A Place of Contemplation
The overall setting for the St Isaac’s labyrinth, that distance from the chapel, was ideal for setting the scene for our walk. We already had started our pilgrimage by taking quite a journey just to get to St Issac’s, and then another walk through the bush continued that sense of pilgrimage until we finally met up with the labyrinth itself. In that sense this version for Aotearoa provides some echoes of the journeys that some medieval pilgrims took from their homes to reach the cathedrals which had their labyrinths embedded in the floors
– Rev’d Chris and Christine Harris
The pathway begins to widen, a clearing is up ahead, Kahikatea and Nīkau stand in formation, like pou whakairo/carving. The clouded sky opens blue and beams of warm morning light flood into the space. I stop in awe at what I see before me. I’m standing on Holy ground, something sacred has been birthed here. I know what it is, my church has one too but not like this. This is a Labyrinth newly carved and created from Papatūānuku by wāhine toa.I see the muddy path curving within the mounded kikuyu and undergrowth boundaries that mark the Labyrinth pathway. No footprints, am I the first?
I hear the Labyrinths karanga, her call is silent, ancient and strong. Haere mai, nau mai, haere mai……..I respond stepping into the entrance, my size 11 Red-bands sink into the Labyrinth’s muddy path, as I walk I look back at my footprints and look forward to the path ahead. I smile, I see Maya jumping around the Labyrinth and running wherever she wants to go. Protruding tree roots add to this living Labyrinth with 3 rakau standing proud in the centre.
Maya runs at speed through the bush toward me, she has a stick and eyes that say let’s play. I leave the seat and we continue the path following the black water pipe up to Sam’s dam, St. Issac’s water source. I continue to throw the stick while walking on. At every turn of the track the ngahere has something new to say and show, I place my feet carefully finding my footing down a slippery narrow path through the moss-covered rock stream up the other side.
As I walk, I chant He ara whakamua, he ara whakamuri, ko te Atua kei mua, ko te Atua kei muri… I walk her three times, thoughts of my grandmothers and mother travel with me, their kindness, their strength, their aroha. While I walk, I am transported to the Labyrinths creation, I imagine women working together, mud covered hands, knees and arms, sweated brows, spades and shovels, hard graft in unison with God and whenua, wāhine kaimahi listening to the heartbeat of Papatūānuku bringing to birth a healing taonga/treasure.
It’s time to go, my cup is overflowing. Kororia ki te Atua i runga rawa. We walk to the gate and see Sr Anne’s whare Julian Cottage we continue up the road passed the chapel and back to our whare. God is so good. Āmine.
– Rev’d Brent Swann