Journey of Hearts

• Locate the arrow marking the beginning and ending.
• Read through the stages of the "walk," and the meaning of the rosette.
• Center the labyrinth pattern on your screen.
• Ready yourself to start, by finding a quiet time and clearing your mind.
• Use your finger or mouse to trace the path, from beginning to end. (Print a larger version if it is easier to follow)
• "Listen" to the internal reactions that occur while experiencing the on-line labyrinth.
• Enjoy the calming, relaxing experience.

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A Finger Meditation (from Veriditas)

• The Journey is similar to walking the large labyrinth.
• As your finger takes you in, you release the cares and concerns which distract us from our source.
• The center is a place of prayer and meditation where you receive clarity about your life.
• Often people bring a question with them into the labyrinth-- some life issue that they wish guidance on.

• The Sacred Walk, a poem on my experiences with the labyrinth
• Veriditas the World-Wide Labyrinth Project
• Books on Religous Themes

• The labyrinth depicted above is a replica of the 11 circuit labyrinth found on the floor of the Chartres Cathedral in France, circa 1220 A.D.
• Labyrinths have one single path which leads in and then out.
• The 11 circuits are the number of paths (or rings) counted from the outside to the center.
• At the center is the rosette with 6 petals (or circles). These represent six different kingdoms (from the entrance in a clockwise fashion):

 
* Mineral
* Plant
* Animal
* Human
* Angelic
* Divine

The labyrinth can be understood in several different ways on several different levels from the most basic to a more religious. For some it is a venue for change, for others it is a prayer of the body, for some a mandala for change, a ritual to open up the metaphorical and invisible (spiritual) world, a symbol for life's journey.

Walking the labyrinth can mean different things for different people. It can be used as a quiet path for prayer or meditation, as a tool for experiencing on a metaphysical level, stepping back in time to a long-forgotten tradition.
I view the labyrinth as a tool for focusing, for relieving stress and anxiety, for shutting out whatever may be causing problems and for just "being."
The mysterious winding path becomes a symbol for our own spiritual journey.

* Releasing - letting go of the details of life to quiet the mind
* Illumination - receiving energy, new insight, serenity or whatever is there for the person walking. The center is a place of meditation, prayer and receiving.
* Union - joining to God (or higher force) joining the inner and outer worlds.
 
Each time you walk or experience the labyrinth, you become more empowered to find and do what your soul is seeking.
 
From Walking a Sacred Path, Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Tool.

Veriditas, the World-Wide Labyrinth Project, is the creation of the Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress, Episcopalian priest at the Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. The mission is the reintrocuce the labyrinth in its many forms as a spiritual tool and establish labyrinths in cathedrals, retreat centers, hospitals, prisons, parks, airports and in community spaces around the world for community use. These labyrinths could then be utilized in times of joy, in times of sorrow, when in need of or search of hope. It could also be use on a regular basis for those seeking spiritual growth, healing or as a medatitive tool.

Veriditas is organizing a Global New Year's Eve Gathering on Friday December 31, 1999 at a labyrinth near you. They may organize another on-line netcase experience for those who cannot participate physically in person.