Ursuline Center hosts Labyrinth walk

The Ursuline Center, located at 4280 Shields Road, will offer a guided labyrinth walk celebrating the Journey of Harvest on Aug. 23 at 6:30 p.m.

Anyone wishing to walk the Labyrinth, but unable to make one of the official walks, can come anytime at their own convenience. There are guides provided at the Labyrinth’s entrance, but there is no right or wrong way to walk a labyrinth. People can use the labyrinth in any way they need.

The labyrinth is an ancient pattern found in many cultures around the world. Labyrinth designs were found on pottery, tablets and tiles date as far back as 4,000 years. Many patterns are based on spirals from nature. In Native American culture it is called the Medicine Wheel and Man in the Maze. People of Celtic origin described it as the Never Ending Circle. It is also called the Kabala in mystical Judaism. One feature they all share is that they have one path which winds in a circuitous way to the center.

The labyrinth design at the Ursuline Center is a replica of the 11-circuit labyrinth of Chartres Cathedral in France. This pattern, once central to cathedral culture, was inlaid into the stone floor in 1201.

Labyrinths are currently being used world-wide as a way to quiet the mind, find balance, and encourage meditation, insight and celebration. They are open to all people as a non-denominational, cross-cultural tool of well-being. They can be found in medical centers, parks, churches, schools, prisons, memorial parks and retreat centers as well as in people’s backyards.

The Ursuline Center Labyrinth is open year-round from dawn to dusk for all persons of faith. There is no cost to use the Labyrinth, which is handicapped-accessible and has ample parking.

To learn more, visit www.theursulinecenter.org.