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[mamculuna]

Lybyrinths? angeyja had a link to this:http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/04/labyrinth-muse.htm



The patterns of the labyrinth are similar in design and conception to the mandalas of South Asian Buddhism, which are physical representations of the spiritual realm designed to aid in meditation. Labyrinths blend their visual symbolism with the process of walking, which is similar to the Japanese Zen practice of kinhin, literally "walking meditation," where all of the attention is focused on the process of each step, one foot in front of the other, and the breath is controlled and regulated. Both of these techniques are used in Buddhist meditation, which combines the elements of calming and insight into the single goal of samadhi, or "awareness.

from: http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/04/labyrinth-muse.htm

Comments

[maeve-rigan.livejournal.com]

What a crock--the conclusions of the linked article, not the quote in your post. And I say that as a Christian. The article is right about one thing--labyrinths in medieval cathedrals. For example, there's one built into the floor of Chartres, among others. This site takes you through a Lutheran convent labyrinth (//www.gratefulness.org/p/labyrinth.cfm) (evidently Lutherans do have nuns--who knew?), and then clicking on "home" leads to several other labyrinth sites, several of them in churches or cathedrals.

It's a meditative practice, that's all. It is what you make it. People who write this kind of article are living in fear, not faith; they're the ones Paul was thinking about when he wrote "To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure" (Titus 1:15).

[ends rant]

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

I need to reread the original as well as respell my opening word. What caught my attention was the idea of the universality of the labyrinth pattern, something that's often intrigued me. Have to go back and notice what the article actually says. But first I'm going to read your link.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

My very, very bad. That is NOT Angela's link. Hers is here:

http://www.ashlandweb.com/labyrinth/laby.hist.html

That's what I get for clicking and pasting without trying the link. I shall post a public disclaimer, even though not many people read the link, I think.