The World According to Mark

By Mark Tabola

The BBC News again had another article that got my attention, because it wasn't at all what I expected! Its headline talked about Labyrinth Walking and how it can help ease anxiety.  My first thought was why walking in underground tunnels would ease anxiety, but as I read on, I realized I misunderstood. In other parts of the world, the "Labyrinth" is a path you walk and follow as it twists and turns from a "start" to an "end" point.

A lot of people confuse this with a maze, which is full of dead ends and other confusing situations, to give you a bit of a mental challenge. In the case of Labyrinth Walking, it's all about relaxation, focus, and rejuvenation. The Labyrinth is simply a path to follow. It can be in the middle of a park, a field, indoors, outdoors, in the arboretum, in a garden, anywhere! But the idea is the same:  You follow the path in its entirety, focusing on the narrow and twisting, turning path, from start to end. 

One of the things I've heard about a lot over the years is how important it is for a mental "break," so the mind can renew and refresh. One of the ways to do that is to engage in an activity that allows you to focus and concentrate on something completely different than you normally do. And there is a massive list of things that provide that type of break! Hunting, fishing, games, walking/jogging/running, exercise, puzzles, cooking, and many more...But how often do we allow ourselves to do these things without interruption?

One of the things brought up in the article about labyrinth walking is how once you begin the walk; you are on it until finished.  It is a process that takes time, and as you walk, you have to focus on the path.  And for those minutes while you focus on the path, and follow it without missteps, your mind must let go of a great many other things and just let you walk the labyrinth.  And that break, that change in focus, and the way it changes the focus, these are things that are actually very beneficial to rejuvenating and renewing your mental state!  And in this day and age, we ALL could use more mental break and renewal!