walk the labyrinth at st james's
The St James's labyrinth walk takes place on the second Sunday of every month, at 1:30 pm. (Donation suggested (£1/50p). Email for further further information
The Labyrinth is an archetype found in many religious traditions in one form or another.
By walking the labyrinth (a replica of the one laid in the floor of Chartres Cathedral in France around 1220) we are able to experience part of a mystical tradition.
The labyrinth has only one path - there are no decisions to be taken and no dead ends. The path winds throughout and becomes a mirror for where we are in our lives. It touches our sorrows and releases our joys. Walk it with an open mind and an open heart.
There are three stages of the walk -
- Purgation (Releasing) - a releasing, a letting go of the details of your life. This is the act of shedding thoughts and distractions. A time to open the heart and quiet the mind.
- Illumination (Receiving) - When you reach the center, stay there as long as you like. It is a place of meditation and prayer. Receive what is there for you to receive.
- Union (Returning) - As you leave, following the same path out from the centre as you came in, you enter the third stage, which is joining God, or the healing forces at work in the world.
Each of these stages is recognised and encouraged by the tradition of Christian mysticism.
Labyrinth at Burford Priory - an Anglican Benedictine Community at Burford Oxfordshire (website)