On the Path
by Nancy Pritchard, September, 2009
© 2009, Nancy Pritchard, All Rights Reserved

"You are on the path... exactly where you are meant to be right now... And from here, you can only go forward, shaping your life story into a magnificent tale of triumph, of healing, of courage, of beauty, of wisdom, of power, of dignity, and of love."
                                                                                                                             - Caroline Adams


My friend, Gail Lees, and I are always on the lookout for novel spiritual activities offered within the Frederick community. When I excitedly mentioned one evening that Unity Church was offering a labyrinth walk on the first Friday in August, Gail was as eager to embark upon the labyrinth journey as I was. We both marked the date on our calendars. 

When we arrived at Unity on the appointed evening, Gail and I were greeted at the door by a wonderful, spirit-filled woman named Fran, whom I'd met at one of Unity's yoga classes. 

Debra Spotts is Unity's yoga instructor, and the warm, generous woman responsible for bringing the labyrinth to the church. She offers Monday evening and Friday morning spiritual yoga classes at Unity. With the love offerings that have been raised through these yoga classes, Deb purchased the supplies and helped to create the gorgeous labyrinth the church now shares with the public. 

Fran briefly explained the labyrinth experience and instructed us to form a question in our minds concerning an area in our lives where we needed guidance. We waited until the few people in front of us had finished using the labyrinth, then we headed into the candlelit sanctuary. 
When people hear the word, 'labyrinth' they sometimes think of a maze, but a labyrinth is not a maze. A maze is a puzzle to be solved, complete with twists, turns, and blind alleys. It is a task that requires logical, analytical thinking to find the correct path into the maze and out. A labyrinth has only one path. The way in is the way out. There are no tricks or decisions to be made, as the course leads you on a circuitous path into the center and back out again.
Labyrinths have long been used as meditation and prayer tools. A labyrinth is an ancient representation (labyrinths have been in existence for 4000+ years) that symbolizes the journey of a human lifetime. It combines the imagery of the circle and the spiral. The Labyrinth represents a journey to our own center and back out into the world again. It creates a secluded, sacred space where we can let go of our ego-self and enter into our spirit-self.
Gail encouraged me to go first. I stood at the threshold of the labyrinth and breathed deeply.

I'm having a difficult time right now, was my message to The Divine. Everything is changing. My children are leaving home, some of my older relatives are ill, two of them under Hospice care. And that doesn't even begin to address the economy or my personal financial or business concerns. How do I cope?

After posing the question as instructed, I entered into the labyrinth. The journey began to unfold. 

Follow along the path one step at a time - then take the next step, then the next step, then the next step…

I paused along the path once or twice, halting for a moment or two as I felt led. Otherwise, the journey to the center continued,

Follow along the path one step at a time - then take the next step, then the next step, then the next step. It's the only way one can traverse the narrow labyrinth path.

One step at a time.

Upon entering the labyrinth center, I stopped. I stood silently for a few minutes and remained open to any impressions or answers offered me. It was as I paused there in the center that The Divine spoke to me. One step at a time, Nancy! That is your message. Just as you walk this labyrinth path one step at a time, take life one step at a time. Only then do you need consider the next step.

But…I need more information! I reasoned back. I'd like to have some specific answers! I already know to take one step at a time! 

Well you're not living like you know it! was the reply.

Ah ha! And it really was an 'ah-ha' moment. No I hadn't been living the one-day-at-a-time, one-step-at-a-time philosophy. I'd forgotten that very important belief system that I usually hold so dear. I'd been borrowing ahead instead of trusting that answers would be revealed to me as the journey continued. Why, I was already worrying about things that might happen weeks from now! No! Months from now! Years from now even!

One step at a time. It's the only way to walk a labyrinth path. It's the only sane way to live a human life. One day at a time. One activity at a time. One crisis at a time.

I felt lighter as I left the labyrinth center and began retracing my path toward the entrance - still taking one step at a time. Yet this time, I paid special attention to those steps - to those small, purposeful, steady steps. 

Sometimes revelations from the labyrinth will come quickly. Sometimes, you must be patient and wait. A number of people describe having messages revealed to them days or even weeks after their labyrinth experience.

My biggest revelation was obviously to remember to take life one step at a time. But there were a few other messages that came through within the next few days after walking the labyrinth. Such as:

• When the path takes a different direction, go with the flow. Don't become too rigid. Pay attention to the flow of events.
  
• Pause when you feel led to do so. Stop and seek guidance when needed.
  
• Be aware of others you meet along the path. Wish them well. Treat them with courtesy.
  
• Enjoy the journey.
  

• Walking a labyrinth brings an incredible feeling of peace.
  
• One must work to stay balanced when walking the path.
  
• If you try to move too quickly along the path, it seems easier to stay in balance. The big drawback to moving too quickly is that you might miss important thoughts and lessons along the way. Going too fast, blowing through things, means you don't have a chance to experience what is around you.