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LUMEN | PROGRAMMES
Walking God with
By Elizabeth Mosbergen
Every single person that I know in SJI is busy — with good reason . There are tests to study for and research work to embark on and CAS and CCAs to go for or courses to attend and marking to be done with lessons to prepare and e-mails to reply to , and of course , meetings to attend .
How does one even find time to pray , if it even figures itself as a thought in our tired minds ? While scheduling prayer time might be useful , it may not be the most practical solution . It may feel like yet another task on our to-do list that we need to check off . Perhaps what is needed is time to get away from the noises of our lives ; a time to be with and listen to God in silence .
The Labyrinth As much as it is tempting to associate the Labyrinth with Daedalus , the minotaur and Theseus , the Labyrinth is none of these .
“ Never ending circle ”, “ Medicine Man ”, “ Man in the Maze ”, or “ Kabala ” are some of the names for this walking meditation . An ancient pattern that exists in many cultures , the Labyrinth is based on designs on pottery founded as far back as 5000 years ago . The patterns are based on spirals and circles that resemble nature .
The Labyrinth is a prayer and meditation tool that the Jesuits use to create some time with God . According to the website , Veriditas , walking the Labyrinth “ quiets the mind , opens the heart and grounds the body ”. Even though the Labyrinth resembles a maze , it is quite unlike it in its purpose . The Labyrinth is intended to allow one quiet time and in this mindful , meditative mood , the individual can embark on a journey with God . There is no correct way to walk the Labyrinth but the path you take ultimately leads you to the center .
What is the appeal of the Labyrinth ? There is no right or wrong with the Labyrinth , which makes it a good fit for our postpostmodern world . It is a journey that an individual undertakes . The Labyrinth can be a metaphor for the journey of life or our spiritual life — twists and turns , pauses and stops . But in all of this , the Labyrinth calls us back to the center , where God resides .
It is easy to be buried in the everyday , easy to lose our perspectives and easy to miss the bigger picture as worries , anxieties and preoccupations cloud our mind . Walking the Labyrinth is another way of practicing mindfulness and reconnecting with God or yourself . For the more spiritual , many see the Labyrinth as a walk with God and experience a powerful sense of healing .
SJI is one of the very few places in Singapore with a Labyrinth . The intention in building the Labyrinth in SJI is the creation of a prayer space . “ SJI is a catholic school and should therefore have many prayer spaces . The Labyrinth is a visual reminder of that sacred