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CIRCLE OF GRACE LABYRINTH TIMELINE

June, 1998: Our minister, Audrey Bickford, attends a Unity conference in Unity Village, MO at she walks a labyrinth for the first time.

July, 1998: Connie Wilson attends a Joel Goldsmith Meditation class at Unity facilitated by Faith Frankel, where she meets Andrew Gerhard and, later that year, Kathy Vitelli. She becomes friends with both.

Oct., 1998: Audrey speaks during our Sunday service at the Stanton Grange (our temporary home) about her wonderful experience walking the labyrinth at Unity Village; and how, if we purchase the VFW in Pattenburg there is enough land that we could build a abyrinth there. Connie Wilson is at this service and, hearing Audrey explain how the labyrinth can be walked as a form of meditation, thinks this could be another great reason to buy the VFW.

Yr. 2000: Kathy Vitelli builds a seven circuit woodland labyrinth in her back yard in Readington Township. She builds it totally on her own, stone by stone, from rocks she has hand selected. The stones were placed on top of the ground to form the labyrinth walls. Walking this will be Connie Wilson's first experience on the labyrinth.

July 1, 2001: Connie Wilson, Andrew Gerhard, and Kathy Vitelli go on one of Carol House's
Labyrinth Pilgrimages. The first labyrinth we visit is Kathy's home labyrinth; the second one is the labyrinth at the Katzenbach School for the Deaf in North Trenton. Carol House laid the lines, and Kathy and Bob Vitelli and their family constructed this seven circuit classical labyrinth, in which bricks were set into the ground for easy maintenance and wheel-chair accessibility. The labyrinth was created in memory of the Vitellis' daughter, Cynde Vitelli, who had recently died and had been a beloved teacher at the school. They completed the labyrinth in one weekend. Our labyrinth is modeled after the one at Katzenbach, with ours being constructed with Belgian blocks instead of brick.

Aug 26, '01: Carol House gives her first labyrinth workshop at Unity. She brings a portable canvas labyrinth, and most of us experience walking a labyrinth for the first time. Interest increases in our having a labyrinth of our own.

Yr. 2001: Kathy Vitelli and Carol Murphy donate funds to have Carol House lay the
lines for a labyrinth at Unity.

Mar 16, '02: Carol House gives a second labyrinth workshop at Unity. She also donates her dowsing services, and the current location of our labyrinth was determined that day. A reporter from the Express-Times is present to cover the event.

Mar 22, '02: The Express-Times newspaper runs an article on labyrinths as a path to spirituality, including pictures of Unity members and Carol House walking the labyrinth.

May 18, '03: Connie Wilson shows a video at Unity: Labyrinths - Their Mystery and Magic.
Following the video, Connie Wilson and Andrew Gerhard take Unity members to visit the labyrinth at Katzenbach.

Jun 15, '03: Unity members go on our second labyrinth tour: this time we walk the classical eleven-circuit labyrinth in Mendham at St. John Baptist convent, with its walls constructed with inlaid bricks, and the seven circuit "Remember and Know" labyrinth in Warren, created with white rock walls on top of the ground, at the home of Yvette Halpin (open to the public).

Jun 29, '03: We visit the Katzenbach labyrinth for the second time.

Sep 27, '03: Construction begins on our labyrinth! Carol re-dowses for the entrance, and she and her husband David lay the lines. After the lines are laid (done with stakes and tape), Audrey blesses the labyrinth, and Jan Kirlew, while playing her flute, leads us, like the pied piper, on our first labyrinth walk. We all work very hard (its back-breaking work), and we enjoy a wonderful lunch; and thus begins a nice tradition of the labyrinth workers being well fed! Many come out to help. The ground itself is full of rocks with a little dirt mixed in (being mostly land-fill and with a stone quarry nearby), and it becomes obvious quickly that this will not be completed in a weekend! We do complete the inner circle, which in labyrinth symbology, is a metaphor for our oneness with God and each other. How appropriate that we begin this team effort, which will take months to complete, by starting from the center and working our way out.

Dec 3, '03: The laying of the Belgian blocks is completed, with Mary Kirka, Alan Tjiete, and Connie Wilson finishing the work by moonlight, with freezing temps, trying to complete it before the predicted blizzard, that arrives 36 hours later.

Dec 14, '03: We planned for a small, informal blessing of the labyrinth and acknowledgment of the construction team. Due to rain, which is so representative of the often unfriendly weather conditions we worked in, we have an indoor thank you to the labyrinth team. The labyrinth team decided to dedicate our labyrinth in memory of Kathi Wilson, Connie Wilson's daughter, who died at four. Karen Monroy displays the beautiful memorial stone she has created in memory of Kathi.

Apr 2, '04: Carol Murphy, Doris Bellero, Mary Kirka, Audrey Bickford, and Connie Wilson go looking for cement benches near Easton, PA. Cement benches are ordered and donated by Carol Murphy, Kathy Vitelli, Doris Bellero and Mary Kirka.

Apr 10, '04: Tweaking is done on the labyrinth. We carefully look over each labyrinth wall, adjusting Belgian blocks as necessary. We are pleased with how well the labyrinth held up over the harsh winter.

Apr 17, '04: We complete the construction of the labyrinth! We have lots of helpers: small children, teen-agers, and adults! The trenches are filled in with sand and top soil; we put down some pelletized lime, plant some fast-growing rye grass seed, and top it with some fertilizer. We have a tremendous sense of accomplishment, gratitude, and relief!

Apr 18, '04: We have a second showing of the labyrinth video.

Apr 22, '04: Audrey Bickford and Connie Wilson meet with Timothy Bond, a reporter for the Hunterdon County Democrat.

Apr 25, '04: During the Sunday service, we take our first vote for the naming of our labyrinth. We each choose five names, from a list of twenty-nine member suggestions. After the service, a photographer from the Hunterdon County Democrat, Dana Kacedon, takes pictures of Unity members walking the labyrinth.

May 2, '04: We take our second and final vote on our labyrinth name. We each choose one name from the six suggestions that received the most votes on April 25.

May 4, '04: The cement benches are delivered and they are lovely. Two are placed in the center, and one is placed to the left of the labyrinth entrance.

May 6, '04: The article by Timothy Bond on the building of our labyrinth and its upcoming dedication is published in the Hunterdon County Democrat, along with one of Dana Kacedon's photographs of us walking the labyrinth.

May 9, '04: At the Sunday Mother's Day service we announce the name we have chosen for our labyrinth: it is CIRCLE OF GRACE. A wonderful choice.

May 16, '04: We have our labyrinth dedication, where everyone who has contributed is acknowledged and thanked - those who physically helped to construct the labyrinth, as well as those who donated tools, funds, food, materials, sand, top soil, benches, artwork, office support, and all the many other miscellaneous contributions that have been made. We share labyrinth memories, give certificates of appreciation, and bless the labyrinth, holding in our vision all whom will place their footsteps on this path on their journey to oneness. This celebration recognizes that it was only through group effort that this labyrinth was grown and nurtured to fruition from 1998 to 2004.

THE LABYRINTH - A PATHWAY FOR HEALING AND TRANSFORMATION
by Connie Wilson

We are living in an age where the fast-paced, technological, gotta do-it-all and have-it-all way of life has left many of us bruised and battered and on a quest for health, emotional healing, peace of mind, and an experience of the sacred. Although our pressure cooker culture certainly creates extremely high levels of stress and often leaves us asking, "What's it all about, Alfie?," we join our ancestors in our quest for God and in our search for direction and a sense of purpose in our lives. Like the generations before us, we seek healing for our minds, bodies, and spirits. Somehow we know in a way that we can't quite explain that wholeness is possible. Indeed, there seems to be a Life Force that lovingly supports and moves us in this direction. And the direction is inward - to our core, to our center, to a sense of oneness within ourselves, where we find our intuition and inner guidance. It has been there all along, waiting for us. This journey inward can bring us to an experience of oneness with God and with all living things.

Since approximately 1500 B.C., some form of a labyrinth has appeared on every continent and in every culture as a pathway for making this inward journey. It has also been used for prayer, religious rituals, symbolic pilgrimage, and for blessing the land and all that lives upon it. There is a labyrinth renaissance occurring on the planet, as people are discovering how beneficial it is for stress reduction, problem solving, grounding, working through grief, healing, accessing intuitive guidance, letting go of anxious thoughts and worries, and communing with the Divine. As the beneficial aspects of the labyrinth are being re-discovered, they are popping up all over the place: in hospitals, prisons, school playgrounds, churches, and conference centers.

So, what exactly is a labyrinth? The biggest misconception is that it's a maze. A maze engages the intellect, with confounding twists and turns that require constant decision making; it's a left brain activity. A labyrinth has no such confounding elements; there are no choices to be made at all. There is only one path to the center and one path out. You cannot get lost or lose your way. The destination is assured. This certainty allows the mind to relax . . . to disengage a bit and quiet down from its incessant chattering. The labyrinth is a form of walking meditation and is usually done in silence, although some labyrinth walks can include dancing or singing. All you need do is put one foot in front of the other, walking at your own pace. There are no rules to follow or to remember. If someone is walking slower than you, just walk around the person. You can step off the path to do this - you don't have to worry about staying within the lines. There is nothing inherently sacred about the labyrinth itself; what makes it sacred are the intentions and energies of all those who come to walk it. Upon reaching the center, you may want to spend a few minutes in reflection, before walking back out on the same path that led you in. At the end of the walk, you will find yourself at the entrance (which is also the exit).

The two most popular style labyrinths are the seven circuit classical labyrinth and the eleven circuit Chartes labyrinth, with the seven circuit (also known as the Cretan) being the oldest and most common. The one pathway in meanders back and forth; the amount of times the path meanders around the center determines the number of circuits it is said to have. So, in a seven circuit labyrinth, the pathway will circle around the center seven times. The walls of the circuits can be made using a variety of materials, such as rope, stone, brick, tile, seashells, mounds of dirt, or grass turf. The walls serve to delineate the circuits. The path itself can be made from materials such as dirt, stone, mulch, brick, grass, or tile. Labyrinths can be drawn on a sandy beach or in the snow; they can be painted on concrete or wood, chalked on pavement, or printed on canvas or nylon (which makes them lightweight and portable).

The labyrinth gets us in touch with our creativity and our "knowingness," so we can remember who we really are. We've simply forgotten. We've wandered off to a far place, and the labyrinth can serve as a path that leads us home. Walking it does not change us; it transforms us and releases the butterfly in all of us. There are many theories on how it does this, and here, briefly, are a few of them. Many believe that the labyrinth's power comes from the sacred geometry that is inherent within it; that is, the geometric patterns that we see throughout all of nature are found within the labyrinth. For example, the meandering pattern is seen in our brains, intestines, and in our rivers and streams. The spiral is found in a seashell, in our inner ear, and in our DNA. The circle is the universal symbol of wholeness. It is believed that as we walk these and the other patterns found within the labyrinth, we remember them on a cellular level, and that this experience helps to bring the mind, body, and spirit into alignment. It is also believed that the patterns engage both the right and left sides of the brain, bringing them into balance. Walking these patterns seems to quiet the inner chatter so that we can hear that still, small voice within. Some theorize that walking a labyrinth is a predominantly right brain experience, which taps into our creativity and our non-rational ways of knowing. The right side of the brain is thought to be the avenue through which we receive intuitive guidance.

Often it is through metaphor that we can more easily grasp truths that are hard to convey through words or logical reasoning. Metaphor is the language by which the labyrinth speaks its truths into our hearts and souls. For instance, the way we walk the labyrinth can be a metaphor for how we walk through life. Do we rush through it? Are we hesitant or unsure? Self-conscious or critical of ourselves? Of others? How do we interact with people we meet on our path? Do they seem like obstacles in our way? And what does the walk and reaching the center symbolize for us? A common metaphor for the labyrinth is that the walk in represents the letting go and releasing of problems, worries, situations, and worldly demands. Being in the center can symbolize the letting in and receiving of intuitive guidance, inspiration, and an experience of at-one-ness with God and all of life. And the walk out can be viewed as a letting out and taking back into the world all the wisdom, love, hope, and peace that we received on our walk. Our journey on the labyrinth is often seen as a metaphor for the spiritual journey: often we're the closest to the center (our center, God, oneness), when we appear to be moving away from it; and despite appearances, every step we take on the path moves us closer to our goal.

Walking the labyrinth can be compared to walking the yellow brick road: we hope the path will lead us to our hearts, to our wisdom, and to our courage. Maybe the journey will teach us that we, too, have had it all along. It's always been just a click of our heels away!

Ten tips for deepening your labyrinth experience:

Realize that the first time or two that you walk a labyrinth you may be a little self-conscious, wondering if you're doing it correctly, are looking foolish, are not experiencing what others seem to, etc. Most people feel this way initially. It goes away quickly. For many, it's the third walk that's the charm!
Pausing at the entrance is a way of setting your intention for the walk (e.g., inner peace, solving a problem, receiving guidance, communing with the Divine, getting in touch with your deeper Self).
Walk at your own pace. On some days you may want to take your time; on others, a brisk walk may feel just right. Remember, no two walks will ever feel exactly the same because you're never in exactly the same emotional or psychological "place" when you step onto the labyrinth.
Bring your awareness to the walk. Be present in the experience. How does your body feel? What's it saying to you? Are the sights and sounds of nature speaking to you? Be the Watcher as thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, and images come up. Try not to judge them. Simply notice.
When you get to the center, stand or sit for awhile, letting yourself absorb what may have occurred for you on the walk in. Let it sink into your soul. Allow yourself to be open and receptive to the inner workings of Spirit. Experience being in the center, where there is stillness and calm, despite any raging storm that may surround it.
As you walk out, know that you bring all the gifts you received with you back into the world. This blesses not only you but all those whose lives you touch.
As you exit the labyrinth, turn and briefly face it once more to bring a sense of closure to the walk, to honor your experience, and to express gratitude to Spirit and to yourself.
If there is a bench nearby, sit for awhile and further absorb and assimilate all that transpired on your walk. If you bring a journal, you may find that insights and creative ideas flow easily through you and onto the pages.
If you can't walk a labyrinth, attached is a drawing of a seven circuit Cretan labyrinth that you can trace with a pen, pencil, toothpick, or whatever is handy. You can choose to enlarge it with a photocopier, if that would make it easier to trace. Some of the websites on the attached labyrinth resource list have labyrinths you can trace with your mouse or download, e.g., www.lessons4living.com. Many of the websites sell finger labyrinths. I've also provided an easy, step-by-step example of how to draw a seven circuit labyrinth. As mentioned above, there appears to be something beneficial within the patterns of the labyrinth that help to quiet the mind, alleviate stress, and aid in problem solving. Even drawing or tracing these patterns seems to offer some of the same benefits as walking them does.
Many of us feel trapped in our heads and in our need to "figure things out." Walking the labyrinth gets you moving, gets you back into your body, and helps your body to discharge the trapped energy which it holds, and accumulates, when your feelings have had no other outlet for release. The labyrinth is just a tool, a wonderful one, and a holistic one, in that it helps to bring the mind, body, and spirit into harmony. It truly is a healing path.

How to draw a labyrinth:

Pasted Graphic

Walking a Labyrinth

The labyrinth is a path of prayer for all people seeking the Divine, regardless of the particular tradition in which one stands. The winding path leading to the center serves as a metaphor for the inner journey back to God and to one’s Authentic Self. Our Circle of Grace labyrinth is a seven circuit classical, the oldest style labyrinth which dates back to approximately 1500 B.C. Unlike a maze, there is only one path to the center and one path out; so there are no choices to make, and you can’t get lost. There is no wrong or right way to walk a labyrinth. Here are some guidelines that you may find helpful:
1. Proceed at your own pace. You may want to pause at the entrance to set your intention for the walk.
2. Feel free to pause along the way, and to pass someone who may have paused ahead of you.
3. Upon reaching the center, remain there as long as you like. Some like to sit in the center to reflect.
4. When walking the path out from the center, give the right of way to those making their way towards the center. Simply step to your right, and let them pass. You may then step back onto the path, and resume your walk. As you exit, you may want to turn and face the labyrinth, in gratitude for all you’ve received and bring out with you.

The Threefold Path

One Christian approach to the labyrinth is based on the "threefold path" of Purgation, Illumination, and Union. These represent three stages in a labyrinth walk. 1. Releasing (Purgation). Walking from the entrance to the goal (the center) is a process of shedding or "letting go." There is a release and an emptying of worries and concerns.
2. Receiving (Illumination). At the center there is illumination, insight, clarity, and focus. It is here that you are in a receptive, prayerful, meditative state.
3. Integrating (Union). Empowerment and taking ownership. The path out is that of becoming grounded and integrating the insight. It is being energized and making what was received manifest in the world.

Palms Up, Palms Down

"Palms down" symbolizes release or letting go while "palms up" indicates receiving. Enter the labyrinth and walk to the center with palms down and center your thoughts on releasing the issues and concerns in your life. When you reach the center turn your palms up to be receptive to insight. As you walk out of the labyrinth keep your palms up to receive the strength and guidance to make your insight manifest. As you leave the labyrinth turn to face the center and bring you palms together for a prayerful end to your walk.