World Labyrinth Day

PRESS RELEASE: Thousands Walk in Moving Meditation for Peace on World Labyrinth Day in May

What do you call the journey of a thousand footsteps that winds up exactly where it began? The answer lies in the labyrinth: an ancient archetype recently rediscovered as a path of prayer and walking meditation.

This spring The Labyrinth Society (TLS) invites the world to cross mental borders in a shared symbolic walk for peace in celebration of the 7^th Annual World Labyrinth Day (WLD). Held on the first Saturday in May (May 2, 2015), individuals or groups can participate by holding private walks or public events on the labyrinth.

“As mindfulness and meditation have gone mainstream, people around the world have been turning to labyrinths as a spiritual exercise or for stress relief,” says coordinator Lars Howlett. “Based on an informal event survey in 2014, over 5,000 people participated in WLD from more than 44 states and 23 countries.” TLS encourages participants to be counted by taking a WLD Participation Survey.

Existing for more than 4,000 years, labyrinths are mythological designs having a variety of uses. In a hyperactive world of constant connectivity, labyrinths are in resurgence as more people seek out sacred spaces that promote insight and inner wisdom.

“While many use labyrinths for personal reflection, WLD is an opportunity to ‘Walk as One at 1’ in the afternoon (local time) in solidarity with others around the world to promote peace. It’s heartwarming to think of hundreds of people walking in Australia, Poland, Scotland, and Colombia, among other countries where participants organized local events last year,” notes Howlett. “The first person to sign up this year is from Zambia!” Participants can share their photos and stories in The Labyrinth Society’s Events Facebook Group and locally in the High Park Labyrinth Facebook Group

Labyrinths are also found in diverse environments, from schools, parks, and prisons to corporate campuses in Silicon Valley. Google offers two for employees in Mountain View and a golden snail greets visitors at the center of the walking path at Electronic Arts in Redwood City. Churches are building labyrinths as an alternative way to engage their communities and facilitate spiritual practice.

Celebrations of World Labyrinth Day can be posted and found via the TLS Events Calendar. The World Wide Labyrinth Locator is another resource for finding labyrinths in your local community or while traveling throughout the world.

“We have an ambitious goal this year for participation in all 50 United States as well as 50 countries. As governments and armies seem to further polarize world peoples, the labyrinth has been a bridge between cultures throughout history,” notes Howlett. “World Labyrinth Day is for everyone and, like the labyrinth itself, is an opportunity to develop tolerance and compassion for others from different walks of life.”