Park Forest, IL–(ENEWSPF)– In celebration of the Winter Solstice on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2008 from 4:40 pm. to 6:30 pm., the Unitarian Universalist Community Church , in Park Forest, will hold a candlelight labyrinth walk in the sanctuary.
All are welcome. For more information call the church office at 708-481-5339. The UUCC Church is located at 70 Sycamore Drive, 1/4 mile south of Steger Road, on the left, going south on Western Ave.
A labyrinth is not a maze. There is a clear way in and a clear path out. Historically they have been used in group ritual and private meditation. 12th and 13th centuries saw the height of medieval labyrinths such as the one in the grand Gothic Cathedral in Chartres, Frances. Here the symbol was the hard path to God, with a clearly defined center (God) and one entrance (birth) Recent years have brought a resurgence of interest in the labyrinth symbol which has inspired modern labyrinth building such as the carpeted labyrinth on the floor of the Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, and another outdoor one etched in stone on the patio.
Now we think of labyrinth as a form of pilgrimage. One walks the path toward enlightenment or salvation, a centering experience in self knowledge and spiritual growth. Many labyrinths exist today in churches and parks. Many believe walking the labyrinth quiets the mind and induces a contemplative state, a form of meditation that can have, physical, mental and spiritual benefits.
The Labyrinth Society provides a location for modern labyrinths in North America and world wide.
