The St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Shawville held its first official labyrinth walk on Saturday since the unveiling of the path painted on the floor of its community hall last summer.
The event was facilitated by Jean Macnab, a warden of the church. She took part in a labyrinth facilitator training course to learn about the history and how to guide people through the path.
She organized the event to coincide with World Labyrinth Day, which every year sees people around the world participate in labyrinth-walking events as an international meditation for world peace.
“May 3 is the day of world peace,” Macnab said. “We’ll be walking today to think about all the countries that are at war.”
In an email to THE EQUITY ahead of the event, she explained the significance of the labyrinth.
“There are many reasons to walk a labyrinth – solace, strength, clarity, celebration, insight, to quiet the mind, or to solve a problem. The labyrinth is designed to help you find your way,” she wrote.
The 10 participants in Shawville’s labyrinth walk were first introduced to the concept of the labyrinth, which is a maze-like pattern on the floor and is intended to be followed slowly while meditating on a specific subject, and were then invited to walk the path themselves.
“It’s a different experience every time,” Macnab said. “You have to set an intention before you start to walk and today, it’s for world peace and praying for those people who are suffering.”
Walking the labyrinth took about 20 minutes for each person who participated. Participants entered the labyrinth one by one and took a moment to pause in the centre to collect their thoughts or say a prayer.
Rick Valin was one of the people who walked the labyrinth for the first time Saturday.
“I’m walking for peace,” Valin said. “I think that we need some more peace in this world.”
