Full of exercises, suggestions, questionnaires, assignments, and meditations for getting the most out of the Labyrinth experience, The Sacred Path Companion is the indispensable guide for anyone searching for a spiritual journey that will inspire, educate, and engage.
Created by one of the guiding forces of the Labyrinth movement and the author of Walking a Sacred Path, this comprehensive and interactive workbook includes:
- The art of Labyrinth walking - The nine lessons of the Labyrinth - Four guidelines to gauge spiritual growth - Specific uses for healing and transformation through the Labyrinth - Forgiveness and reconciliation - The six purposes of ritual - Developing visions for the Labyrinth movement
The Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress is the author of Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Practice, and The Sacred Path Companion: A Guide to Walking the Labyrinth to Heal and Transform (Putnam/Riverhead Books, New York). Artress is a spiritual director, Marriage and Family therapist, and Canon Emeritus at Grace Cathedral and Founder of Veriditas a non-profit dedicated to introducing people the healing, meditative powers of the labyrinth.
Lauren Artress is one of the most knowledgeable people on the labyrinth. I like this one a lot better than Walking a Sacred Path. This has a workbook format with helpful, spiritual, probing exercises.
There are a number of books about labyrinth walking, as this ancient spiritual practice has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years. However, few are as practical and filled with interesting applications as this one. Thought-provoking and healing, this workbook helps you get the most out of the labyrinth experience. It takes some time to work through the exercises, but it's well worth it. Excellent!
There is some good stuff in this book; hence two stars and not one. (I only give a book 4 or 5 stars if I plan to reread it). Almost gave it three but for the ending where she says that one don't need God's authority just his or her own, and elsewhere she seems minimize moral evil too much. I disagree. She sprinkles quotations throughout the book, some of which are quite good and others don't seem to have much content. Some of the discussion of labyrinths I found helpful, and the practical advice is always good, but I wish it were heavier on the historical side. The author is seems Broad church and into the New Age movement, neither of which describe my own views. On the plus side, the book does make me more interested in labyrinths and resolve to walk the labyrinth at our parish more often.