Thought for the Week

Timothy D. Stein, MFT, CSAT

November 5, 2012

A Labyrinth

A labyrinth is a formation that looks like a maze.  However, unlike a maze which presents choices to make about turning left or right, the only choice in a labyrinth is to continue going or to turn back.  Labyrinths have been used in various spiritual communities as guides to prayer and meditation.  When you move through a labyrinth, you move in a circular pattern that sometimes takes you closer to the goal and sometimes takes you away from the goal until finally you arrive at the center of the labyrinth.  The brilliance of the labyrinth is that it mirrors the pattern of change and progress in life.  At times we feel close to our goal and later we feel as if we are moving away from our goal but as we hold on to our path we eventually arrive.  The labyrinth teaches us that change and progress is not a straight line; we understand that perseverance, even when we feel disheartened, is the key to change and progress in life.

As I try to change the behaviors and patterns in my life, how do I hold on to perseverance?  Who can I turn to for support when I feel as though I am not making progress?