Illustration by Gaia Orion

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WHEN I STARTED down thepath of self-discovery, I expe-rienced as separate and indi-

vidual the healing energies of modalitiessuch as Reiki, labyrinth, psychic insight,prayer, and sound healing. Through prac-ticing with various energies, an under-standing dawned on me, and I now firmlybelieve that “All is One.” To borrow ananalogy from theologian Matthew Fox1,for me there is one Universal healingenergy “river” to which each of us con-nects through the “well” of whatever tech-nique(s) we practice. Over the last tenyears, I have integrated two of the “wells”through which I connect with this “river”of energy: Reiki and walking labyrinths.Doing so has changed my life and deep-ened and enriched my spiritual growth.

Reiki is an easy, mystical, and powerfulway to access this Universal God-con-sciousness energy. Mystical in the sensethat Reiki is a direct experience of energyor, for me, the sacred. A simple attune-ment, intention, and willingness to listenand learn from the energy are all that areneeded to heal or change. Healing is dif-ferent than curing—healing is a deep shiftin mind, body and/or spirit to a place ofrelease and acceptance. It may or may notresult in a cure or total absence of disease.Healing can allow for a shift or attenua-tion of dis-ease in any situation. Trustingthe Reiki energy is a journey of letting goof the need to control or releasing theneed for the ego to be in charge.

I learned to appreciate this lessonwhen I was sending my mom Reiki as shewas going through surgery, radiation andchemotherapy for breast cancer. Initially Iwas very focused and attached to theresults. Because of this I was stressed andanxious about the situation. It took anintuitive friend to notice this and suggestI relax and only send energy when mymom came to mind versus some rigid

schedule of my own making, and to let goof my need to control the outcome. Thiswas excellent advice and both my momand I did much better once I learned totrust the Reiki energy. Mom later told mehow she knew when I was sending herReiki. If her eyes were closed at the time,she saw the “most beautiful colors.” Hersurgeon was surprised at how quickly shehealed and the oncologist was amazed athow few side effects she experienced withthe chemotherapy. She is cancer free anddoing well today, eight years later. Mom isalso attuned to Reiki I and II and alsofinds comfort and support through walk-ing the labyrinth.

The labyrinth has existed as a symboland walking meditation practice for over5000 years. No one knows exactly whatprompted ancient peoples who were sepa-rated both by distance and time to com-bine the circles, spirals and meanders theysaw in nature into the complex spiral oflabyrinths. The psychologist Carl Jungdescribed this experience of the collectiveunconscious as “that inherited part of usthat connects us with all other humanbeings.” From a Reiki point of view, it isalmost as if HSZSN links our subconsciousminds at some deep, universal level.

The classical seven-circuit labyrinthon page 34 is the oldest known labyrinth.Although often called the Cretan seven-circuit labyrinth or the Cretan labyrinth,its form is also found in Celtic labyrinthsand the Hopi medicine wheel. A secondwell-known labyrinth is the eleven-cir-cuit or Chartres labyrinth also on page34. This labyrinth is named for its loca-tion in Chartres Cathedral in France.Chartres is one of 500 Gothic cathedralsbuilt within a span of 150 years duringthe Middle Ages to honor Mary, theMother of God and the Divine Feminine.The Chartres labyrinth is unique becauseof the 112 lunations that encircle its

perimeter. The lunations represent themoon or feminine presence, which bal-ance the more masculine or sun energy atthe center of the labyrinth.

Walking the labyrinth, like Reiki,involves the process of letting go, espe-cially of EGO. Rev. Dr. Lauren Artressfrom Veriditas, the World Wide LabyrinthProject, says this word is an acronym forEdging God (or Spirit) Out2. A labyrinthwalk is composed of three parts: the walkin or releasing; time in the center orreceiving; and the walk out or returning.Every labyrinth walk begins with lettinggo of any preconceived expectations ofwhat the walk will be like, since these canclutter the mind and cause one to miss aninsight, gift or metaphor while experienc-ing the path. Since the labyrinth, unlike amaze, has only one path in and the samepath out again, there is only one choice tomake—to engage in this ancient journey.

Walking a labyrinth helps to bring oneinto the present moment. It encourages ashedding of worries and a quieting of thelogical, thinking, left brain. This center-ing and quieting echoes the Reiki processof Gassho and Reiji-ho, the strengtheningof one’s own light and stating one’s inten-tion or praying for the highest good of theclient prior to beginning a session. Thelabyrinth journey is an inward walktowards the still, quiet center of thelabyrinth within. The center of thelabyrinth is a place to pause and reflect. Inthis stillness it is easier to listen, learn, andreceive guidance, insights or energy forhealing. Similarly, it is in that still quietcenter that we can be most effective dur-ing a Reiki treatment, trusting the Uni-versal healing energy as it flows through usfor our own healing as well as the healingof the client.

The final phase of a labyrinth walk isreturning, or the walk back into theworld. It is a time to integrate the peace-

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ful heart or insight received while rest-ing in the center of the labyrinth. It canalso be a time of exhilaration because ofthe energy received from releasing a longcarried burden, or for a new purpose forone’s life. I liken this to the “return” fol-lowing a Reiki session and the resulting“sparkle” a practitioner can see in theeyes of a client who has made an impor-tant healing shift.

There are a number of ways to com-bine Reiki and the energy of a labyrinth.The circuits of the classical seven-circuitlabyrinth echo the number of times thespiral of the Power Symbol touches itsvertical axis. In addition, each of themajor seven chakras, colors of the rain-bow, spiritual lessons, and even the notesof the musical scale, starting with middleC, can be paired with a circuit of thislabyrinth. It is interesting to note thatone begins walking this labyrinth byentering at the third chakra, which isassociated with our identity and personalpower. Carolyn Myss3 also links thischakra to our honor code with ourselvesand our ability to “let go and let God,”the starting point for a labyrinth walk ora Reiki session. Try the following exercisethe next time you have an opportunity towalk a seven-circuit labyrinth.

Chakra exercise with the classicallabyrinth and Reiki – The classical orseven-circuit labyrinth can be walkedfocusing on clearing, healing and balanc-ing the chakras.

Charge the labyrinth with Reiki beforestarting your walk.

Set your intention to have Reiki workon each of your chakras as you are walkingthe circuit of the labyrinth with which itis paired. You may want to place yourhands on that chakra or beam Reiki intothat chakra as you walk.

Your walk starts with the third chakraand circuit of the labyrinth, associatedwith the solar plexus, color yellow, andissues of self-esteem and personal power.

Then you shift to the second circuit orsacral chakra, the color orange, and les-sons around creativity and survivalinstincts.

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Classical Seven-circuit LabyrinthIllustration by Gaia Orion

Chartres eleven-circuit LabyrinthIllustration by Gaia Orion

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dent “scrambled” my ability to function,especially in the areas of thinking clear-ly, focusing, concentrating, and accom-plishing any complex tasks involvingplanning.

Reiki symbols and the form of thelabyrinth both seem to me to fit in thecategory of archetypal symbols. Jung saidthat an archetypal symbol has a life of itsown; it is an image connected with theliving individual by the bridge of emotion.The Distant Healing symbol and itsunique ability to bridge time and space, aswell as the Mental/Emotional symbol andits ability to connect with an individual attheir point of need, or the Power symbol’sability to amplify the energy needed in asituation. Similarly, the labyrinth meetsthe walker exactly where they are andinvites them to move forward on theirspiritual journey.

It is fun to play with the metaphorsthat arise while walking the labyrinth.Frequently these metaphors are a chanceto learn indirectly what the Divine istrying to teach us in the mystical lan-guage of the soul. An example of this wasthe first time I walked the Chartreslabyrinth with my daughter, who waseight years old at the time. She startedfirst and I followed after a short time.Periodically on the labyrinth we wouldend up walking side-by-side and shewould reach up to hold hands. Then oneof us would come to a turn and we eachwent our own way. Later we would findourselves passing each other going inopposite directions and briefly touchhands, each on our separate journeys butalso on the same universal path. Thiswas a powerful metaphor for me becauseit gave me insight into my changing roleas a parent.

Enhancing Your LabyrinthWalk with Reiki

Experiment with these ways to inte-grate your labyrinth walk and Reiki.

Charge the labyrinth with Reiki –Before your walk you can beam Reiki tothe labyrinth, or in the case of a fingerlabyrinth you have the option to hold it

The next turn of the labyrinth placesyou on the outside path and first or rootchakra where the power of being ground-ed and “all is one” is explored with thecolor red.

Now you walk into the fourth circuitand heart chakra focusing on love, com-passion and forgiveness, especially foryourself on this green path.

Your journey continues into the sev-enth circuit and violet crown chakra withits connection to Spirit or the Divine andthe urging to live in the present moment.

Only then does the labyrinth moveyou to the sixth circuit and the indigo col-ored brow chakra, seeking the insight, wis-dom and intuition associated with theinner eye through its connection with theDivine or Spirit.

Then you find yourself in the fifth cir-cuit and throat chakra, with its sky bluecolor and lessons of choice and surrender-ing personal will to Spirit or the Divine.

And finally you are to the center of thelabyrinth for a time of resting, insight,rejuvenation, and meditation before youreverse the process on the walk out.

In the Veriditas labyrinth newsletterthere is a section called “Little Miracleson the Path” in which people share sto-ries of healing, similar to the “Reiki Sto-ries” in Reiki News Magazine. One storyof a woman who had a stroke that lefther paralyzed on one side illustratesanother aspect of these activities. Shewas drawn to the labyrinth in addition toher physical therapy. Initially she used afinger labyrinth, first “walking” with her“good” hand, then the impaired hand.She eventually was able to walk thelabyrinth with a cane, and finally inde-pendently. She attributed her rapidprogress to the labyrinth. In a labyrinththere are an equal number of turns to theleft and to the right, which help inestablishing balance in a person’s brainand life. This results in stabilizing andintegrating the right and left sides of thebrain in a manner similar to the “crossedtechnique” Mari Hall taught at the 2008Labor Day Reiki retreat. This techniquehelped me “rewire” my own brain thatSeptember, six months after a car acci-

between your hands and let Reiki flowinto it. You can also do this at the end ofthe walk as a thank you for yourlabyrinth experience.

Walk the labyrinth with Reiki –Many options exist here! With a fingerlabyrinth I recommend “walking” withyour “fire” finger, experimenting with eyesopen or closed, and with using your rightor left hand. Practitioners with symbolscan walk with a Reiki symbol in mind orflowing, with the intention of being opento experiencing the symbol in new ways.Again be especially observant of anymetaphors that come to you, since this isthe favorite “language” of the labyrinth.

Set the intention to receive anattunement – At the Reiki master level,you have the option of beaming and/orchanting all the necessary symbols for anattunement onto the labyrinth and call-ing in your Reiki guides or sacred beingsof the highest light you work with to par-ticipate in this special walk and assist inattuning you.

Last spring Jessica Miller and I walkeda large, outdoor Chartres-style labyrinthlocated at Trinity Lutheran Church inPullman, Washington. It has been on thisland for almost ten years and has beenblessed with Reiki energy numerous timesand numerous attunements have beengiven in the center. I have attuned Reikistudents there who have shared wonder-ful experiences afterwards—they experi-enced powerful attunements accompa-nied by insights into challenges in theirdaily lives as they meditated after theattunement. One student felt the walkout of the labyrinth was as if she werewalking a big CKR.

Prior to our walk, Jessica and I chantedand placed all the Karuna Reiki® symbolsonto the labyrinth with the intention ofsharing an attunement in the center. Wegot sidetracked and forgot about the for-mal attunement until after we left forhome. Interestingly, I realized that I hadactually been attuned while walking thelabyrinth, despite our not having per-formed the physical ritual.

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The labyrinth and Reiki have deep-ened my spiritual practices. They havetaught me how to get out of my own way,to trust in something larger than myself,and they have taught me compassion andforgiveness. They have helped me learnhow to better stay in the present momentand have given me wonderful tastes ofthat “peace that passeth all understand-ing.” I am grateful.

To find a labyrinth near you, check outwww.veriditas.org, click on World-WideLabyrinth Locator, and fill in the locationinformation in the box on the right handside of the page. 1—Robin can be reached by Email at robin-splace@q.com

Explore the labyrinth with your Reikihands – Jessica and I discovered othercurious energetic properties of thelabyrinth. You can feel the differenceenergetically between the path and thelines of the labyrinth, and the energy ofthe lines extends vertically as high as wecould reach. It was also interesting tostraddle a labyr, the double axe-head thatoccurs when two 180-degree turns meet.The sensation was of being in two differ-ent energetic realities. This style of axe isfrequently seen in the hands of ancientwarrior goddesses. Symbolically, each ofthese turns is a choice, are you ready tochange directions and follow this non-lin-ear path? It also provides a sharp edge to“cut” cords binding an issue to a person asthey walk, allowing them to release it.

References:1 Matthew Fox, One River, Many Wells:

Wisdom Springing from Global Faiths(New York: Tarcher/Putnam, 2000).

2 Lauren Artress, Walking a Sacred Path:Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritu-al Tool (New York: Riverhead Books,1995).

3 Caroline Myss, Anatomy of the Spirit:The Seven Stages of Power (New York:Three Rivers Press 1996).

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