Pondering My Pilgrimage to Swedish Labyrinths On Gotland Island-8

As my pilgrimage draws to a close, I am taking time to remember what has happened. I am pondering the gifts received and the insights gained, especially during my prayer-times on the various labyrinths. I want to leave the island with a sense of how the story of this journey fits into the bigger story of my life in God.

The Nyhamm Labyrinth next to the Baltic Sea

My Prayer

May what I have learned and experienced become a blessing to others.

Church Labyrinth Graffito

Scriptural Touchstone: 

Let the wise also hear and gain in learning, and the discerning acquire skill… Proverbs 1:5 (NRSV)

Our group’s final walk together on the Majbacken labyrinth

Invitation to Pray:

As you gaze gently at the photos of these Swedish labyrinths on the Island of Gotland, what prayers are emerging in your body, mind, heart, and imagination? Pray them now.

Pondering in the center of the Folhammer labyrinth

Other posts in this series on pilgrimage to Swedish Labyrinths on Gotland Island
1. St. Mary’s Cathedral in Visby
2. Temporary Labyrinth in St. Lars Church Ruins
3. The Trojaborg Labyrinth (outside Visby)
4. Stone Labyrinths
5. Labyrinth Flow
6. The Unexpected
7. The Pilgrim’s Way

If you are going to Sweden and would like to visit the labyrinths, more information about each one is available on the World-wide Labyrinth Locator.

With deep thanks to Jeff and Kimberly Saward and Lars Howlett for introducing me to many labyrinths here on Gotland Island.

The Sysne labyrinth

Some considerations that relate to labyrinth building and care that have been reaffirmed this week:

• Whatever you have in abundance in your environment make great, appropriate building materials. The outdoor labyrinths on Gotland are built with stones.
• The size of the center often influences the amount of time you spend there and how many people you can share the space with.
• Walking a labyrinth is one form of caring for it. Some of the labyrinths we experienced exist simply because people have walked them for centuries.
• A natural labyrinth can be as inviting as a “well taken care of” labyrinth. All the labyrinths we walked had flowers, grasses, and other natural elements that had not been “weeded out” or pruned. Sometimes they made the experience a bit challenging, but more often they added interest.