The Labyrinth at Glade Run Lutheran Services

The Labyrinth at Glade Run Lutheran Services is open to the public; it is located at our Zelienople campus, directly inside the main stone gates and across the main drive from our foundation office. Visitors must schedule in advance by emailing or calling the foundation office.

The day you visit, be sure to stop in the foundation office to sign the guest book; outside of hours, the book may be found on the office’s front porch. Please stay within the labyrinth area during your visit and do not park on the grass.

“You show me the path of life. In your presence there is a fullness of joy, in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” -Psalm 16:11

The Labyrinth at Glade Run's Zelienople Campus

A labyrinth is:

• A winding path that leads to a central space and then out again by the same path
• A wondrous pathway that may become a mirror for our own lives and a metaphor for our spiritual journey
• A circle and a spiral, each powerful and ancient symbols of unity, wholeness and transformation
• A tool of spiritual growth, healing and transformation of heart, body, mind and spirit
• A spiritual discipline of setting one foot in front of the other and following a path
• A calling forth of our intuitive symbolic mind and creative meandering spirit
• A deeply healing container where we can touch our joys and sorrows
• A labyrinth is not a maze; unlike a maze that is designed to confuse you and is full of dead ends and obstacles to overcome, a labyrinth is designed for you to find your way with no wrong turns or dead ends

The Labyrinth Story

The labyrinth is one of the oldest tools for prayer and meditation known to humankind. Labyrinths are often found in many spiritual traditions and cultures throughout the world. The ancients knew the circle to be a sacred symbol of harmony, wholeness, integrity and grace.

It has appeared in carvings and artwork of cultures separated by continents and millennia. The labyrinth had been used for over 5,000 years of prayer, ritual and personal spiritual growth.

Glade Run’s labyrinth is the Medieval-style and is inspired by labyrinths such as the Chartres Labyrinth, set into the floor of the nave of Chartres Cathedral in France almost 800 years ago. During the Middle Ages in Europe, the practice of making a journey on foot to Jerusalem became impossible due to the wars in the holy land. Labyrinths were constructed in cathedrals for the purpose of replacing pilgrimage. Today, labyrinths are being reclaimed world wide as a tool for growth and deepening along the spiritual journey.

A Simple Way

As you enter the labyrinth you may find it helpful to pause at the threshold, to offer a prayer of thanksgiving for this time, and set an intention for your walk. It could be as simple as…

I come to:

• experience the labyrinth
• center in my deepest self
• pray and seek God’s wisdom
• enjoy the movement of my body
• seek God’s guidance with a decision
• clarify my thoughts/feelings
• honor a transition in my life
• release a memory, despair or grief
• express gratitude to God
• ask a question

As you leave the labyrinth, ponder what touched you, inspired you, challenged you or surprised you. A prayer of thanksgiving may also feel like an appropriate closure to this time.

You may, instead, wish to let this experience unfold as it will.