The following outlines numerous components to consider in creating a welcoming environment for your facilitated labyrinth walk. Many factors including the available space, time, and number of labyrinth walkers will interact when choosing your combination. Additional components could be added for specific themes. A facilitated labyrinth walk might be initiated for honoring the season of year, religious holiday, dedication, blessing, crossing a threshold in life, honoring relationships, commemorative, or everyday renewal.

Welcome and introduction

Prepare for Labyrinth walkers
Different degrees of experience
Various generations
Multiple reasons for coming to a facilitated labyrinth walk

Good signage: what, when, where, who, time

Chairs to sit on before and after the walk

Offer introduction to new labyrinth walkers
Historical perspective
• Labyrinths exist in many cultures around the world over thousands of years
o Shores of Scandinavia
o Peru
o Southwest
• Roman mosaics
• Medieval manuscripts
• Cathedral labyrinths

Basics for first-time walkers
• Walking meditation tool
• Find your own pace
• Unicursal pattern – will meet others along the way, pass with respect
• Be aware of your thoughts
• Metaphor for life
• 3 Rs – Releasing, Receiving, Returning
• Stay in the center as long as you need to
• Each walk is different
• If dizziness appears, slow down on turns, focus on path

Please remove shoes unless needed for medical reasons

Offer a safe environment

Trained labyrinth facilitator
Non-judgmental
Respect the individual journey
do not interrupt a walk except for physical necessities

Create an inviting environment

Space considerations
Ample room for labyrinth placement
• Orient the labyrinth in a direction complementing shape/space of room
• Allow sufficient space to walk around the labyrinth/circumambulate the lunations
• Allow sufficient space for the labyrinth threshold
Natural lighting preferable to florescent
Quiet space
• Avoid areas with interrupting mechanical sounds
• Avoid trafficked areas
• Avoid areas with groups close by

Surrounding Ambience
Add votive candles
•Around labyrinth
• Window sills
• Display tables
Silence
Music
• CDs
o Homage, Judith Tripp
o Chartres: The Path of the Soul Catherine Blraslavsky Ensemble (Ad Fontem)
o A Feather on the breath of God, Abbess Hildegard of Bingen (Hyperion)
o Yearnings
o Miracles
Live music
• Flute
• Harp
• Drums
• A Capella

Provide support materials
Display variety of books
• Overview / history of the labyrinth
• Inspirational messages
• How-to’s – constructing labyrinths
Exhibit labyrinth various patterns and materials
• Classic – seven-circuit Cretan
• Chartres,
• Heart of Chartres
• Dancing Lady
• Outdoor labyrinths
o Turf labyrinths
o Stone labyrinths
o Inlaid pavement labyrinths
o Painted asphalt labyrinths
o Garden labyrinths bordered by flowers
o Beach / sand labyrinths
o Snow labyrinths
o Creative materials –
Include finger labyrinth
o Wooden labyrinths
o Plastic labyrinths (hygienic and light weight)
o Sand labyrinths
o Fabric labyrinths
Provide printed resource materials
• Bibliography of Labyrinth books
• Locations of local labyrinths
• World wide labyrinth locator
• Instructions for creating a labyrinth
o Seed pattern
o Masking tape, yarn
o Materials at hand
o Small canvas
Inspirational Photos and Images
• Chartres Cathedral labyrinth
• Cathedral architectural features
• Icons
• Sculpture

Scarves
May be worn by labyrinth walkers
Soften an environment
Add stimulating color

Reflection on labyrinth walk
Journaling
Art materials
• Paper labyrinth patterns
• Pencils, magic markers, crayons
• Scissors, glue, construction paper
• Fabric
• Clay

Bibliography of Hospitality Prepared by M. J. McGregor

Artress, Lauren, “Walking A Sacred Path, Rediscovering the Labyrinth as A Spiritual Tool”, New York: Riverhead Books, 1995.

*Artress, Lauren, “The Sacred Path Companion: A Guide to Walking the Labyrinth to Heal and Transform”, New York, NY: Riverhead Press, 2006.

Barry, Patrick, OSB. Trans., St. Benedict’s Rule. Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 2004.

Bright, Vonette, Ball, Barbara. The Joy of Hospitality. Orlando, FL: NewLife Publications, 1996.

Derrida, Jacques. Of Hospitality: Anne Dufourmantelle Invites Jacues Derrida To Respond. Trans. By Rachel Bowlby, Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2000.

Hay, Leslie A. Hospitality: The Heart of Spiritual Direction. Harrisburg, NY. Orehouse Publishing, 2006.

*Homan, OSB, Father Daniel, Pratt, Lonni Collins,. Radical Hospitality: Benedict’s Way of Love. Brewster, MA: Paraclete Press, 2002.

Koenig, John. New Testament Hospitality: Partnership with Strangers as Promise and Mission. Philadelphia, PA: Fortress Press, 1985.

*Nouwen, Henri J.M. Reaching Out: Three Movements of the Spiritual Life, New York, NY: Image, Doubleday, 1975.
Oden, Amy G., God’s Welcome: Hospitality for a Gospel-Hungry World. Pilgrim Press, The United Church Press, 2008.

Strauch, Alexander. The Hospitality Commands. Littleton, CO: Lewis & Roth Publishers, 1993.

*indicates a particularly helpful resource for labyrinth facilitators.