I visited the Rosa labyrinth twice this week, once in between classes and once at night. The labyrinth is set just under the EMU hill, protected by a small hedge. Typically, the labyrinth is deserted– there’s a chance you’ll run into someone else, but most days it’s quiet. Labyrinths are really only used for a few things: meditation, prayer, or general leisure. If you feel like your relationship with the almighty is being suffocated by the regular-ness of life, the stillness of the Rosa Labyrinth can promote a rare quiet and mindful space on campus. I can’t meditate, but I’d definitely recommend the labyrinth for prayer, the feel of the stones on your feet with differing temperatures and the wind through the trees provides light sensory attention to compliment your mental dive into prayer. 

Labyrinths are an ancient symbol used for meditation and spirituality. Labyrinths are meant to mirror patterns found in the natural world; they are a straight path to the middle– not a maze meant to confuse. The labyrinth was constructed with 30 tons of stone from a local river, containing 996 stones, and the middle of the Rosa Labyrinth at EMU is a cross made of red river rock, symbolizing the christian journey and faith, meeting Jesus at the end of the long road. A labyrinth as a prayer tool uses three movements (as described in the EMU Prayer Labyrinth webpage): the individual praying lets go of worldly attachments to come closer to God, in the center of the labyrinth the second movement of prayer is reflection on the individual’s relationship with God, and the third is the eventual letting go of the peace attained in the middle of the labyrinth as the individual prepares to enter back into the present world. Writer for US Catholic Kenneth McIntosh says: “God longs to meet us on this timeless winding path.” 

Friday night, I went to the labyrinth to see if the stones felt different under my feet. On a hotter day, the night stones are cool, and the labyrinth experience is only enriched by the night air– although typically I wouldn’t head up to the labyrinth on the weekends as the sounds of partying and students playing basketball and pickleball make it a little bit harder to concentrate on talking to God. Any weekday night or eve will make for a peaceful experience, even if you aren’t religious, tranquillity doesn’t always come easy. If you find yourself in a position where it’d be comfortable to go to the labyrinth, maybe with some tea or a drink from the Common Grounds Coffeehouse, find your way to the labyrinth and enjoy a soft breeze, a beautiful view, and an open spot to meditate.