One of the best ways to enjoy meditation and quiet contemplation is to get outside and walk around a labyrinth. The purpose of walking a labyrinth is to achieve a contemplative state. The theory behind a labyrinth is that by walking around the turns, the outside world and sense of direction becomes lost, thus clearing and quieting the mind. Labyrinths exist all over the world with some dating back to antiquity. Labyrinths are not mazes and are uni-cursal, which means one path in and the same path out.
The labyrinth at Prairie View. Photo credit: Lisa Gulak
The labyrinth at Prairie View is a replica of the design at the Chartres Cathedral in France. The labyrinth rests in a natural clearing. It is 50 feet in diameter and the paths are 20 inches wide. The distance is approximately half a mile to the centre and back. The walkway consists of over 5250 stones that are native to Saskatchewan. The stones sit on a red shale surface.
The labyrinth was completed in June 1998. The labyrinth at Prairie View is located no more than 30 kilometres south of Saskatoon on Highway 11 on the grounds of the Prairie View Chapel and Crematorium. The labyrinth is one of approximately fifteen located in the province of Saskatchewan.
A wooded path leads to the labyrinth. Photo credit: Lisa Gulak
Photo credit: Lisa Gulak
The stones of the labyrinth. Photo credit: Lisa Gulak
When you enter the garden at Prairie View, there is a pile of stones on the ground. These stones can be placed on the prayer wall as a remembrance to those who have left us or offered in prayer for those still living, or struggling, or wherever hope is needed. The stones can also be carried during the walk on the labyrinth to further the contemplative state.
The meditative path through the trees helps to quiet the mind and prepare for the journey through the labyrinth. Despite its nearness to a busy highway, a meditative state comes easily while walking the labyrinth and the peacefulness of the gardens nurtures and refreshes the soul.
