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PRAYER TOOL
By LINDA M. LINONIS
canfield
Eileen Novotny charac- terized a labyrinth as a “prayer form that uses the body.”
Designs of the ancient prayer tool are depicted on pottery and stone dating back 5,000 years.
The labyrinth at the Ursuline Center is in its third year.
“Oral prayer uses the left brain,” said Novotny, program development and spiritual director at the center.
“Walking the labyrinth taps the right brain ... the more reflective side.”
Novotny said the labyrinth at the Ursuline Center is used daily by people “of all faiths.” “Prayer itself can be calming,” she said, noting that people have told her how “peaceful” they feel after walking and praying the labyrinth.
She said she believed the combination of prayer and being outdoors put people into a “relaxed zone.” Novotny said these times of economic uncertainty have made people worry, and the labyrinth provides a respite.
Novotny said each person who walks the labyrinth has an “individual experience.” But, she said, comments from those who walk the labyrinth have reflected one similar reaction. “They became more open to whatever came into their lives, she said.
Last Sunday, the Ursuline Center had the first in a series of labyrinth walks on various themes. It was “Journey of Spring.” Novotny offered a Power Point presentation in the center while Jim Hall and Ray Novotny, her husband, offered assistance at the labyrinth.
Novotny said the labyrinth fits into the mission of the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown, who came to the Mahoning Valley 136 years ago to minister to the pastoral and educational needs of the immigrant population.
She said the labyrinth provides an opportunity for “quiet and reflection,” a contrast to many people’s hectic lives. The labyrinth “is a metaphor for the spiritual journey.”
Novotny said the Ursuline Center’s labyrinth is based on the 11-circuit design in the cathedral of Chartres, near Paris, France, which dates to 1220. The Ursuline labyrinth is nine circuits in a circular pattern. The path of the labyrinth is called the “Chemin de Jerusalem,” that is, the road to Jerusalem.
Novotny said she scoured various websites on labyrinth lore for information. She also noted the labyrinth is found in many cultures. Some examples are the Native American “medicine wheel” or “man in the maze;” Celtic “never ending circle;” and the kabala in mystical Judaism.
Some may confuse a labyrinth with a maze. She said a passage that stated “maze is intended to get people lost, a labyrinth is a tool intended to help people get found” summed up the goal of a labyrinth. The labyrinth has a circular path with the way out as the reverse of the way in. The pathway leads to the center then back out.
The importance of the labyrinth in Christianity is demonstrated, Novotny found, in its role for pilgrims. She said during the Middle Ages many Christians vowed to travel to Jerusalem, but by the 12th century, conflicts impeded such trips. The church named seven pilgrimage cathedrals in Europe to represent Jerusalem. Walking the labyrinths in these cathedrals, she continued, marked the “ritual endings” of the pilgrims’ physical journeys.
Novotny said three basic movements connect personal journeys with Catholic mystical tradition. They are:
Releasing (purgation) is the path of “letting go” and putting our lives in the hands of God. Walk with palms down.
Receiving (illumination) is at the center, where people are in a receptive, prayerful and meditative state and may commune with God.
Integrating (union) is the path out and becoming grounded and integrating our insight. Walk with palms up.