"You enter a maze to lose yourself and a labyrinth to find yourself"
What is a Labyrinth?
A labyrinth is a complex series of winding paths, different from a maze, for a labyrinth is usually not a place where you get lost. Instead, a labyrinth gives the walker a specific path to follow.
What can I do with it?
Labyrinths have been an important part of many cultures spiritually for thousands of years, and have also been used to create decorative art in many forms. Walking through a labyrinth is usually intended to be a meditative and contemplative act, and many religions, including Christianity, integrate walking meditation in labyrinths into their spiritual practices.
Why is The Chislehurst Labyrinth different from others?
The Chislehurst Labyrinth is a unique pathway inspired by a water labyrinth in the Qasr al-Azm Palace in Damascus. It was been adapted and created by Jeff Saward and built in August 2011by The Labyrinth Builders.
The design is unique to Chislehurst as it has areas to create worship displays and interactive stations. This makes it a most useful versatile tool - for simply walking as an individual; as an educational space to fit in school RE curriculum; or a sacred space on retreat days; to use with prayers during worship.
More Facts:
It is in the style of a non-archetypal design with separate entrance and exit paths.
It is 6.92m diameter (7.68m including surround) and has 6 circuits. From entrance to exit is 74.5m.
The paths are 306mm wide formed by 75mm square tiles with walls 76mm wide formed by a single course of square tiles.
Many of the 8,000 tiles in the Labyrinth had to be cut by hand, with some tiles smaller than a thumb nail.
Click on the document below to see some pictures of the Labyrinth being created: