March 9, 2001

Weaving your way through life"
By Sarah Steil

"Here I was on my Spring Break, dancing around a labyrinth in the dark with a group of strangers."

I would like to think that I am always open to new ideas. I only hope that when I no longer embrace new ideas, I will be senile and it will not matter what I believe. So, when Dr. Ruehlmann gave his Journalism 435 class an assignment to find a story in the community I jumped at the chance. We were told to venture to the Heritage Bookstore on Laskin Road and investigate. So I piled my older brother into the car with me and off we went. I searched the store and grabbed all of the promotional flyers, brochures, and magazines that I could find.I began flipping through the pages of the Whole Life Pages, a directory of all of the "natural, holistic, and spiritual living" authorities in the Hampton Roads area. Sure, I would like to know what my dog really thinks of me, and I would love to know what my future holds. Only, I did not know if I really wanted to involve my dog or my future in this story. It was then that I found Meryl Ann Butler and her labyrinths. All that I knew was David Bowie once played in a movie called "Labyrinth," but aside from that I was dumbfounded so I gave her a call, and she invited me to the Celebrating Sacred Self conference to hear her speak about labyrinths. If you are anything like me, you have no idea what a labyrinth is, so I will give you a quick lesson and you can decide for yourself what is the mystery behind the labyrinth. There are two types of labyrinths. One is maze in which the individual is forced to chose between a series of dividing paths. This type often makes a person frustrated and unsure of their decisions. I can guarantee that this type of labyrinth would make my heart race if I was still stuck inside of it after an hour. The second type is a meandering labyrinth in which there is only one path and the individual simply follows the continuous flow of lines. This labyrinth does not require any decisions to be made and tends to be more relaxing. If anything, I have noticed that today's individuals are more willing to look back to ancient practices for healing instead of to the conventional methods offered by doctors. Labyrinths have been found on ancient coins, pottery, and mounds from Egypt, England, Ireland, and Scandinavia as far back as 4000-2000 B.C.E. It was quite surprising to me when I discovered that many hospitals, churches, and institutions were building labyrinths on the premises. Some colleges even have labyrinths so students can walk them before tests. Labyrinths were originally built in cathedrals so Christians could make a symbolic pilgrimage to Jerusalem; however, today the labyrinths are used more as a form of walking meditation. Some individuals even claim that labyrinths have healing powers. While people claim to be healed form cancer, and other such crippling diseases, no scientific evidence exists to prove the claims. Maybe the women at the conference suffered from some affliction and chose an unconventional method of healing. I myself do not suffer from any afflictions, but I am curious so I went to the conference. I arrived at the Sheraton on a Friday night and was amazed at the amount of women there. Two hours after I arrived, Butler began her slide show and then invited everyone to walk the labyrinth in the adjacent room. Here I was on my Spring Break, dancing around a labyrinth in the dark with a group of strangers. One young woman at the conference, Rose Haywood, told me that "you have to be in a certain mind frame." That is exactly what I did. I tried to clear my mind and focus on a question as Butler had instructed us to do. I wove my way through the labyrinth. I did not have to exert any extra effort, which is always a bonus in my book. I merely waltzed through the continuous pattern, taking each turn and step as I desired. I glided through the labyrinth without making a single choice. I picked my message and after a few moments left the center. I danced backed out of the labyrinth, took a seat and pondered the meaning of my message. To my amazement, I felt relaxed and my question was answered. Not everyone will have an experience like mine, however. My experience was not life shattering, but it was insightful. Everyone can use some form of insight into his or her life, so find yours.