The Labyrinth at St. Andrew

Upcoming: World Labyrinth Day Celebration

The Labyrinth Society — in collaboration with Veriditas, The Legacy Labyrinth Project, and the Australian Labyrinth Network — invites you to join in celebrating World Labyrinth Day on Saturday, May 3, 2025. Every year, on the first Saturday in May, thousands of people around the world participate in World Labyrinth Day as a moving meditation for world peace and shared appreciation of the labyrinth experience.

Walk as One at 1 at St Andrew Lutheran Church on this 17th annual World Labyrinth Day. While the outdoor Labyrinth has open access, we will be offering a peace walk at 1:00 pm on May 3 to help create a rolling wave of peaceful energy passing from one time zone to the next around the world. We will be gathering at 12:30 pm for walk preparation.

We will also be decorating peace flags that will be strung around the Labyrinth. All are welcome to join us.

Saturday, May 3, 2025, from Noon - 3 pm, at St. Andrew Lutheran Church

What is a Labyrinth?

Labyrinth walking is an ancient practice used by many faiths for spiritual centering, contemplation, and prayer. Entering the serpentine path of a labyrinth, you stroll while quieting your mind and focusing on a spiritual question or prayer.

What are the benefits of walking the Labyrinth?

Walking the Labyrinth quiets the mind, opens the heart, and grounds the body ... Some find answers to questions long asked, some find healing, creativity, and a sense of wholeness ... What will you find on your labyrinth journey?

Can anyone walk the Labyrinth?

The Labyrinth is available to everyone and is located on the East lawn of St. Andrew at 5607 NE Gher Road in Vancouver, WA. There are benches

Preparing for the labyrinth walk.

  • No preparation is necessary.

  • Remember that everyone’s experience in the labyrinth is unique to them.

  • Observe labyrinth protocols – such as removing shoes for cloth labyrinths.

  • Developing an entering and exiting ritual can be helpful – such as bowing with hands in a prayer pose.

  • Allow yourself to experience the presence of the labyrinth by letting go of your own agenda and prescribed meaning for the walk.

  • Find your own natural pace for walking. This may vary each time you enter the labyrinth and may involve occasionally stopping on the path. It may be necessary to pass others or let others pass you by briefly stepping out of the path. You may want to keep your eyes downcast to stay inward-focused.

  • You might concentrate on breathing at the beginning of your walk to quiet the mind for meditation or reflection.

Reflective ways to use the labyrinth.

  • Try to have a specific intention for your walk.

  • Mediate on the four Rs: remembering your blessings, releasing the things you cannot control, receiving guidance or peace, and resolving to take the next step in your life or dealing with a problem.

  • Recite silently intercessory prayers for others on the path towards the center and use centering prayer to listen to God’s voice on the returning walk.

  • Use a silent mantra or simple phrase to help quiet the mind.

  • Feel free to read scripture or journal while you walk.

  • Reflect after your walk on any insights that bubbled up in your mind during the experience.

Reflecting Jesus’ calling, we, the community of St. Andrew, proclaim that the gifts of God are for all, so we welcome and advocate for equity and justice for… All abilities and disabilities, All believers and unbelievers, All races and ethnicities, All religions and creeds, All gender identities and expressions, All countries of origin, All sexual orientations, All immigrants and refugees, All economic levels, All spoken and signed languages, All…no exceptions!