How to Walk a Labyrinth: A Spiritual Practice for Anxious Times

Some seasons ask more of us than we have words for. When prayer feels hard to begin, sometimes the best thing to do is head outside — and inward — and walk the labyrinth.

A SPIRITUAL Practice for This Moment

We live in complicated times. The news is heavy, uncertainty is constant, and many of us are carrying grief and stress we can't quite name. Walking a labyrinth is one of the oldest contemplative practices in the world, and it turns out to be a remarkably fitting one for exactly these kinds of moments. There's no goal, no wrong turn, no way to fail. You simply walk, breathe, and let the Spirit do the work.

Labyrinth Walks vs. Mazes

People often confuse the two, but they're opposites. A maze is a puzzle: it has branching paths, dead ends, and choices designed to make you lose your way. A labyrinth has just one path. It winds and turns, sometimes bringing you close to the center and then carrying you back out to the edge, but it always leads to the center and back out again.

That difference is the whole point. In a maze, your mind stays busy solving. In a labyrinth, there's nothing to solve, so your mind can rest. For centuries, Christians who couldn't travel to Jerusalem walked labyrinths laid into the floors of Europe's great cathedrals, most famously at Chartres in France, as a pilgrimage made one step at a time.

The Three Stages of a Labyrinth Walk

Many walkers find it helpful to think of the journey in three movements.

1. Releasing (the walk in). As you follow the path toward the center, let go of whatever you're carrying: worries, distractions, the day's to-do list. Some people breathe a simple prayer with each step; others just notice their feet.

2. Receiving (the center). Pause in the center for as long as you like. Sit, stand, or simply breathe. This is a place to rest in God's presence and stay open to whatever comes, whether that's peace, an insight, or simply quiet.

3. Returning (the walk out). Retrace the path back out, carrying what you received into the rest of your life. Walkers often notice that the way out feels different from the way in.

There's no right pace and no right feeling. If your mind wanders, that's okay. Just keep walking.

Visit Our Labyrinth

Our outdoor labyrinth sits next to the Children's Building on the Oak Hill UMC campus at 7815 US-290 in Southwest Austin (campus map). You're welcome to walk it on your own whenever you have time. This basic guide will walk you through your first visit.

If you'd rather walk with others, our Contemplation Lab group takes its practice to the labyrinth on the last Monday of each month, and we host special walks throughout the year, including a walk during Holy Week, a World Labyrinth Day walk in May and a candlelight walk during Advent. Bring a camping chair if you'd like to stay and talk afterward.

Learn more about the practice, its history, and upcoming walks on our Pray the Labyrinth page.

🌍 Save the Date: World Labyrinth Day — Saturday, May 2

Mark your calendars! World Labyrinth Day is Saturday, May 2, and we'll be joining thousands of people around the globe in a collective walk for peace. We'll walk at 1:00 PM at the OHUMC labyrinth — right alongside the rest of the world. More details to come!

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