Symbolic of This Seasonal Transition--UPDATED!

And so, we're there. Finally. The shortest day/longest night of the year. The Winter Solstice. The first day of Winter. Which means, of course, that starting tomorrow, the days here in the Northern Hemisphere start getting longer. A minute or so at a time. Barely perceptably. But little by little, even as the cold winds blow and snow perhaps falls where you live, the earth is traveling on the journey it makes each and every year back to warmth.

For my friends in Australia, of course, this time of year means a totally different thing and I only need to think back to June here in Atlanta to realize that you are entering what I call "bus exhaust season," when walking outside gives you the feeling that you are standing behind fourteen idling buses at the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City. Not a good feeling, but at least the gardens overflow with abundance, the pools and bays and oceans beckon, and naps in hammocks can easily become daily practice.

And so I'll walk a labyrinth this weekend, symbolic of this seasonal transition. Symbolic of this moment in my life, the details of which swirl inside me, the clarity of which sometimes evades me. And like many before me for almost 4000 years, I will use my journey into the center and out again to quiet and focus my mind in a reflection on where I have been, and where I am going.

You may be surprised to find out how many labyrinths are near where you live. They are becoming more and more common at spiritual centers such as churches; community gardens; therapeutic gardens affiliated with hospitals, nursing homes and counseling centers; and even some inns. You may even find one scratched into dirt at a playground or sand at the beach, which leaves you wondering who walked here and for what purpose did they need this temporary tool of meditation? I have toyed with the idea of ripping up my front lawn and turning it into a labyrinth, but considering I can't even have a clothesline, I think I'll wait on that one.

I have discovered at least six that are within a short drive of my home. They are fun to compare. There are two basic types, the 7-Circuit Creatan Labyrinth, like the one pictured, which is based on a design found on ancient Crete coins; and the Chartres Labyrinth, based on the design from the Middle Ages of a labyrinth in the Chartres Cathedral near Paris, France. They are lined with rocks or bricks or even live plants. Some have arches that you enter and large stones upon which you sit once you make it to the middle.

By the way, labryinths are different from mazes because they are what's called unicursal--one path in, and one path out. No dead ends or choices to be made as to which way to go. And that is actually the main aspect of their appeal--no practical thought is needed while walking a labyrinth.

The path you walk is not logical--the twists and turns don't make sense and you find that you must give up on trying to figure it out and just let yourself follow the path. Apparently, each time you turn, you stimulate the opposite hemisphere in your brain, which supposedly gives you a full-brain view of whatever it is you are pondering. That's one of the reasons why labyrinths can be so effective in helping you solve problems in your life.

The first time you walk a labyrinth, you may find yourself rushing. You may find it painfully boring. You may be frustrated at discovering that when you thought you were just about in the middle, you ended up on the part of the path farthest from there. You may even feel as if you are never going to reach the middle, and then decide to just jump the rocks to leave instead of persevere and then walk back out again along the path. But, if you try one of these techniques, you can open yourself up to a completely different and engaging experience.

* Pose questions on your path inward, and determine answers to these questions on the way out.

* Practice controlled breathing on your journey--one breath in, one step, one breath out, one step. You will eventually find a comfortable, meditative rhythm, the pleasure of which may surprise you.

* Focus on the senses, perhaps sight on the way in and sound on the way out. It is always shocking to me how much we miss in our rushed, daily travels.

* Think of the past on the way in, and the future on the way out.

During my journey this weekend, I will reflect back on 2007 on my way in to the middle, and set my intentions for 2008 on the way out. I already know that I want to learn how to can fresh, local fruits and veggies, to care for chickens (even if they're not mine), and to connect more with my community. But how can I more fully express my authentic self? How can I become a more open vessel for the world's energy? How can I truly make a difference simply because I have lived? Not sure, folks. Just not sure.

And so, I leave you with something fun. Watch the video above (and no, that's not me--I found this video on YouTube) and learn how to draw a Cretan labyrinth. It's quite cool and I find myself drawing them obsessively (of course). You can also use this knowledge to make what's called a "finger labyrinth" out of clay (or even just on nice paper) that you can then trace while in your office or wherever your daily life takes you. A handy portable labyrinth. Now, how's that for a great last-minute gift for those who have everything?

UPDATED: Sunday, December 23, 2007

I saw an ad on my blog (I don't control the ads--Blogger adds them and they are actually often surprisingly germane, I think!) for a company that designs and installs labyrinths. The link is www.labyrinthcompany.com. Click on Garden Templates. There's a three-circuit labyrinth that seems like it might work in a suburban kitchen garden! I don't need to buy the template--I think I can do this myself. Maybe my side yard . . .

Symbolic of This Seasonal Transition--UPDATED!