The Labyrinth

The labyrinth is an ancient aid to Christian meditation. Our portable labyrinth was created by lay members of First Church as an aid to prayer, meditation and spiritual renewal.

The Labyrinth
A journey into and out of the Labyrinth is said to be a pilgrimage into the self. During the middle Ages, the Labyrinth was used to show the connection between earth and spirit. In the 12th century, a beautiful Mandala-like version of the ancient pattern was laid in the stone floor of the great cathedral at Chartres. Pilgrims came from all over the Western World to tread the Labyrinth asking for both physical healing and birth into the spirit filled life.

The Outdoor Labyrinth
The Labyrinth is located at the south west corner of the Music Center buildings and Trotter Chapel. Going up to the upper parking area you will see a curved wall. The Labyrinth is on the opposite side. The Labyrinth is available for groups or individuals to walk any day of the week. The lights at the Labyrinth and the parking area however, are turned off at 10 p.m.

The Portable Labyrinth
The portable Labyrinth pictured here was created by lay members of First Church as an aid to prayer, meditation and spiritual renewal. It can also be used to just walk and reflect on your life Journey. The Labyrinth is portable and can be brought to your church by our group. (See Labyrinth Opportunities below.)

The Finger Labyrinth
measuring 18" by 18", allows you to experience the graceful path of the eleven circuit labyrinth through the touch of your finger. It is for use as a personal meditation tool, for people that are home bound or while you are waiting for someone that is in the hospital having an operation. (It is more relaxing than reading a book or watching television).

The Mission
It is the mission of the Labyrinth Team of the First United Methodist Church of San Diego to foster the development of the spiritual life of all interested persons through the use of the Labyrinth. We will provide the necessary materials, guidance and reflection for interested users. We will seek to keep our work within the best spiritual traditions of our Christian faith, staying open to new awareness and learning from other ancient traditions.

Labyrinth Opportunities

First United Methodist Church of San Diego
The Portable Labyrinth can be brought to your church by our group. Your church will need a place inside that will accommodate a 23 foot square cloth and an area to sit quietly before and after the walk. If your church doesn't have a place large enough, why not arrange a pilgrimage to First Church San Diego? Please contact Gary Krueger gfkbonita@sbcglobal.net, for information about arranging a labyrinth walk or about the sign-out procedure for the finger labyrinth. You may also contact Rev. Molly Vetter at (MVetter@fumcsd.org)

Grace Cathedral, San Francisco. Web site: www.gracecathedral.org

St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral, near Balboa Park at 2728 Sixth Ave. The labyrinth inside the Great Hall is available from about 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday (since the room is used for special functions, you should phone ahead at (619) 298-7261). In addition on the second Wednesday evenings of each month, the labyrinth is open from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Labyrinth Reflections
Read about experiences with the Labyrinth or contribute your own at Labyrinth Reflections