The Spiral Course of Personal Growth
Posted on October 23, 2012 by Elaine Bayless, One of Thousands of Christian Coaches on Noomii.
Discussion of the ancient labyrinth pattern as a model for personal growth.
A labyrinth is a one way maze. It has been used for centuries as a meditation tool in many different faiths, including Christianity. There are many ways to use a labyrinth, but there is no one “right” way.
A labyrinth twists and turns, leading us around in loops, drawing us in towards the center and back out to the edge. We travel on the curve, making U-turns, not sure which circuit will be the innermost and which will be the outermost. And then the circuits lead us to the center, a place of stasis. In the center, we sit and rest for the return journey. And then we voyage back out to our lives, retracing our steps, weaving in and out, clockwise and counterclockwise.
I believe personal development is closely linked to the pattern of the labyrinth. We think that growth is a linear process – that financial stability today means financial security for tomorrow. And then, when a disaster hits our finances, we are broken down, afraid that we have lost all that linear progress. But I prefer to think growth as a labyrinthine pattern. Sometimes we feel as though we are at the pinnacle of our lives: we have achieved all our goals and we are happy. Other times we feel like we have hit rock bottom and are starting at the outer edge of our dreams. That is the labyrinth movement to and away from the center. But whether we are on the outer circuit or the inner, we are still moving to the central point of rest. That financial disaster? Just a shift to the outermost circuit, not a loss of all the financial progress you’ve made over the last few years. Growth isn’t linear. Success is not at the top of a flight of stairs, nor is it a static target. Growth is spiral. Success is a moving target, and sometimes it’s at the top of a hill, and other times it’s at the end of a water slide.
Visit this website (http://labyrinthsociety.org/virtual-labyrinth-walk) to experience a virtual labyrinth walk. If you can, find a local labyrinth to walk. Remember that even if things are going badly, all is not lost.
