You Can't Get Lost in a Labyrinth

Unicursal labyrinths, are labyrinths that consist of a path, which twists and turns but has no dead ends. This particular pattern can be found on cave walls as rock paintings, which date back thousands of years. In fact, the earliest coin that has ever been found in the world has a labyrinth on its face. Labyrinths have played an important part in the history, myths and legends of many different cultures. Several thousand year old labyrinths in Europe have been discovered crafted from turf and stones cut into hillsides.

People often refer to labyrinths as mazes, but there is a difference between the two. Mazes do have dead ends, and a person can lost within a maze, but one can never get lost within a labyrinth.

Both labyrinths and mazes hold a large amount of symbolism. Both provide the walker the means to become lost, and then to find oneself again. The very act of walking a maze or a labyrinth reminds us that there is a destination to be reached, even in the midst of chaos and confusion, if we can find the patience and fortitude to keep going forward, despite the twists and turns that life throws our way.

It was not unusual to find a unicursal labyrinth incorporated into the floor of a church during the medieval days. You can still see them today in some of the older, larger cathedrals. During those days, a person's journey through the labyrinth was representative of his or her journey through life, and hopefully towards redemption. Many early Christians were encouraged to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem at least once in their lifetime. For some, who could not physically make the journey, the labyrinth provided a suitable metaphor. Some people crawled through on their knees while praying, hoping to find spiritual redemption at the end of their journey at the heart center of the labyrinth.