Connecting to the ancient power of the Labyrinth in our women’s world.
As women we live and heal in the power of circles, and have done since ancient times. You will find labyrinths in various parts of the world. The original ones believed to be traced in sand but no record of them remain. Midwives have used Labyrinths as a tool for healing or reflection.
I have been drawn to labyrinths for many years. They have fascinated me. Sometime into my life as a midwife many years ago I came across Pam England’s use of the Labyrinth in birthing and postpartum. Her writing allowed me to revisit this ancient wisdom and my draw to this ancient symbol. Labyrinths and mazes have often been confused. When most people hear of a labyrinth they think of a maze. A labyrinth is not a maze. A maze is like a puzzle to be solved. It has twists, turns, and blind alleys. It is a left-brain task that requires logical, sequential, analytical activity to find the correct path into the maze and out. A maze can raise fear, stress of a situation of being lost and need to be solved logically a way out but not the labyrinth.
A labyrinth has only one path. It is unicursal. The way in is the way out. There are no blind alleys. The path leads you on a circuitous path to the center and out again. This way in and out allows us to journey to and from, in and out. No walls, no judgment, no have to. A tool linked to wisdom and direction.
I have felt that for too long women lose their journey and power in many aspects of life through the medicalisation of many parts of our women’s world, and example is birthing but also motherhood and womanhood. Society poses what we should do, how we should behave, follow the most popular but not giving space to trust ourselves.
This morning in the 18th arr. in Paris I spent a wonderful morning with an amazing group of young women. I did a workshop with Gursharn (please check her out https://www.gursharnrait.com), who describes herself as a Motherhood Studies Practitioner, but is more, much more.
We both have a passion to impower women with the healing tools of journaling with a labyrinth and free reflective writing.
Women heal when gathering in a quiet, calm, and safe space. Our host welcomed us into her wonderful home. With minimum reason to introduce each other the chat and comradery connected. Another healing tool is connection and nurturing. So, with cups of tea in hand we turned to the inviting comfortable sitting area. No-one really understood what they had signed up to but were courageous, and trusting enough to be open to this adventure. Its hard to describe it you need to witness it.
Gursharn lead us in calming and breathing to center us.
The use of the tool of the Labyrinth is creating your own but first in Thomas Moors “
Original Self”;
The soul doesn’t evolve or grow, it cycles and twists, repeats and surprises, echoing ancient themes common to all human beings. It is always circling home.
I lead in explaining and showing how to create our own Labyrinth and how to use it. We then entered and reflected and then came out again and protected our entrance. To flow Gursharn led us on to free writing and journal again to heal or reflect.
The two mediums rode well together. The buzz was reassuring and enlightening. We all trusted each other and so gained from the energy that lifted out of a warm comforting time together. All expressed a wish to return, it was a return to the gathering of women and the possibility to support each other.
After writing this I feel so strongly that I need to find a way to share this and explain what power these tools give to each individual. We have more workshops planned in May both online and in person. Feel free reach out to join us. The next one is 3rd of May online in the evening.