Labyrinth

St Mary’s Labyrinth

Anyone is welcome to walk the labyrinth at St Mary’s which is situated on the Rectory lawn behind the Church Hall. You can download our Labyrinth Information Sheet to resource you.

What is a labyrinth?

A labyrinth is a path of prayer laid out on the ground. It has been used by the Christian church for at least 800 years and is based on ancient patterns found all over the world. Walking a labyrinth is like going on a pilgrimage where beautiful and unpredictable things can happen.

How do you walk a labyrinth?

There is no right or wrong way of walking a labyrinth, but here are some suggestions.

• At the entrance to the Labyrinth pause for a few moments to gather your thoughts and to ask for guidance on your way. If you have something specific you would like to think about or resolve hold this in your mind as you begin your walk.

• When you enter, follow the path to the centre which can easily be seen from any part of the labyrinth. Go at whatever pace is comfortable for you. As you proceed allow your mind to quiet. You can pray for yourself or someone else or keep a question or problem in mind and notice how you feel about it.

• At the centre, pause for as long as you choose and release from your mind and heart any prayer, concern or question that you brought with you.

• When you are ready to leave the centre, retrace the path back out reflecting on any new perceptions, solutions to problems or answers to questions that using the path may have revealed to you.

• Upon leaving the labyrinth, give thanks for the experience.

Labyrinths can be walked by people of all ages and some are accessible to wheelchair users. An information leaflet on labyrinths in the local area can be downloaded here.

The Quiet Garden at St Mary’s

A garden space has been separated off from the Rectory lawn with a curved dry-stone wall to make a quiet space for prayer and reflection. As in any garden, this is a work in progress as we watch plants grow. There are a spiral box hedge, fragrant climbers over the pergola and trained apple trees. Please feel free to use this garden as you may find helpful.