Labyrinths are popping up all over the United States. Some are mowed into the grass, some are made of stones and others are painted onto canvas so they can be moved from church to church.

The roots of this “new” tool, which can be used for prayer and meditation, date back thousands of years. Fans of the labyrinth say walking through one of these symmetrical sacred spaces, with the intention of connecting to God, can bring peace and balance to the chaos of our minds and hearts.

Labyrinths can be found on the floors of many medieval cathedrals in Europe, most notably the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres, in France. Pilgrims unable to travel to the Holy Land would prayerfully walk the winding paths, symbolizing the journey.

Those interested in giving it a whirl will be pleased to know at least two permanent labyrinths can now be found within the diocese of Erie—one at the Bethany Retreat Center, an outreach of Young People Who Care in Frenchville, and the other in Erie at the Lake Erie Arboretum at Frontier Park (LEAF).

The labrynth at LEAF is easily accessed at the corner of West 8th Street and Seminole Drive in Erie.

“People refer to it as ‘the maze,’” says Kathy Dahlkemper, a member of St. Jude Parish in Erie and vice president of the board of LEAF, which has invested nearly one million dollars in the urban park since the organization sprang to life in the late 1990s. But a maze, which involves making choices and sometimes, wrong turns, it is not.

“I tell people it’s like life,” Dahlkemper says. “There’s only one way in and only one way out.” That seems to be a key element of the appeal of a labyrinth. Most literature recommends people take a few moments to settle themselves before beginning their walk through a labyrinth. A simple prayer along the lines of “Lord, may I be open to your word and your will in my life,” is a good beginning. Some like to pray the rosary along the way, others prefer to simply concentrate on the steps they take as the path winds back and forth, back and forth, close to the center, back to the outer edge, finally reaching the very heart of the labyrinth. After a few minutes of silent reflection in the center, a labyrinth walker retraces his or her steps, unwinding along the same pathway.

The experience of walking a labyrinth is of course as varied as the people who choose to walk it. But that thought can be taken one step farther: Those who walk a labyrinth say their personal experience is different every time.

The sisters of the Community of Anawim in Frenchville chose to build a labyrinth on the grounds in part because it is an avenue of prayer that speaks to people of all faith backgrounds. They have used it successfully with people of all ages—from teens to senior citizens, and find it has been especially helpful for people who are in the process of discernment in their lives. The sisters see it as a prayerful way for people to ground themselves and to find clarity. They also like the fact that it’s outside, giving those who walk it the chance for a comfortable, freeing experience that involves many of the senses.

“It does take a commitment,” Dahlkemper says, citing the approximately half hour it can take to walk the seven “circuits” of the labyrinth at LEAF. She takes the time to walk it occasionally.

“It slows me down and allows me to really contemplate what’s going on in my life,” she says, acknowledging that not every journey through the labyrinth is a powerful experience. “Sometimes it’s just a pleasant walk,” she says. An enthusiastic promoter of Frontier Park, Dahlkemper loves the idea that the labyrinth is located in a public park.

The labyrinth was first proposed to LEAF by members of the Carrie T. Watson Garden Club who wanted to give the City of Erie a gift in celebration of the organization’s 80th anniversary. “I had never heard of labyrinths,” Dahlkemper says, but with a little research, including a trip to a nearby Ohio town to walk one for herself, she felt it fit well with the mission of LEAF.

“It’s passive—in the sense that it doesn’t require a lot of maintenance—it’s a piece of art and it’s very accessible,” she observes. “People come and walk it at their own pace, at their leisure.” Since she lives near the park, Dahlkemper knows that the labyrinth is used regularly.

She recently saw a mother and daughter walking it together. Families, friends and of course, individuals regularly take advantage of this new addition. “Sometimes I see children running through and enjoying it on a whole different level,” Dahlkemper says. “It’s there for everyone.”

Feature story from the Jan./Feb. 2007 issue of Faith magazine, Erie, Pa.

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