Labyrinth Walking Meditation with Peggy Burt
In this episode, we have a fascinating conversation with my friend, Peggy Burt. Peggy is a yoga teacher and labyrinth walking meditation facilitator, and here she’ll be sharing her knowledge of this unique form of mindful movement.
Episode Details:
You’ll hear how Peggy Burt first experienced labyrinth walking meditation and had an unexpected “lightning bolt moment” with it. She talks about how the practice of walking the labyrinth helped her connect her love of movement (from her dance background) to yoga, and eventually meditating in stillness.
Labyrinth Walking Meditation topics we cover:
- the history of the labyrinth, including the medieval Christian cathedrals of Europe (notably Chartres, France), and the presence of spiraling paths in ancient Druidic, Celtic, Norse, Greek, and Italian cultures, as well as indigenous cultures in the Americas
- the rich symbolism embedded in the labyrinth shape and design, representing the journey of spiritual seeking, and much more
- how the twists and turns of the labyrinth seem to subvert the rational mind (that wants to have the path figured out)
- the practice of taking a question with you into the labyrinth and allowing intuitive wisdom to arise
- how public labyrinths bring a community feel to this contemplative activity (and how to find a labyrinth near you!)
Peggy describes how her yoga practice complements the labyrinth walking meditation, and how these mindful movements became her gateway to meditation. And, we touch on her work bringing arts, mindfulness, and movement into K-12 schools as social-emotional learning.
I hope you’ll enjoy this conversation as much as I did, and go find a labyrinth near you!
Guest Bio:
Peggy Burt, RYT-500, is a yoga and mindfulness teacher as well as a labyrinth facilitator. She teaches classes with the Spiral Heart Yoga Community based in La Canada, CA. Previously, Peggy was co-founder and teacher with Spiral Path Yoga Center and teacher with Kule Yoga & Ayurveda. As a mentor and guide, she leads yoga teacher training, circles, workshops and retreats.
Peggy received her certification in Yin Yoga with Addie deHilster, Yoga Nidra with Tracee Stanley and training in Trauma-Informed Yoga with Jill Ippolito. A life-long dancer and more recently, harmonium musician, she brings an artistic flow into everything she does.
Resources & Links from this episode:
- Find a place to practice this walking meditation with the World-Wide Labyrinth Locator: https://labyrinthlocator.com/
- Veriditas, the labyrinth organization and training founded by Dr. Lauren Artress: https://www.veriditas.org/
- The Labyrinth Society – members are a diverse group of labyrinth lovers who come from all over the world: https://labyrinthsociety.org/
- Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Sacred Tool, by Dr. Lauren Artress, Riverhead Books, 1995
- The Sacred Path Companion: A Guide to Walking the Labyrinth to Heal and Transform, by Dr. Lauren Artress, Riverhead Books, 2006
- Labyrinths: Ancient Myths & Modern Uses, by Sig Lonegren, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2001
- Labyrinths from the Outside In: Walking to Spiritual Insight A Beginner’s Guide, by Donna Schaper and Carole Ann Camp, Skylight Paths Publishing, 2000
To connect further with Peggy, visit her website at mindfulstrategies.com or follow her on Instagram @peggyburtyoga.
You can find practices with Addie that align with and support these podcast topics in the Moved To Meditate Class Library.
And, we can connect on Instagram at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, yoga, and pictures of PNW nature and my adorable kitty, Mustache).