May 2: First Annual World Labyrinth Day

Photo: Harvey Beery

The first Saturday in May has been established as World Labyrinth Day, a global day of celebration of the labyrinth. Falling on May 2 this year, enthusiasts around the globe are invited to “Walk as One at 1” by walking a labyrinth at 1:00 p.m. in local time zones, creating a wave of wellbeing flowing around the world.

In the right brain-left brain model, walking a maze is a left-brain experience.


Lanser Labyrinth, Cave Creek, AZ. www.lanserlabyrinths.com

A labyrinth is unicursal (having only one path), so there are no choices to be made. Therefore, there is no need for walls or hedges to obscure the view, and most labyrinths are flat, or relatively so. Walking the labyrinth is not done to achieve a goal, but in order to have the experience. This type of journey engages the right brain, and is often characterized by right-brain experiences such as contentment, a meditative mood, or a creative, joyful and/or altered state.

The circular rings are called “circuits,” and labyrinths may have three or more circuits.

Paxworks' award-winning labyrinth at Fatima Retreat House, Indianapolis

Some people walk the labyrinth slowly, some have crawled it on hands and knees, and others even dance their way through it.

“Research studies conducted in a variety of settings has consistently shown that walking a labyrinth reduces stress.  In fact, over the past few years, this has been the most commonly researched topic related to the so-called ‘labyrinth effect,’” says John W. Rhodes, Ph.D. Chair, Research Committee, The Labyrinth Society (TLS).

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