Would you like to have a labyrinth in your own back yard, perhaps even in your living room?  Would you like to have a portable one that you could use any time, in any place, and under any conditions?  One that would not take up much room, cost anything, and take any time to set up?  One that would be a convenience rather than an inconvenience?

Well, the good news is, you can have your own personal labyrinth for both private and community use. One that you can share with others, or use for your own personal meditations.  One that will cost you nothing, except some exciting time, that will take up no external space, can be used any time, in any place and under any circumstance. It is a “Virtual Labyrinth”. 

Watch the Virtual Labyrinth slide show

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VIRTUAL.....The use of the word “virtual” is from its traditional definition of “existing or resulting in effect or essence though not in actual fact, form, or name,” as opposed to its more contemporary association with digital environments which should be classified as “computer based”.

VIRTUES OF A VIRTUAL LABYRINTH: 

The virtual labyrinth has the potential to give the same experience as a stationary labyrinth.  But just because it is the same experience, don’t expect it to be exactly the same.  As a friend of mine has said, “Every time I walk the labyrinth it is a different experience.”  

The virtue of the virtual labyrinth is that we can walk it on a daily basis.  This can bring balance to our lives.  When one visits another person in a hospital, an important part of the visit is not only the time when they are together.  It is important, but more important is the feeling of the visitor’s presence after she leaves. This is the way that the labyrinth works.  Walking it is important, but even more important is the sense of the Presence when one leaves. 

Awareness of the Presence brings a balance to life.  A balanced life is one that depends on the internal Presence rather than external events.  When one depends on external events for his peace, love and joy, he rides a roller coaster.  When things go well, he feels at ease. When other people affirm him, he feels loved. When he does well, he feels satisfied.  However, when things do not go well for him, he feels distressed. When others criticize him, he feels hurt and angry. When he does not do well, he loses his joy.

A balanced life depends upon the internal Peace, Love and Joy of God’s Presence for his life whether events go well or not, whether others affirm or reject him, whether he does well or not.  He can still find the Peace of God’s Presence within himself.

Another obvious virtue is that the Virtual Labyrinth is portable.  You can walk it any time, in any space and under any circumstances.  Some may think that the virtual labyrinth will not work the same way that a stationary labyrinth works.  What needs to be understood is that the power is not in the size of the walk, but in the walk itself.  A stationary labyrinth by design must be concentric.  Also, it does not have the paths run into or cross each other. When you walk a virtual labyrinth, it can be of any shape or design that you want.  You can cross paths in such a way that it is possible to have a complete walk in a small space.  It will work because the power is in what I call “the shuffle”.  I will explain this in the next section.

VIRTUAL LABYRINTH GOALS: 

A goal of the virtual labyrinth is to enable journeyers to become familiar with the sense of the Presence as they take their daily walk.  The result should be a sense of the labyrinth Peace, which is the ability to enter into the Presence without the aid of a labyrinth.

Another goal is to teach people how to take the labyrinth to heart in such a way it would be as if it was in their back yard or living room. They could use it on a regular basis.  It could light up their Christian Faith in ways they never could imagine.  It cannot be explained.  It must be experienced.  We need to realize the difference between going in “out” of the Presence and coming out “in” the Presence makes in our lives.  

The most important goal is to teach the basic principles of spirituality.  One can then consciously and with intent use this or other spiritual exercises more effectively.  When one realizes the simple principle that the way to access the Presence is through the conscious heart and never through the rational head, then the person can focus their attention on the work ahead.