Mazes have high walls, offer many different choices, and are essentially left-brain puzzles. Labyrinths have low walls, offer only one choice, “Are you coming in?”, and are magical tools that enhance intuition and spiritual growth.This terminology was developed in the early nineteen-nineties because up until then, there was no particular distinction made between these two words, and this lack of clarity was found to be confusing.
The oldest positively dated labyrinth is from 1230 BCE (plus/minus). It comes from King Nestor's Palace in Phylos, Greece. Nestor was at Troy with King Priam.There are labyrinth petroglyphs in Galatia, Spain that were made around 2000 BCE, but cannot be dated with the same degree of accuracy. There are many Trojan connections with the labyrinth. In Northern Europe, many labyrinths are called 'Walls of Troy' or, in Swedish, 'Trojeborg' (Trojan fort), or in Welsh 'Caerdroia' - the castle or turns of Troy (droia). And, whilst many labyrinth myths speak of a male energy in the labyrinth (Theseus and the Minotaur in Crete, and the Man In the Maze in the South Western USA), there is evidence that the labyrinth's connection with the Earth Mother goes much further back into prehistory. The earliest labyrinths were various versions of the Classical type and is by far the most common pre-modern labyrinth in the world. (The labyrinth in St. John’s Churchyard is a Classical Seven Circuit Labyrinth.)
While the Romans built intricate square mosaic labyrinths, it was during the explosion of Gothic Cathedrals that labyrinths re-emerged into Western conscious. These are much more complicated than the Classical types, the most famous one being at Chartres Cathedral, but they were probably used for the same purposes. While ball games were apparently played on them, their major purpose was spiritual. Several labyrinths in Gothic Cathedrals were called “Jerusalem,” and were used by those who couldn’t actually go on a crusade.
There are more pre-modern labyrinths in Sweden, Finland and Estonia (all essentially built by Swedes) than anywhere else on our planet. There are larger ones built by Vikings that are found inland, but the vast majority of them were built by fishermen on the coast of the Baltic Sea, and walked before going out fishing to ensure a good catch, a good wind, and to capture the Trolls! These Swedish tricksters delighted in playing games, so they would follow the fishermen in, but the fishermen would then quickly run out and jump in their boats and take off. The Trolls couldn’t find their way out so easily, so they could not get in the fishing boats to mess things up. (What do you call the kind of fishing when the boat is moving slowly forward, and there is a long fishing line (like Theseus’ thread) behind the boat with the baited lure at the end?...Trolling.)
In Britain, most of our older labyrinths are called “turf mazes.” There are a number of them sprinkled throughout this island, but they do disappear quickly if they are not maintained.
There are several labyrinths here in Glastonbury, the most famous being the three dimensional one that winds around the Tor. This one was first noticed by Geoffrey Russell in the nineteen-sixties, and it is quite unique in that I know of only two other much smaller 3D labyrinths in the world.
There are guides in Glastonbury who can take you around this labyrinth, but be ready with good boots for a long trek!
The other labyrinth is in St. John’s Churchyard, just inside the front gate. It was built to commemorate the Tercentennial of Queen Ann Giving Glastonbury its Town Charter. There are five surface-level sculptures in the labyrinth. At the four 180° turns are four Saints who were important in Glastonbury’s history – Bridget, Mary, Dunstan and Joseph of Arimathea. In the crossing is a representation of the Glastonbury Town crest.
There is no correct way to walk a labyrinth. In Medieval times, some monks crawled them on their knees, kids love to run them, but most people walk them in some kind of contemplative state. Recently I walked it to say good-bye to an old friend just before I went to her funeral in the church. Labyrinths can be used as doorways, or portals, to the spiritual realms. They are indeed powerful tools.
Sig Lonegren
If you would like instruction in this subject please contact Sig at (01458) 835 818 or email link
website: www.geomancy.org
