{"id":3939,"date":"2019-10-05T10:08:56","date_gmt":"2019-10-05T14:08:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/karenharbin.com\/coaching\/?p=3939"},"modified":"2019-10-05T18:17:47","modified_gmt":"2019-10-05T22:17:47","slug":"walking-a-labyrinth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/karenharbin.com\/coaching\/2019\/10\/05\/walking-a-labyrinth\/","title":{"rendered":"Walking a Labyrinth to Find Your Way"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Walking a Labyrinth to Find Your Way.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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We are all walking the same path in a different way.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Walking a labyrinth.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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On the first really cold night of Autumn, I tightened my fleece around me and walked down the dark path alone.<\/p>

Ahead of me I could hear the sound of gravel crunching, like a metronome, the steady beat showing me the way. The shadows of those who had started before me, moved back and forth under a sliver of moon, as the wind lifted and gently dropped the sweet scent of pine into the circle.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Stepping into the unknown.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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I stepped into the Labyrinth unsure of myself, worried if I was doing it wrong.\u00a0With my first steps, I remembered the instructions that had been provided as we all sat in a circle in the church basement moments before. Set an intention, quiet my mind, remember the three R’s: Receive, Return – darn, what was that third R?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

I fell in step behind<\/span>\u00a0a young woman and wished that, like her, I had thought to wear my winter coat. As I squinted into the dark, I winced as I noticed that she walked barefoot on the gravel. She must be an Advanced Labyrinth walker, I thought. I bet she knows all the R’s.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Setting an intention.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Determined not to get lost in my thoughts, I turn my attention to my intention: to become the woman I so want to be, to stay on my path. I wanted insights that would inspire me and help me see the bigger picture.\u00a0<\/p>

I took a deep breath, put myself in “receive” mode, and put one foot in front of the other, making my own crunching sound in the gravel.<\/p>

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Finding our way.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The structure of the Labyrinth forced us to stay on a path that was ordered but also chaotic.\u00a0<\/p>

People were far away and then they walked by me going in the other direction. I walked alone, and then in a group, and then alone again. I felt on the periphery and then seemingly a few small steps later, I found myself in the middle. When I forgot there was even a destination, the center, I arrived there. We all did.\u00a0<\/p>

The unpredictability un-nerved me, and in the next moment delighted me.\u00a0The inevitability surprised me. And also delighted me.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Journey. The destination.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In the center, the destination, I reflected on my journey and on the journeys of the others around me – the same, yet different paths; all with intentions for their lives, all different; all reaching the center, but it meaning something different to everyone.\u00a0<\/p>

And this center was merely a resting point. Somewhere to pass through, to reflect, to collect myself for the journey out. Are all our destinations like this?\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Wayfinding.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Walking a Labyrinth is a way to gain insights into our lives. It’s a tool designed to help us find our way.\u00a0<\/p>

On my first walk, my insights were mostly about the unknown – how I want to know how to do it right, how I want to know how it turns out before I begin, how I want to skip the journey and go right to the goal.\u00a0<\/p>

When I thought I would never reach the center, it appeared. When I thought I’d be stuck on the outside forever, I slingshotted into the middle, and then out again. I had fun being surprised by the Labyrinth.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Insights for your journey.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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I left the Labyrinth feeling lighter. Worries fell away. I felt guided. I felt like laughing at all our human worries. I wondered at the delight I felt at being surprised. Maybe some of my insights will keep you company on your own journey:<\/span><\/p>