In a building designed to welcome people from all walks of life, a winding path in the centre of the sanctuary at Lynn Valley United Church is offering North Shore residents a simple invitation: slow down.
The labyrinth, installed when the congregation’s current building was completed in 2016, occupies much of the sanctuary and has become a place where people can walk, sit, listen to music or simply take a moment away from the demands of everyday life.
For Karen Millard, the labyrinth represents more than a distinctive feature of the building. It symbolizes life’s journey and the possibility of becoming whole.
“When I come to the center of the labyrinth, the hope is that the thing that’s blocking me has had some healing take place,” Millard said. “So it’s a symbol of a sacred journey — allowing yourself to become open.”
Millard has been at the congregation for nearly three years and says the labyrinth reflects its larger goal of being a spiritual centre open to everyone, including people from different faith traditions and those who may not identify with a particular religion.
The labyrinth is available whenever the building is open, generally Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., unless another event is taking place. Visitors do not need to belong to the congregation to use it. “You are welcome here,” Millard said. “We won’t ask you why you’re walking the labyrinth unless you want somebody to talk to.”
That accessibility matters because people often arrive at the labyrinth at different points in their lives. Some come regularly, while others appear for a few months while grieving, wrestling with a difficult decision or simply looking for somewhere quiet before moving on.
The congregation’s Monday evening Spiritual Practices program provides a more structured opportunity to experience the space. From 7 to 9 p.m., visitors can take part in centring prayer, silent meditation and a scripture exploration before walking the labyrinth.
But there is no single way to walk the labyrinth.
Some visitors prefer to move through it alongside others, while others want more solitude. “Walking the labyrinth can be a little like swimming: some people do not mind sharing a lane, while others would rather have the space to themselves,” said Millard.
At times, as many as 10 people walk together. Others sit around the edge and meditate. Once a month, live music accompanies the experience. On the second Wednesday of each month, a musician plays piano while visitors walk or meditate. The congregation also hosts Soul Spa gatherings, which offer a variety of spiritual practices around a particular theme. Activities might include lighting a candle for a loved one or journaling, with the labyrinth available as another form of reflection.
The indoor setting is intentional, Millard said. On the North Shore, where rain can make outdoor activities unpredictable, a permanent labyrinth means the space can be used year-round.
For Millard, that permanence is one of its greatest strengths. “It’s beautiful to have it just there,” she said, describing times when she has walked the labyrinth during a difficult workday simply to clear her mind and work through whatever was troubling her.
The labyrinth is not the only quiet space available. A small room known as the sacred space contains a circle of chairs and a candle, offering another place for visitors to sit before—or after—walking.
The congregation is also hoping to make nearby schools and community members more aware that the building is open to them. Millard said, “Students have occasionally come in when they are struggling, taking the opportunity to find a quiet place away from school and daily pressures.”
The approach is deliberately low-pressure.
For some visitors, the labyrinth has become a first step into the wider community. Millard said there have been recent examples of people arriving for a Spiritual Practices Monday and later attending Sunday services and other events.
The space has also proved popular for events beyond traditional worship. A twice-monthly gong sound bath held on the labyrinth has attracted enough interest that the congregation has had to turn people away, with the space accommodating up to 50 participants.
Ultimately, however, Millard said the labyrinth is not about bringing people into a particular religious tradition. It is about providing a place to pause. “We really want to be a place where people come and experience the sacred in whatever way they feel led to do so,” she said.
For anyone carrying a question, a loss, a difficult decision — or simply the need for a quiet walk — the winding path offers a place to begin.
