Religion - General: May 2008 Archives

The Outdoor Labyrinth at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco

Part of my regular routine when coming out to the Bay Area is to fly into SFO so that I can go into San Francisco and accomplish three goals: Ride trolleys on the F-Line, buy chocolate for family at Ghiradelli Square, and walk the labyrinth at Grace Cathedral.

This third goal is my favorite. I don't discuss my spiritual beliefs much here on the YatPundit blog. I have other, more private outlets for that writing. Still, one of the things I've noticed about micro-blogging on Twitter is that I'm not considering the spiritual like I used to. Too many concrete discussions going on and a lot of goofing around. While I readily admit to enjoying both of those things, there are more facets to me as a person.

Walking the labyrinth is one of the best tools for meditation and focus I've ever experienced. The labyrinths of Grace Cathedral are replicas of the one laid down in the floor of Chartres Cathedral in the 13th century. Usually I go straight to Grace from SFO, park, walk the labyrinth, then have a coffee in the cathedral's coffee shop, but there were several special events going on in the neighborhood of the cathedral, making parking impossible. I did other things until around 6pm, at which time, I drove back up to the cathedral. It was a different experience, walking the labyrinth as the fog began to roll in. Usually it's sunny when I'm there in the early afternoon.

The labyrinth allows me to calm myself, center, and focus on where I am in life. Energy builds up as one walks the pattern, until reaching the center where one feels closer to the Deity. It's a wonderful feeling, and if you ever get the opportunity to walk a Chartres labyrinth, i highly recommend the experience.