Labyrinth Medicine

Medicine, from an indigenous or unconventional point of view, is a remedy for disharmony and imbalance in life. It may take the form of medicinal herbs, healing rituals, lifestyle changes, contemplative practices, and more. For me, regularly walking the labyrinth is medicine, a meditative journey that rebalances my bodily and psychic energy. As I walk with intention or with no particular purpose in mind, I relax and attune to the free-flowing movement of my body. Any concerns I may have carried with me into the labyrinth dissipate, alleviating stress and lifting my spirits.

However, it’s not simply the act of walking that heals me. More often than not, I walk an outdoor labyrinth and consciously connect with the natural surroundings. My relational ways of being with the more-than-human world add to the healing power of walking the labyrinth.

Not only do my actions and inclinations influence my experience, but the labyrinth itself, a form of sacred geometry, acts upon me. I witness this phenomenon most notably in children, who seem to approach the labyrinth more as a form of recreation than meditation. I have watched children run, skip, somersault, twirl, and cartwheel while in the labyrinth, and even sit in the center conversing with friends. When given the opportunity, they will journey through the labyrinth repeatedly in their own exuberant ways. Play, it would seem, is their meditation.

I further perceive that children are drawn to the labyrinth again and again by the harmonizing qualities inherent in it and the synergy of the experience. The labyrinth bestows its medicine on them as they frolic along the winding path. The children unknowingly receive healing and are recharged energetically if not emotionally.

Fun is had by most, if not all, children who enter the labyrinth. It is my experience, as well, that regardless of my state of mind upon entering the labyrinth, I always complete the journey feeling restored and filled with gratitude and joy. And that is the best medicine of all.

For all that is,