Loving Yourself on the Labyrinth Path

The best place from which to be Love in this world

My little Lego “Valentine Room”

The Labyrinth Path Leads Us to Who We Want to Be in the World

This Valentine’s Day I gave myself something a little different. I attended a Soul Collage circle at my UU church. It’s a gathering led by a very sweet woman psychologist. The theme for this one was self-love.

When I’m encouraged to love myself, the song “The Greatest Love of All” by Whitney Houston comes to mind. It’s timeless. Here’s a link to a music video of her singing the song: The Greatest Love of All, by Whitney Houston.

The way we love ourselves has a direct impact on how we love others. It’s so true.

Attention = Love

The level of attention we give ourselves will be the same level of attention we give to those closest to us in the world. Our level of Curiosity we express toward ourselves and how we are at any moment in time will mirror our level of curiosity we express toward others and how they are doing. We must fill up our own cup with loving attention first before we can do so for anyone else.

Here are photos of my soul collage cards, with reflections as captions:

I am the bridge connecting my past, present & future. I rewrite the stories and move toward the light.

I am loved and held by the sea. I live by forest & sea. I am surrounded by my peeps, who love to play together. Like peacock, I’m proud of who I am.

What Does Self-Love Look Like on the Labyrinth Path?

Walking a labyrinth path, we cannot help but pay attention to ourselves and our inner worlds. It’s us and the path. If you’ve ever walked a labyrinth, what thoughts have come to the surface as you made your way to the center? How have you received those thoughts? Have they been safe to surface, without judgement?

I’m an overthinker, so it’s taken me lots of labyrinth walks, as well as some Zen meditation, to practice self-compassion and self-acceptance toward my thoughts. The thoughts that especially need my acceptance and compassion are those that arise from anger, fear and shame. They very often ask for my attention and care. When I become curious about them, and thank them for their Wisdom, I begin to unravel their meanings. From there, I let those parts of me know that the feelings are understandable and real. I relax. I become more present. I expand.

Here’s one of my favorite Rumi quotes, which I believe is perfect for walking meditation on the labyrinth path:

"Seek the Wisdom that will untie your knot. Seek the Path that demands your whole being." ~ Rumi

Short labyrinth path shoveled for walkers to enjoy some refreshing meditation in Winter

I often walk the labyrinth path to untie the knots that bind me to the past and keep me from being present with the world. When I walk this labyrinth, surrounded by nature (especially the trees), the life around me offers an invitation to my attention to receive enjoyment and renewal. And so, I do receive that enjoyment and I feel the renewal. I feel free.

Ritual for Walking the Labyrinth Path to Practice Self-Love

This Winter in New England has piled lots of snow on us, and I’d begun to miss walking the labyrinth. I have handheld labyrinths I like to walk, but there’s nothing like a walk outside in nature, coupled with walking meditation on the labyrinth path, to refresh my whole being. So, inspired by neighbors who trod a walkable path through the conservation land that abuts our cohousing community, I shoveled a (short) walkable path from the entrance to the center of the labyrinth. It felt soooo good to be with my tree and critter friends on the path again!

Once you’ve found a labyrinth to walk from the link in the word “labyrinth” above, bring a notebook and something to write with to your walk. I offer to you here a ritual for walking a labyrinth to practice self-love.

Stage 1 ~ Release

Stand a moment at the entrance to the labyrinth. Take a deep breath. Collect all of your worries from your mind, your heart, your belly, your hips, and squish them into a ball with your hands. Take that ball and drop it to the ground. Let Mother Earth hold them for you. This is your time. The world will still be here when you return. The labyrinth is the space for you to let go of all the concerns in your life and spend time with yourself.

With each step, listen to your heart, to your whole body. Take three deep breaths. Give each part of your body your attention. This means you can move in whatever way your body wants to move in the moment.

Start with your feet and work up to your head. How do your feet feel as you walk? If there is an ache or pain, say “I see you. I feel you. Thank you for letting me know you are there.” Breathe in deeply. Exhale slowly. Then gently move on to the next part, such as your knees.

When you reach the center of the labyrinth, keep listening. Keep walking around the center. Continue with this process until you have paid some attention to your head. Notice how your body feels now that you’ve listened to yourself with loving curiosity.

Stage 2 ~ Receive

Next, take 3 deep breaths. Then notice:

1. What messages has your body given you through the sensations you feel in each part?

2. Is there an insight that rose to the surface of your consciousness?

3. Did a memory or a person come to mind? Is there a connection between the memory or person and a sensation you feel in your body?

Stay at the center as long as you like. When you are ready to return back out again, take a deep breath and slowly exhale. In your mind say “thank you” to your body and “goodbye” to the space you are in.

Stage 3 ~ Return

As you make your slow, gentle return to the entrance, what inner Wisdom are you carrying with you? Were you inspired to take a specific action? Take a moment to write some notes about your experience in your notebook.

Do you feel differently about the concerns you left at the entrance before your walk? Are you ready to pick them back up, or are you inclined to let them go? Maybe one or two if not all?

Creative Integration

If you are inspired, engage in a creative activity that represents the insight you received while you walked the labyrinth. Write some more, perhaps a love letter to yourself. Also, you can draw, paint, create a collage, play a musical instrument, move in a new way. We deserve to give ourselves time to integrate new information and perspectives into our consciousness.

When There’s No Labyrinth Near You

You can do the same with a handheld labyrinth. Sit in a chair and focus on a different part of yourself with each turn on the path. You can make a handheld meditation tool for yourself by coloring in a Baltic Wheel path I drew with Zentangle patterns, then glue it on cardboard and “walk” the path with a finger of your nondominant hand. It exercises a different part of your brain than your dominant hand. Try it. Let me know how this ritual worked for you below as a comment.