between the lunations are often referred to as foils. There are 112 cusps in total with 113 foils in between. If complete, the whole outside would contain 114 of each, but there are two cusps and one foil omitted to allow entrance to the labyrinth.
Semicircles amplify energy, and arcs of quartz crystals are found around several megalithic mounds in Ireland, although they are not always as visible as at Newgrange today. It is also interesting to look on the lunations in the context of the characteristics they give the labyrinth. The overall impression is of a radiant sun, or a large cog wheel. This could be a depiction or symbol of the great wheel of life or the turning of the cosmic cycle. Whatever their intended purpose, the lunations undoubtedly enhance the visual impact, while also contributing to creating a higher energetic vibration in labyrinths that have them.
Sacred Numbers
No exploration of the labyrinth would be complete without looking at the significance of the numbers contained within the structure of the labyrinth. In much of today’s society numbers represent quantity. Historically numbers were associated with certain qualities, which we will explore. Each number represented an aspect of creation, or of our existence, or of the Divine. The numbers three and four appear repeatedly in both the classical and Chartres labyrinth. Their derivatives, seven, eleven, and twelve, are also to be found, while other multiples and combinations are also present.
There are seven (three plus four) circuits in the classical labyrinth. The seed pattern for the classical labyrinth is in effect a square with four sides; while there are four ends to the lines as marked by the dots in the seed pattern. In the Chartres labyrinth, there are twelve (three times four) circles required to make the labyrinth, creating eleven (3 + 4 + 4) circuits. There are twenty-eight 180-degree turns; the centre is one quarter the diameter of the whole; the diameter of the petals is one third the diameter of the centre; and the width of the path is one third the diameter of the petal.
Three
The number three, as the triad or trinity, has been considered sacred from ancient times. Hinduism has its triad of gods of Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva; Buddhism has the three jewels of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha; while the Christian Father, Son, and Holy Spirit constitute the three gods in one. In goddess wisdom, the number three represented the virgin, mother, and crone, while the triangle was an emblem of a holy triad. The properties of the number three include completion, divine energy, harmony, and unity.
One of the simplest forms of the labyrinth is the three-circuit labyrinth, which in its most popular form is drawn from a simple seed pattern with an equal-armed cross at the centre and one single dot in each quadrant (unlike the classic labyrinth, which has the brackets as well). Anyone interacting with a labyrinth, whether a three, seven, or eleven-circuit labyrinth in which three is an integral and hidden aspect, is also interacting with the qualities and characteristics of this number.
Four
Four is often used to represent the physical world; that which is tangible and visible. There are some well-known groups of four such as the four directions and the four elements. Martin Lings in his book Symbol & Archetype: A Study of the Meaning of Existence describes four as the traditional number of “earth” or “the world of time and space” (Lings 2005). History is understood by the ancients and by some modern traditionalists as being a cycle of four ages (we live now in the last age, or “age of lead”). Matter was generally understood in terms of four qualities (hot, cold, wet, and dry) that combine in what are called the four elements: earth, air, fire, and water. Human beings had four humours (blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm), the balance or imbalance of which is the substance of our temperament, health, and vitality. These four humours gave rise to the four temperaments of being sanguine, choleric, melancholic, and phlegmatic. Four is also a significant number in alchemy, and later in the book we will explore how the four elements can combine to create the fifth, the quintessence.
The relevance of four to those working with the labyrinth is firstly seen in the four quadrants of both the classical and Chartres labyrinths. Such fourfold aspects permeate the whole labyrinth form and imbue the labyrinth with the associations and qualities of the number four, as well as direct associations with groups of four parts, such as the four elements, the four directions, and others.
The four quadrants in the Chartres and classical labyrinths have other associations. When seen as earth, air, fire, and water they also symbolise the four categories of zodiac signs. A further association is with the four evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, who are often depicted as winged creatures. The young man Matthew represents the element air and is Aquarius. Mark, as a lion, is Leo the fire element. Luke, the bull, represents Taurus and the earth element, while John, the eagle, is an adapted form of Scorpio and the water element. Many illustrations containing Jesus and the four evangelists show Jesus at the centre with the four evangelists at each of the four corners of the image.
Seven
Seven was always my favorite number. When I was younger, I had no logical reason for this being the case; I just liked the number seven. When I began investigating the meaning and symbolism of numbers, my relationship with the number seven became even stronger. I discovered that in numerology, the date of my birth (which determines your life path number) comes to seven. I wonder how much of my passion for the labyrinth is because of having seven as my life path number.
There is a saying that “information is power.” When I apply this to my life, it leads me to find out as much as I can about my life and my soul purpose. It is surprising how much esoteric information is available out there for you to access. I have sought out people who gave me specific information about myself through numerology, astrology, tarot, and several other systems that I felt would be of help to me. I have learned much about myself and receive invaluable guidance on my path of discovery and growth. I also carry a healthy scepticism about the information that I receive. I trust firstly in myself and my own feelings about what I am hearing, while remaining open to considering new insights, even if they are ones that I might not necessarily consider complimentary.
The number seven holds special significance for many societies and cultures, and its appearance in a wide range of areas imbues it with an even greater importance. Four is the number for earth, and three is the number representing heaven, therefore seven is the first number containing both the spiritual and the temporal. The labyrinth holds the energy of many of the divisions of seven that are to be found in the physical, esoteric, and spiritual worlds.
It is difficult to identify a beginning for the significance of the number seven, although cosmic, or nonearthly, connections are an interesting starting point. The Bible mentions the seven days of creation and that the Elohim created earth. In his book Genesis, Secrets of the Bible Story of Creation, Rudolf Steiner writes that there were seven Elohim who were lofty, sublime spiritual beings (Steiner 1910). The seven visible heavenly bodies and their association with the names of deities (Luna, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn) are also one of the strongest cases for the beginning of the importance of the number seven.
The Romans divided the week into seven days and held the seventh day, the Sol or Sunday of Jupiter, as the most sacred; to this day it is the principal day of worship for Christians. To the Pythagoreans, seven represented the divine order and harmony in nature. Seven was twice the sacred number, the triad (three), to which the divine monad (the one) was added.
As regards the actual practice of interacting with the number seven, there are many records throughout the ages of sacred sites being circled seven times, some of which have lasted or evolved into current practices. The Ka’bah at Mecca is circled seven times in an anti-clockwise direction. In pagan times, seven naked priestesses circled the black stone at Mecca seven times. This older practise is a symbolic re-enactment of the descent of the Sumerian goddess, Inanna (Ishtar), through the seven gates of the underworld.
In Ireland at many holy wells and sacred sites there is a tradition of walking in prayer seven times around the well or site. In Ashkenazi Jewish wedding ceremonies, there is a custom of the bride circling the husband seven times. Some Indian wedding ceremonies involve the bride and groom walking around a sacred fire seven times. These practices are full of symbolism. They mimic the biblical seven days of creation, and the ancient sacredness attributed to the number seven.
The strong presence of the number seven in the labyrinth associates it with many of the lists, qualities, and characteristics of things that come in groups of seven. John Mitchell, in his book The Dimensions of Paradise, offers a succinct and thought-provoking interpretation of the number seven when he writes, “Seven is unique among the numbers of the decad because, as the Pythagoreans said, ‘it neither generates nor is generated,’ meaning that it cannot be multiplied to produce another number within the first ten, nor is it a product of any other numbers. For that reason the heptad was called the Virgin and was a symbol of eternal rather than created things” (Mitchell 1988).
Philip Gardiner considers that the number seven is “a characteristic feature of the entrance or Gateway to the celestial Otherworld … The number is also closely associated in the same way with the ascent to heaven or Otherworld on a tree, ladder, stairway or mountain.” Gardiner goes on to say that seven is “always important in relation to the world of the esoteric and ‘Gateway’ travel” (Gardiner 2007a). Thus, the seven-circuit labyrinth resonates on an otherworldly level as a gateway to another dimension, or as a rung on the ladder to heaven.
Seven holds a significance in many more religions and belief systems. In Buddhism, seven is the number of ascent and of ascending to the highest level. The seven steps of Buddha symbolise the ascent of the seven cosmic stages transcending time and space. There are seven branches to the Tree of Life, each having seven leaves. Leaves are symbols of fertility, renewal, and growth. The seven branches represent a union of all that is, supported by the trunk. As a symbol of unity, it is like the labyrinth; the seventh branch of the Tree of Life, associated with the crown chakra, is the gateway to the Divine. Angela McGerr writes that “the Sacred Seven angel rulers of the weekdays and seven major planets of our solar system are also the angel rulers of each of the Heavens, although the ruler of the seventh (Cassiel) is actually classified as the Gatekeeper for God/The Creator who dwells in Seventh heaven. Melchizedek, father to the Sacred Seven, rules the seventh ray (violet)” (McGerr 2008).
The mystical number seven is also important in the world of intellect and philosophy. Greece had seven sages. The Christian Middle Ages had seven liberal arts (grammar, rhetoric, dialectics, arithmetic, geometry, music, astronomy). In some western societies, the healing gift is said to be associated with the seventh son of a seventh son. We order our lives around the seven-day week whatever our specific “religious” beliefs, because we have an innate resonance with the number seven.
Seven is the number of transcendence, and by being inherent in the labyrinth it imbues the labyrinth with all its associated qualities. The labyrinth therefore is both a symbolic and physical gateway to achieving a transcendent state of being. The presence of the number seven in the labyrinth is not a coincidence. The earth on which we live resonates with the number seven. So also does our representation of the heavens to which we aspire, and to which we will return as spirit energy when we leave this physical earth plane. The labyrinth, by holding the number seven within its folds, is not only symbolic and representative of all that resonates with the energy of the number seven; it also is a sevenfold tool for attaining higher spiritual awareness and existence.
Eleven
Eleven is a master number in numerology, in that it is a double-digit number with identical digits. It is a powerful number as the meaning and attributes of the prime number is doubled. As the number one has associations of new beginnings and purity, these attributes are doubled in strength with eleven. According to Pythagoras, the number eleven carries the frequency of balance. This is the balance that many experience in an eleven-circuit labyrinth. It prompts us to look at areas of balance in our lives such as between work and play, dreams and reality, and action and contemplation.
When eleven is viewed visually, it looks like a doorway between two pillars: a gateway between the dualities of the number two. It is calling us to enter the gateway presented by the labyrinth into a world where we occupy a place of balance. Physically focusing on the space between the two digits in the number eleven is a meditative practice that can help concentrate the mind and come more into the present moment and a space of conscious awareness.
The spiritual meaning of the number eleven is associated with light, awakening, and intuitive insight. It is related to spiritual unfoldment in a person, can be seen as a call to initiation and advancement, and is linked with our involvement with the progression of life. The number eleven is often called “the Illuminator,” “the Messenger,” or “the Teacher.” This is significant in the context of the eleven-circuit labyrinth that can help illuminate, bringing messages and teachings.
Twelve
Twelve is a number that represents a complete cycle and cosmic order. There are twelve months of the year, and twelve signs of the zodiac. Twelve, composed of 3 x 4, represents both the spiritual and physical; the esoteric and exoteric. Twelve was considered to be an ancient number of completion as it indicated the end of childhood at age twelve and signalled the beginning of adulthood.
Twelve is a symbolic number in Christianity as it represents the twelve apostles, and in the Old Testament the twelve tribes of Israel, while there are twelve gates in the walls of the new Jerusalem. The labyrinth at Chartres, with its twelve circles, is sometimes known as “Chemin de Jérusalem,” or the Road to Jerusalem. Also at Chartres Cathedral, the twelve labours of the month and the signs of the zodiac are found in several places, including over the entrance porch to the cathedral.
Spirals
Spirals are often described as the patterns of nature and creation. According to Geoff Ward, “the spiral is the sign of the eternal, creative, unifying and organising force or principle at work in the universe, and especially of the ongoing creation of consciousness” (Ward 2006). From the awe-inspiring great spirals of galaxies to the spiralling vortices of whirlpools, the spiral is found in a myriad of situations on this earth and beyond. Indeed, Colin Wilson in his introduction to Geoff Ward’s Spirals: The Patterns of Existence states that the spiral is “a glimpse into the mind of God” (Ward 2006).
There is an association between labyrinths and spirals that is not always apparent. In the common method of drawing the labyrinth using the seed pattern, a veiled spiralling motion is used to make the labyrinth. If you do not lift your pen from the page when drawing the circuits of the labyrinth, but instead continue from where you have finished each circuit and bring your pen back in a loop around to the next starting point, you will see the spiral pattern.
There are two aspects to the spiral: the expanding spiral and the contracting spiral. Just as in walking the labyrinth, you can experience going to the centre as contracting and concentrating, while emerging from the labyrinth is expanding yourself back out into the world.
The spiral pattern has several labyrinth-like associations. The Stone Age spiral carvings represent the soul’s journey into the womb-like underworld, and its subsequent return towards rebirth. It can also represent creation, as something emerges from the point of nothing. Knud Mariboe, when talking of the relationship between the spiral and the labyrinth, says, “Although often intricate in form, the labyrinth is a spiral, and one which returns. It is a representation of the cosmos and all cosmoses, and hence of all ordered entities which correspond on the descending scale of analogy. It is therefore, at once the cosmos, the world, the individual life, the temple, the town, man, the womb—or intestines of the Mother (Earth), the convolutions of the brain, the consciousness, the heart, the pilgrimage, the journey, and the Way” (Mariboe 1994). Such a descent into the underworld (the kingdom of Pluto) is the theme of many initiation rituals and is comparable to the passage through the wilderness, or the “dark night of the soul,” which is experienced by mystics on their path and is often symbolised by the spiral.
Mandalas
Mandalas are symbols found in Buddhism and Hinduism that represent the universe. Mandala is Sanskrit for “circle that contains the essence.” Labyrinths and mandalas are archetypal collective symbols that transcend all cultures because they are grounded in consciousness itself. Mandalas, like labyrinths, are often circular in shape with the centre seen as its strongest point. The centre of both the labyrinth and the mandala represents what is central to us, what is core to us—either now, or on the higher levels of our soul journey. Working with labyrinths and mandalas engages the right side of our brain, enhancing our creativity and leading us to our centre.
Circles
The circle is often used to represent heaven. The circle, in the words of John James, “is the perfect geometric figure, being the same at the beginning as at the end, as with alpha and omega” (James 1977). Most labyrinth are circular, or almost circular, in shape. It is no coincidence that this is the case, as the circle on its own is a symbol of completeness. Contained within the boundaries of the circle are all the other elements and qualities found in the labyrinth.
Squaring the Circle
“Squaring the circle” has several meanings and interpretations. The origin of this conundrum was a mathematical problem proposed by ancient geometers of constructing a square with the same area as a given circle. Many tried and failed to solve this problem. It wasn’t until 1882 that the task was proven to be mathematically impossible, when it was proven that pi (π) is a transcendental number, meaning that it is non-algebraic and uncountable.
Squaring the circle has several other meanings. The term is often used to describe an impossible task. The other meanings are best understood when we recall the esoteric meanings given to the square and the circle. The square represents earth, with its four sides representing the four elements, the four directions, and the encompassment of matter itself. The circle, having no beginning and no end, represents infinity, or God, or heaven. The circle from ancient times was used as a symbol of the sun, which was the most powerful object that came within sight and understanding of man from earliest times.
Therefore, from an esoteric viewpoint, “squaring the circle” is a metaphor for the integration of earth and heaven, and for finding your heaven here on earth. Jung wrote, “the squaring of the circle is one of the many archetypal motifs which form the basic patterns of our dreams and fantasies … it could even be called the archetype of wholeness” (Jung 1967). Similarly, Hermann Kern considers that the labyrinth “represents a sort of reconciliation, a union of both” (Kern 2000).
The square of earth and the circle of heaven are also to be seen in the drawing of the classical labyrinth from the seed pattern. Starting with the square seed pattern representing earth as you create the labyrinth, the shape is becoming increasingly circular, resulting in almost a complete circle. The opening in this circular shape provides the entranceway to a single path to the centre; the labyrinth is providing a path to heaven (circle) from the square of earth. The labyrinth can also represent and symbolise the coming together of earth and heaven. On another level, the squaring of the circle signifies that God has attained form and manifested in the square of man, the human soul.
Putting It All Together
In this chapter, I have given you information about many aspects of the labyrinth. You know more about the history of labyrinths, the types of labyrinths, the parts of labyrinths, and some of the associations of the labyrinth, including the importance of both the apparent and hidden numbers in the labyrinth.
Yet I feel that I have not described what a labyrinth is. Indeed, the more I learn about the labyrinth, the more difficult it is for me to describe it. In attempting to describe the labyrinth, I am drawn to the first few lines of the Tao Te Ching that say, “The way that can be spoken of is not the constant way” (Tzu 1963); in other words, the Tao that can be described is not the Tao. The labyrinth is very much like this. A labyrinth that can be described is not a labyrinth. Any attempt to define the labyrinth is lacking in something because the labyrinth is knowledge, experience, reflection, wisdom, enlightenment, and more all rolled into one. When you create a labyrinth with deep meaning and intention, you tune in to the parts and wholeness of the labyrinth on a deeper level, creating a labyrinth that is vibrant, alive, and unique to you: you create a labyrinth temple of you.
Exercise: How to Create
a Labyrinth Imbued with Your Energy
(Creating the Labyrinth Temple of You)
In the previous exercise, you learned how to draw and make a labyrinth. There is much more to the practice of drawing and creating a labyrinth. The practice of creating a labyrinth has a positive effect on the maker. In making a labyrinth you are actively engaging with the symbolism of the labyrinth. You are creating a sacred space with which you will be interacting to quieten the mind, seek answers to questions, and explore your life’s issues. You will be using the finger labyrinth that you draw in this exercise in some of the other exercises in the book. So, the more focused you are doing this exercise, the greater benefits you will gain when using the labyrinth later, as your mindset and general disposition at the time of creating the labyrinth will be reflected in the completed labyrinth.
Many people who make labyrinths are aware of the special and empowering nature of drawing and building labyrinths. That’s one reason that they keep making labyrinths. Making labyrinths is both energizing and meditative. It brings the maker into the positive energy field of the labyrinth.
There are also reports of increased intuition coming to people when drawing a series of labyrinths. In his book Labyrinths: Ancient Myths and Modern Uses, Sig Lonegren considers that there is “something very special about making a labyrinth yourself.” He says that it happens the fifth or sixth time you make one; that it is quite easy to understand how to make one intellectually, but after you draw it half a dozen times “the labyrinth offers another way of knowing” (Lonegren 2015).
This exercise is not only about how to draw or make a labyrinth, it is also an exercise in actively creating and engaging with the symbolism and energy of the labyrinth. It has been recounted that if you draw a labyrinth ten times in succession that you will enter a deeper state of awareness. So, for full effect and benefit from this exercise, do it ten times in succession.
Any activity done with intention and focus is enhanced by such an approach. A typical example is the creation of icons, where the icon is made and used in an atmosphere of prayer. Monks creating icons often prepare by fasting and praying with the intention of being in a spiritually high place when creating the icon. When painting the icon, they typically pray over each brush stroke. This intense and attentive approach gives us a snapshot into the supersensitive world that is the goal of the spiritual path. It also illustrates that the creation of symbols and tools to assist us in progressing on our personal and spiritual growth paths becomes more powerful and experiential when done with concentration, heartfelt energy, and intention.
Applying this focused approach to the creation of the labyrinth, each aspect of the labyrinth and each line drawn to create it carries the energy that you imbue it with. Everything in the labyrinth is significant. Therefore, to enhance this labyrinth creation exercise, I have associated each action in the nineteen stages of creating the labyrinth with a quality or element to be contemplated and invoked. The seed pattern contains elements that are associated with the symbolism of the cross and the four quadrants, while the eight lines to complete the circuits are invocations related to the qualities associated with each circuit and with completeness. Saying the words out loud further enhances the effect of the exercise.
The words “I AM” are powerful words, and using them consciously is a creative force that generates the intention expressed. Anything said immediately after the words I AM is a statement to the world, the Universe, and beyond that this is what you are. The book of Exodus in the Bible reads that when Moses asked God what is his name, “God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM” (Exodus 3:14 KJV). Placing the name of God, the creator, in a sentence and saying the name of the creator is a dynamic statement that empowers whatever follows it.
In effect, what you are doing in this exercise is creating a symbol of you. The labyrinth, as you are drawing it in this exercise, represents you. Each line that you draw and each statement you speak out loud is creating and empowering the symbol of you that you are creating. You are creating a plan of the sacred temple that is you. It is one of the first steps in this book to realizing your true self.
Follow the instructions below in the order described to create your own labyrinth. When finished, trace the path to the centre, and leave your finger there as you rest in the centre of your being. When ready, trace the path back out of the labyrinth.
To make this exercise even more powerful, keep repeating this exercise until you have ten labyrinths made.
Creating the Sacred Space of the Labyrinth
—The Temple of You
|
Step |
Action |
Design |
Invocation |
|
1 |
Dot |
|
I AM |
|
2 |
Horizontal line through dot |
|
I AM |
|
3 |
Vertical Line through dot |
|
I AM |
|
4 |
Bottom left dot |
|
I AM |
|
5 |
Top left dot |
|
I AM |
|
6 |
Top right dot |
|
I AM |
|
7 |
Bottom right dot |
|
I AM |
|
8 |
Bottom left bracket |
|
I AM |
|
Step |
Action |
Design |
Invocation |
|
9 |
Top left bracket |
|
I AM |
|
10 |
Top right bracket |
|
I AM |
|
11 |
Bottom right bracket |
|
I AM |
|
12 |
Loop 1 |
|
I AM |
|
13 |
Loop 2 |
|
I AM |
|
14 |
Loop 3 |
|
I AM |
|
15 |
Loop 4 |
|
I AM |
|
16 |
Loop 5 |
|
I AM |
|
Step |
Action |
Design |
Invocation |
|
17 |
Loop 6 |
|
I AM |
|
18 |
Loop 7 |
|
I AM |
|
19 |
Loop 8 |
|
I AM ALL |
Reflection
After you have created your labyrinth (or your ten labyrinths), take some time to sit quietly with your thoughts and feelings. What kind of space are you in now? What is different from when you started this exercise? Write down, draw, or paint what comes into your head. These reflections might not seem immediately relevant. But, when you look back at them after other exercises in later chapters, their relevance can become more apparent.