MANITOWOC (NBC 26) — A quiet space for meditation has reopened in Manitowoc after volunteers at Lakeshore United Methodist Church fully restored their labyrinth following 15 years of neglect.
The labyrinth was originally built as an Eagle Scout project but became overgrown over time. This summer, volunteers dedicated more than 70 hours to unearth the circular brick path.
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"We could sort of see the circles of bricks underneath the grass and this summer we felt called to dig it out," Cherie Forret said.
Forret, the pastor at Lakeshore United Methodist Church, says the restored space has become a place of calm and reflection since its re-opening and blessing earlier this month.
"It makes a quiet place to step away from the craziness of the world," Forret said.
The pastor explains that people often confuse labyrinths with mazes, but they serve different purposes.
"A maze will sometimes have dead ends and wrong turns to make, a labyrinth doesn't have that. One path in, a time to reflect in the center and then the same path out," Forret said.
According to the Labyrinth Society, there are 115 labyrinths in Wisconsin, part of more than 6,000 worldwide. Executive Director Kay Whipple describes the experience as moving meditation.
"Labyrinths are actually symmetrical when you walk them so if you're off balance it tends to help you become more calm," Whipple said.
"We have a three part walk—the walk in, and that's where you kind of let go of the world. The center where you kind of open up to inspiration, and the walk out is integrating the inspiration that you received in the center," Whipple said.
The church hopes the restored path will serve the entire community, welcoming visitors of all backgrounds.
"We absolutely invite anybody to come and walk, pray, meditate in the labyrinth … it could be anytime dawn to dusk," Forret said.
The church plans to host a special meditation event next month for those interested in experiencing the labyrinth. To learn more about the church and their labyrinth visit the Lakeshore United Methodist Church website.
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