It was a first for everyone! The Karen immigrants from Myanmar who participated in a five-day Spirit-Led Leader workshop near Pala U, Thailand hadn’t ever seen or heard of labyrinths.
A visual and verbal introduction translated into Karen by Saw Newton set the stage for personal prayer with either a large color photo of the Chartres Cathedral labyrinth* or a printed page with a black and white Chartres-style labyrinth.
Participants used their fingers or pens to follow the labyrinth’s pathway from the threshold to the center and back to the threshold as they prayed about the next step they felt led to take in their lives.
After they had finished, when asked to share a feeling they were experiencing, answers included emptiness, peacefulness, relief, and uplift.
Then, the pastors, leaders, and students were invited to share what they had experienced as they prayed. One person spoke of a desire to keep going on in faith after the death of loved ones.
Another couldn’t speak well through the tears, but ended with, “It was a hopeful experience.” Another explained, “As my finger followed the path, I found myself singing a hymn. I prayed all along the way, ‘God, stay with me, keep walking with me, don’t leave me, let’s go on together…’
One pastor, at the end of the week, recalled what the labyrinth has shown him, “This is my life. Sometimes we go and face the twists and turns, and see we are far away from God. But we can always turn back to God.”
A labyrinth’s ability to mirror the deeper meanings and invitations of one’s life is a gift to those who take the time to pray with it.
If you would like to pray with a finger labyrinth, you can do so now!
Related Blogs:
Chiang Mai, Thailand: Walking & Praying: A description of the Chartres-style labyrinth at the Seven Fountains Retreat Centre.
Resources:
To find labyrinth information related to local labyrinths in Thailand (or close to you) use the World-wide Labyrinth Locator.
*Thanks to Alain Kilar who generously donated his photographs of the Chartres labyrinth which were used and kept by participants.
Through Jill's Eyes 
Hi Jill, I well remember my first labyrinth walks and the profound meaning and insight I received. This is a beautiful reminder of the sweet power of prayerful walking! Thank you, Love, Linda
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Since Chartres, my soul rejoices in the graces received so far by such suffering people. Thank you Lord for crossing time and countries in this way.