D
daughterofmary
Guest
Although I am not the OP, I appreciate everyone’s replies. 
In the past I ran into two religious communities that teach heresy. They also have the characteristic of encouraging labyrinth prayer. These two communities also do very new age things and talk about ‘sophia’ all the time. They like to refer to God as a woman. They encourage the idea of females becoming priests.
Now, I am not saying anything about labyrinths being right or wrong. From my understanding they can be used for both. After researching it I read that 12th century Christians used labyrinths for making symbolic pilgrimages to the Holy Land because at the time making a real pilgrimage there was too dangerous due to the Crusades.
Despite this though, I have found in my own experience that this is not what labyrinths are used for in the “Catholic” world today. It may be by some, but not by the majority I have ran into. Someone mentioned a priest who approves of a female priesthood encouraging the use of labyrinths. I have ran into two separate communities who also view things a long the same lines the priest does and encourages new age practices, and they both encourage the labyrinth. I ran into another woman that was fired from a good diocese because of her behavior and beliefs and she encourages the labrinth. Another woman I ran into a couple years ago also encouged the use of labyrinth in her classroom. She taught at all girl’s school which promoted the idea of a female priesthood in the Religion classroom and held too some very new age practices. I was told by a very orthodox sister to stay away from labyrinths because of her own experiences with a number of other heterodox religious communities that encourage the use of labyrinths.
Someone mentioned that labyrinths and priests with the view of a female priesthood are not connected. I agree, they seem to be totally separate. But, oddly enough the priests and religious I have run into that hold this view are all for encouraging the use of the labyrinth. It is an odd coincidence that the ones I have ran into and heard about all seem to have this characteristic. It makes one wonder… it really does.
I am not saying labyrinths are bad and terrible things. Christians use to use them (and from the looks of posts on this forum) some still do. But I am saying that one needs to be very careful when approaching the labyrinth because the way in which it is being used could be very contrary to Christianity. And sadly enough, I have found that always - in my own experience with labyrinths - the ones encouraging the use are using it in a bad way. I have sadly never ran into someone (besides on this forum) who uses it in a good way. I hope there are, but just in my experiences it has not been the case.
While I think everyone’s comments have made a great thread thus far on the subject, I would have to say that one of the best comments made so far was to make an informed decision and be careful.
In the past I ran into two religious communities that teach heresy. They also have the characteristic of encouraging labyrinth prayer. These two communities also do very new age things and talk about ‘sophia’ all the time. They like to refer to God as a woman. They encourage the idea of females becoming priests.
Now, I am not saying anything about labyrinths being right or wrong. From my understanding they can be used for both. After researching it I read that 12th century Christians used labyrinths for making symbolic pilgrimages to the Holy Land because at the time making a real pilgrimage there was too dangerous due to the Crusades.
Despite this though, I have found in my own experience that this is not what labyrinths are used for in the “Catholic” world today. It may be by some, but not by the majority I have ran into. Someone mentioned a priest who approves of a female priesthood encouraging the use of labyrinths. I have ran into two separate communities who also view things a long the same lines the priest does and encourages new age practices, and they both encourage the labyrinth. I ran into another woman that was fired from a good diocese because of her behavior and beliefs and she encourages the labrinth. Another woman I ran into a couple years ago also encouged the use of labyrinth in her classroom. She taught at all girl’s school which promoted the idea of a female priesthood in the Religion classroom and held too some very new age practices. I was told by a very orthodox sister to stay away from labyrinths because of her own experiences with a number of other heterodox religious communities that encourage the use of labyrinths.
Someone mentioned that labyrinths and priests with the view of a female priesthood are not connected. I agree, they seem to be totally separate. But, oddly enough the priests and religious I have run into that hold this view are all for encouraging the use of the labyrinth. It is an odd coincidence that the ones I have ran into and heard about all seem to have this characteristic. It makes one wonder… it really does.
I am not saying labyrinths are bad and terrible things. Christians use to use them (and from the looks of posts on this forum) some still do. But I am saying that one needs to be very careful when approaching the labyrinth because the way in which it is being used could be very contrary to Christianity. And sadly enough, I have found that always - in my own experience with labyrinths - the ones encouraging the use are using it in a bad way. I have sadly never ran into someone (besides on this forum) who uses it in a good way. I hope there are, but just in my experiences it has not been the case.
While I think everyone’s comments have made a great thread thus far on the subject, I would have to say that one of the best comments made so far was to make an informed decision and be careful.