Labyrinth

Sometimes, it’s not about looking for a home to belong to within a church, but about looking for inner peace. Here at First Church in Madison, WI, we invite you to use the labyrinth in the Chapel on the second floor for your own centering, meditation or prayer life.

If you’ve never “walked the labyrinth” you may find it a calming, focusing activity. For centuries, people of all backgrounds have used the labyrinth as a centering tool. There are printed guides at the back of the room that will provide some suggestions for your walk.

The labyrinth is an ancient path of prayer. It is not a maze, it has no dead ends. A labyrinth is a simple, two-way path leading from an entrance to a center and back out again. Walking the labyrinth is a metaphor for walking the sacred path in our everyday life. The various patterns of a labyrinth come from ancient cultures across the world, dating back 5,000 years. The first documented labyrinth in Christian history is 324 C.E. Algiers, North Africa. 

For centuries, people of all backgrounds have found the labyrinth to be a helpful centering tool. The pattern of the labyrinth invites us to move quietly, thoughtfully, and deliberately to a central point and back. The simple process of moving to the center often prompts a “letting go” and an ability to focus clearly on one’s deepest needs, concerns or potential.

Come walk the labyrinth – discover a way of prayer, a way of being in communion with God.

The simple process of moving along the pathway to the center often prompts a “letting go” and an ability to focus on your private concerns.

Take your time – take off your shoes and move deeper within yourself as you walk the labyrinth. Leave the hustle and bustle of the outside world. Resist temptation to rush into the center. Once there, you may wish to sit for a few moments of quiet meditation and prayer.

If you wish to use the labyrinth, simply stop into the church office.

Peace be with you.