By Sharon Campbell Rayment – Special to the Sydenham Current
My friends if you traced the labyrinth from last week’s article you have begun the “Journey Within”!
You have also, put out the fire of anxiety by calming the amygdala (fire alarm for the brain initiating the fight or flight response), engaged creativity and critical thinking, and increased your resilience.
Amazing right!
All that from tracing the labyrinth!
Plus, the more often you do this, the calmer, more focused, grounded and stronger you will become.
This is because the more often we do this practice it rewires the brain for long term change.
We transform from anxious and worry to be able to stressless and live happy every day.
God has truly given us the ability to rewire our brains and “be transformed by the renewing of our mind.” (Romans 12:2)
On Sunday we will begin the International Week of Prayer from January 16 to January 25.
As we pause in prayer this week, we connect with others around the world to create hope, peace, and love in a chaotic world.
I would like to encourage you to use the labyrinth as part of your prayers.
I started using the labyrinth when I was in my late 20s and so have been using it for over 20 years.
(Yes! You can do the math lol!)
And if you have met me you would understand that I was having a hard time with sitting meditation. I’m a wee bit of a high energy person!
Funny enough it was Cheryl Kirk, the previous Minister at Trinity, who introduced me to the labyrinth.
I call this “Meditation in Motion” as I can walk a labyrinth or use a finger labyrinth to trace.
Movement helped me to use my full being as part of the process, focusing my mind, engaging my body, and awakening my soul.
In a labyrinth there is only one way to the center and one way back out again.
Truly where it ends it begins and where it begins it ends.
It is not meant to trick you or be a puzzle to solve.
In a maze you lose yourself, but in a labyrinth, you find yourself.
You journey within to create inner silence to hear that still small voice that reminds you of your greatness and your connection to all of life.
This inner silence isn’t empty.
It’s full of hope.
Full of answers.
A place of calm.
It’s where we find harmony within at the very centre of our being.
I will be presenting the labyrinth and a 3-part prayer process on Thursday, January 20 at 12:10 p.m. at Knox Presbyterian Church in Wallaceburg.
These worship services, focused on prayer, will be daily at 12:10 p.m. at Knox on Monday, January 17 to Friday, January 21.
You may attend in person (please be masked and keep 2m distancing), or we will be sharing a Zoom link for you to join.
Let us, wherever we may be, remember to be prayerful.
It’s as simple as pausing to do the APB of Inner Harmony or tracing the outline of a labyrinth or kneeling in prayer.
We know that wherever two or more are gathered God’s presence is there. (Matthew 18:20)
The hope is that this week of prayer in Wallaceburg will be one of hope for renewal and love to unite us as one. (John 17:21)
One Breath ~ One Heartbeat ~ One Prayer.
Until next time remember every breath you take is a breath of God and a shared one with All my Relations United as One.
