The Way of the Labyrinth: A Powerful Meditation for Everyday Life (Compass) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Do you know where you're going?..." (more)
Key Phrases: classical marked, labyrinth walk, permanent labyrinth, Labyrinth Project of Connecticut, Labyrinth Society, Chartres Cathedral (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The first time Helen Curry walked a labyrinth she was moved to tears and then "was filled with peace and possibilities." Here, she shares her years of experience with labyrinth meditation and shows how others can find serenity and guidance by adopting this increasingly popular practice. Unlike mazes, which force choices and can create fear and confusion, labyrinths are designed to "embrace" and guide individuals through a calming, meditative walk on a single circular path. The Way of the Labyrinth includes meditations, prayers, questions for enhancing labyrinth walks, guidelines for ceremonies, instructions for finger meditations, and extensive resources. This enchanting, practical, and exquisitely packaged guide helps both novice and experienced readers enjoy the benefits of labyrinth meditation, from problem-solving to stress reduction to personal transformation.

Includes a foreword by Jean Houston, the renowned author and leader in the field of humanistic psychology, who is considered the grandmother of the current labyrinth revival.

About the Author

Helen Curry, an ordained interfaith minister, Reiki therapist, and meditation group facilitator, is the founder of the Labyrinth Project of Connecticut, and one of the foremost labyrinth practitioners in the world. She is president of the Labyrinth Society, an international organization.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (October 3, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 014019617X
• ISBN-13: 978-0140196177
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 7.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #155,840 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Solid Confirmation of What I Knew Inside, November 23, 2001

By	Ellie Greenwood "elliebluewood" (Missoula, Montana USA) - See all my reviews

A dear friend gave me this book.

My friend is not someone who talks about feelings or his spiritual life and he rarely finds himself walking in a labyrinth. Yet he knew when he saw The Way of the Labyrinth in a museum bookstore in Washington DC that it was a book he must get for me. On December 31 2000 my friend and I did walk in a laybrinth in Hamilton Montana. My friend enjoyed the walk but for me it was transforming. I didn't know much about the power of Labyrinths until then, nor did have much information about them. Lucky for me I have a woman friend in Missoula who has created several labyrinths in Vermont. She came to my house in May of 2000 and we installed a labyrinth of mowed paths in my backyard. I immediately felt more happy and at peace than I had in months. I have a much deeper connection to my small piece of property as a result of the labyrinth that has been uncovered in yard.

I walked in my "lab" for almost a year before my friend gave me this book. After a year of meaningful walks I was still without much formal understanding of the labyrinth concept. I was now ready to take in information and become more knowledgeable of the history of labyrinths and how they have helped people throughout time. This book is a wealth and gift of gentle information. As a result of walking my labyrinth for 18 months and reading this book I feel more grounded in my labyrinth practice. I feel very lucky to have recieved such a lovely gift from such an unlikely friend. I'm happy every morning to see this book on my desk in my yellow kitchen and I am even happier to have read a book that is so well written.

The book confirms what I've always known inside. The truth is already there, you just have find your way to the center to listen as it quietly speaks to you in ways you can understand. I reccomend this book to everyone who has ever walked a labyrinth, and even for those who have been walking all year without any formal understanding of the journey. You won't be disapointed.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars We All Meet at The Center, November 24, 2000

By	John Ridder "labyrinth_guy" (Indianapolis, IN USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Helen Curry is an internationally recognized expert on the labyrinth movement and is a founding member and current President of the Labyrinth Society. Helen puts an overdose of her personal experience in to this book. She includes sections on the history of labyrinths and how to build labyrinths as many recent books do, but more importantly, she gives many personal experiences in operating the Connecticut Labyrinth Project, and shares the anonymous comments of many pilgrims. I was a bit amazed in reading the personal comments, that I had much of these experiences myself, over the same time frame. Special features include meditations for each portion of the traditonal walk, and a series of 'ecumenical' blessings that can be used on different occasions in setting the environment when opening the labyrinth for public walks. Added bonuses are the embossed 'walkable' labyrinth on the cover and a preface by Jean Houston.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Labyrinths from A to Z, November 25, 2000

By A Customer

A clear, concise, and very practical introduction to Labyrinths, their history and deeper meaning, and how to use them today. The author shares an abundance of her own moving experience in working with labyrinths, and offers detailed instructions both for building and for using labyrinths for purposes ranging from simply quieting the mind to practical daily problem-solving. Worthy reading for anyone intrigued with the deeper meaning of an ancient symbol.