There may be people who seek a path of liberation as a journey far, far away from Earth into the depths of space.
The labyrinth as a Christian symbol of initiation, on the other hand, shows a different goal: The path through the labyrinth does not lead the pilgrims away, not anywhere, but they always remain very close to their fellow pilgrims, there are always points of contact with the other pilgrims at all stages. By walking this mystery path, pilgrims release the light of knowledge with every step and, above all, with every turn.
On a trip to the far north of Sweden, I came to a small village where I wanted to take a break. As it was still early afternoon, I wandered through the village, soaking up the clear, light blue summer atmosphere of northern Sweden. When I stopped in front of the last house on the street and admired a magnificent sunflower taller than a human being, which towered over the fence, the homeowner greeted me, and I replied as best I could in Swedish. They replied directly in German and said they had German ancestors. We got talking and eventually they invited me for a coffee on their terrace. We exchanged stories about where we came from and where we were going. Finally, they said, ’I’d like to show you something special. Come into the back garden.’ I followed them through the patio door.
In the garden, we walked towards a wall of shrubs and they led me through an enchanted gap, behind which we found ourselves in a rather extensive area. ‘I’m only officially a flower grower, my real work is this’, they said. I saw a large roundabout covered with many concentric rows of shiny white stones, large and small, a labyrinth. There always seemed to be a path between the rows.
I stopped spontaneously to let the harmony of the layout sink in. But I still didn’t quite understand the structure. The paths sometimes seemed to end or turn back. Are these paths all connected, or does each concentric stone circle stand alone? In any case, the centre of the roundabout seemed to be something very special: it consisted of a circle. In the middle rose a human-sized rose hedge that concealed what lay at its heart.
‘My life’s work,’ they said. The size of the complex was enormous; I estimated the diameter to be about thirty metres. Slowly, I recognised the structure of the labyrinth: it was divided into four sectors, through which the path meandered in concentric circles. ‘There are twelve circles,’ said my host.
‘This labyrinth,’ they continued, ‘is a mystery. It has nothing to do with a maze or the Cretan labyrinth from which Theseus was supposed to find his way out, with the help of Ariadne’s thread, as is well known. One enters this labyrinth voluntarily. It not only symbolises the path of initiation into the mysteries, but also contains many clues for walking the path of the mysteries and the dangers and possible distractions.
After entering, taking the first steps and having made the first three turns, you have already reached the innermost circle. The pilgrim may think: ‘I have already arrived!’ And they realise with surprise: ‘That was easy; I am one of the chosen ones, it is so easy for me.’ But you have not really entered the innermost circle yet, you are only allowed to touch its outer wall. But even at the outer wall, a strong aura emanates from the innermost circle, so that many people linger there. It is, in a sense, a place „where milk and honey flow“.’
I objected: ‘The paths are only marked by rows of stones; one could simply step over them and shorten the path.’ ‘Indeed, that is possible, because the path is not built in stone, but only marked. This corresponds to the principle of the Christian path of initiation, which is a path of gaining knowledge in freedom. The labyrinth symbolises a path of the soul that leads to complete maturity, so stepping over the boundaries makes no sense, but violates cosmic laws. Those who do not follow the symbol seriously cannot properly complete their soul’s development. But in fact, this stepping over is not uncommon, it’s more common than one might think, through occult practices, drugs and the like. Or simply through immaturity.’
After a while, I said, ’If you stay in the middle of the path, walking seems to be very easy. But if you dream and are not vigilant, especially at the turning points, you stumble over a stone and are awakened again.‘
’Exactly, this stumbling can manifest itself in life as an accident, a loss, an illness, but it can lead to a shock, to awakening and ultimately to insight, if all goes well. These white stones symbolise the fundamental laws of life and being that apply throughout the cosmos, and stumbling over them leads to ever more experiences, so that at some point the person has consciously internalised the divine order.’
I asked further: ‘On our journey through life, we encounter many people who, from our perspective, are going in a different direction – what does that mean?’ – ’They are also on their path, but at a different point in the curve, and therefore only seem to be moving in a different direction. They may be people with whom we exchange experiences and insights, which is helpful and very gratifying. Or they may be people who are in need and require advice, understanding or active help. Or thirdly, they may be people who already have more insight and can help me; but for that, I must be ready.‘ – ’How can I tell if a person is further along and can help me?‘ I asked. – ’We cannot determine whether someone is “further along” on the path, because we have no sense of something we have not yet developed. In the beginning, we often tend to smile at such people. But pay particular attention to the quiet ones.’
After a pause, they continued: ’We have only just arrived at the outer wall of our innermost being. But the stream of life urges the pilgrim at some point to go further, away from this place where milk and honey flow, and it leads us through eight more turning points.
“A fairy tale is quickly told, but a deed is not so quickly done”,
as they said so aptly in old Russia. For each individual turning point not only means a change of perspective, but is also the end of one stage of development and the beginning of a new one. After successfully passing through the eight turning points – how many lives does it take to do so, who knows? – the pilgrim arrives at the outer edge of the innermost circle for the second time, this time on the opposite side. It is more exclusive there; only a few have gathered there, but the result is still the same: the pilgrims are still on the outer edge of the innermost circle.’
After a moment of reflection, I objected: ‘But surely the pilgrims will not have remained the same after their many and undoubtedly dramatic experiences?’ – ‘That is precisely the crucial point. But in relation to the innermost, it remains the same. To help you understand, let me tell you a parable: When someone plans to emigrate to a country, they begin to learn the language and take an interest in the customs and also in the whole country. This enables them to pass an entrance examination for an advanced course and continue to learn the application and subtleties of the language, history, customs, leadership and order of the new country. But they have definitely not yet moved into the new country. To do so, once they have passed all the tests and the final exam, they must be patient until they – together with their companions – are invited to enter the new country.
So when the invitation does come unexpectedly, it means saying goodbye to the old country completely and being ready for a completely new beginning, because the last third of the path is long, there are another twenty-two twists and turns. But the pilgrims are all well prepared by their mature souls and are no longer alone. They are spiritually connected to their emigrant group, which can make the journey also entertaining. The group, as a community of souls, recognises the paths together and ‘illuminates’ them. This makes walking easier, and it is no longer necessary to stumble over stones. On the contrary, through collective illumination, the order of the whole becomes recognisable and the pilgrims are allowed to rejoice in the beauty and wisdom of the entire cosmos. They are able to truly recognise the glory of God for the first time and praise the Creator.
There may be people who seek a path of liberation as a journey far, far away from Earth into the depths of space. The labyrinth as a Christian symbol of initiation, on the other hand, shows a different goal: The path through the labyrinth does not lead the pilgrims away, not anywhere, but they always remain very close to their fellow pilgrims, there are always points of contact with the other pilgrims at all stages.
By walking this mystery path, pilgrims release the light of knowledge with every step and, above all, with every turn. The first pioneers still had to laboriously make their way through the darkness with every single step. As more and more pilgrims walk, this light becomes brighter and clearer, walking becomes easier, and eventually the entire labyrinth shines with a bright glow of knowledge.
The shape of the labyrinth contains all the views of a mystery path and is therefore a wonderful and beautiful work of art that could only have been conceived by a spirit soul or a spirit-soul brotherhood. To me, the labyrinth seems to be a symbol of the spiritual connection of all humanity, or even better: a plan for the development of the human soul. Or simply: an ark for all seeking souls.‘
’Did you walk the path to the end?’ I heard myself ask – and as I was still speaking, I realised how stupid the question was. ‘There seems to be something special about the labyrinth,’ they replied. ‘I felt it when I took my first step inside, with firm determination, as if an invisible force were urging me on and on to walk the path to the end. Did I walk the path to the end? Seen from the outside, it seems as if the hidden core of the labyrinth is an end, a concrete goal. But what would that goal be, what would it consist of?‘
After a pause, they continued: ’The path through the labyrinth is the journey through life, through many lives, carried and guided by a deep longing. At the end of the path lies the fulfilment of that longing. Therefore, before definitively entering the labyrinth, it is important to become aware of one’s goal in life.’
The question arose in me: ‘Where is my longing aimed? What is my goal in life?’
We were silent for a long time.
Then there was a rustling in the bushes behind us – a large dog came running up to them and nudged them with its snout. They stroked it. ’Thank you, Hanno,‘ they said and turned to me: ’I completely forgot that I still have a visit to make. I’m sorry, but we have to say goodbye. Have a safe journey back home; who knows, maybe we’ll see each other again sometime.’
We shook hands warmly and said goodbye.
