By Bernard Burt

Pacing the mysterious winding path of a labyrinth in Arizona, I wondered where it would lead in my life. The stress of my beloved sister’s death weighed heavily. Plans for a new book loomed. And yet a sense of optimism came over me.

Small miracles happen in the labyrinth. Jennifer Wayland-Smith, director of the Golden Door Spa at The Boulders Resort, tells of guests shedding tears, dancing, singing, and finding solace. The solitary quest induces a sense of calm or, in my case, causes anxiety. In the end, the turns of the path mirror turns in our lives.

Pausing to look inward, you may discover insights about your problems and challenges, or celebrate the joy of being at a point in life where you can relax at Golden Door. The labyrinth is particularly helpful to those in transition, says Wayland-Smith. “The mysterious winding path takes us to the center, a metaphor for a healing journey.”

Nestled beneath giant boulders said to be 12 billion years old, the Arizona labyrinth is traced in sand. The experience is enhanced at twilight; as my journey ended, a full moon rose over the desert.

Deborah Szekely, founder of Golden Door, had this revelation after discovering the labyrinth at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. Based on spiritual cosmology, the patterns follow a mystical architecture. Found in almost every religious tradition, labyrinths appear as a Tree of Life in the Hebrew Kabbalah, as a Native American medicine wheel, and Tibetan sand paintings. Gothic cathedrals of Europe, notably Chartres, France, feature labyrinths strategically located in geometric patterns related to the whole of the universe.

While this spiritual geometry is now mostly lost knowledge, simply walking the labyrinth invites us back into the center of our being. Moving between silence and a sense of place, I saw the pattern of my life winding through the sand.

There is no right or wrong way to walk the labyrinth. Think of it as walking meditation. Stop multitasking and focus on yourself. Walk mindfully, we were advised, at your own pace, and focus on the calming action of each footstep.

Unlike a maze, there is only one path to the center and back. The classic seven-circuit labyrinth found on the Greek island of Crete dates back more than 4,000 years. An identical pattern was used at Golden Door in California and Arizona, available to spa guests at no charge.

Unfolding like a lily, the path drew me into the heart of the labyrinth. Suddenly, it was like a Sedona energy vortex. The path ahead promised a fresh start.

The labyrinth ritual is held during the solstice celebration at The Boulders Resort once a month, during the full moon. Offered as an all-inclusive Carefree Spa Getaway, the three-night package is next scheduled Sept. 18-21. The Autumn Equinox, when the sun travels through the sky for 12 hours, will be marked by a Gastrological dinner with guest astrologer, tour of the Golden Door organic garden, and cooking class. Rates start at $1,399 per person or $1,119 for double occupancy. Located near Scottsdale, AZ, The Boulders Golden Door Spa in Carefree, AZ, complements a golf and tennis resort with 160 guest casitas, 59 villas.

Contact 480/488-9009, 866/397-6520; www.TheBoulders.com, www.Goldendoorspas.com

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