Labyrinths have been around for centuries - their calming and healing properties are being uncovered, but not for the first time, writes Sylvia Thompson.
LABYRINTHS, THE ancient sacred patterns sometimes inscribed on rocks, are becoming popular tools for meditation and healing.
Unlike mazes, labyrinths have only one path which leads from the outside to the centre and, for this very reason, walking through them is believed to calm the rational mind, leaving space for more intuitive thoughts.
"People walk the labyrinths to find peace or bring balance to their lives," says Tony Christie, who runs introductory workshops to labyrinths and their uses for healing.
"There is an element of mystery to them. Everything about the labyrinth is a metaphor for life. At times you feel you are going towards the centre and then you reach an unexpected turn that makes you seem further away than ever. If you ask me why they work, I'd have to say that I don't know but they seem to be a safe container for people's emotions," he says.
Currently in Ireland, there are up to 20 labyrinths. Some are in religious or spiritual settings such as Lough Derg, Co Donegal; in the Church of St Regnus, Burt, Co Donegal; and at the Glendalough Visitors Centre, Glendalough, Co Wicklow.
Others are either temporary or permanently put in place inside or outside holistic health centres and some are privately owned.
Permanent labyrinths are made from stones, hedges or paths laid out in grass. Temporary ones can be painted onto canvas which is then spread out in a room or even made with sticky tape on a floor.
In the United States, labyrinths have been installed in hospitals and hospices for use by health professionals, patients and their families to relieve the stresses of illness.
"In America, doctors and nurses walk through them to calm themselves before working in surgery. Also, some dentists and doctors have finger labyrinths [ ie labyrinths drawn on paper] which children can use before surgery," says Christie, who gave a workshop on labyrinths at a mental health conference in Dublin City University last year.
Christie believes symbols such as labyrinths re-emerge in societies when traditional spiritual structures are breaking down.
"In Ireland, for instance, traditional religions are not appealing to some people and these individuals are looking to other things to help them understand their lives.
"In these cases, labyrinths become tools for personal and spiritual growth," he says.
"Some people get ecstatically happy and some people get very upset when they walk in the labyrinth. Basically it brings up what they need to heal at that point in their lives," he explains.
In a typical workshop, Christie (whose day job is as environmental health officer for the HSE) introduces the idea of labyrinths for healing, makes one on the floor and explains their historical context.
Historically, labyrinths have been found in various places throughout the world, from the Scandinavian coastline and mosques in Indonesia to Hopi Indian reserves in the US.
In the Republic, the Hollywood stone (now on view at the Glendalough Visitors Centre) is a prime example of a labyrinth carved into rock which was originally a marker stone along St Kevin's Way, the ancient pilgrimage route to Glendalough.
"Historically, there have been many labyrinths found carved into rock in places like Spain and Italy and often they are found along early Christian pilgrimage routes," explains Christie, who is a member of the Labyrinth Society, the worldwide group of labyrinth enthusiasts.
Christie believes labyrinths could be painted onto school yards or in playgrounds in the same way as hopscotch and snakes and ladders. "They would be calming for children and they are also known to enhance people's creative sides," he says.
Labyrinths laid out in community spaces could provide a reflective space for individuals or group, a space to stimulate creative problem-solving and conflict resolution or indeed a tourist attraction.
But is it difficult for people to learn how to use them?
"No experience is required to use a labyrinth. You just need to have an open mind and consider the thoughts that come to you when you walk through it," he says.
And how has this interest in labyrinths helped him personally?
"I'd say that I'm finding more peace in myself through using labyrinths. They have helped me address issues in my life. When I was upset and confused, I found clarity and calm and when I'm happy, I run along the path."
For more information, see www.labyrinthireland.com andLabyrinths & Mazes - A Complete Guide to Magical Paths of the World by Jeff Saward (Lark Books)