In the Summer of 2020, we created a beautiful space for reflection and meditation, in the Cathedral Church Yard, in the heart of downtown St. John's. We continue to maintain this Labyrinth and hope to make it a more permanent structure soon.
The labyrinth is a type of walking meditation with thousands of years of fascinating history. Christians have used labyrinths as an aid for prayer for many centuries. Labyrinths seem to emerge during times of great social change, so it is not surprising that they have become an increasingly common world-wide phenomenon in the last fifty years.
When labyrinths are used as a walking meditation, there are a few suggestions that may prove helpful. There is no right or wrong way to engage the pattern but there is a traditional way that you may enjoy. The three-fold movement of Releasing, Resting/Receiving and then Return is a common meditative template of contemplative practice. May your time on the labyrinth be an experience of restoring inner reserves; an experience of renewal and of opening heart and mind to new possibilities.
Enjoy this ancient practice of prayer and reflection!
South Transept Labyrinth
For Advent of 2021, we installed a temporary modified Chartres Labyrinth in the South Transept of the Cathedral. It is our hope that this temporary Labyrinth will be preceed a permanent Labrinth in the floor of the Cathedral.
This Labyrinth is not available for public use at this time, because of on-going restoration work in the South Transept.
1. Find the opening in the outside ring. This is the entrance and as you will observe, presents you with a path on which to walk between the lines.
2. Follow the path into the labyrinth and it will lead you to the centre. During this phase of your walk you find that you can release, shed or let go of worries and stress as you focus on the twists and turns of the path.
3. At the centre you may wish to pause, rest and reorient yourself. Take whatever restorative moment you need.
4. Return to the outside of the labyrinth by re-walking the whole path again until you arrive at the opening where you started.
