An Tobar Labyrinth

An Tobar Labyrinth is located in retreat house in Ardbraccan, Co. Meath, Ireland. In 1988 Fr. Michael Kane, director of An Tobar, had taken a training course at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco and on his return, with the help of Martin Dier had created a Cretan labyrinth in the grounds, using box hedges. Since then, the many groups who come to the Centre have been introduced to the labyrinth and some have been inspired to create their own.

As an archetype, the labyrinth represents the road of life: our inner and outer journeys. Its path spirals inwards towards the centre. Unlike the maze, there is no possibility of getting lost. It is an individual journey but as we pass slower or are passed by faster walkers or meet those returning we realize that we are never alone. On this sacred path we can experience God walking with us and see life's events as a pattern of curves rather than a straight line. On some stretches we seem to be going away from the centre and must trust that eventually we will reach our heart's desire.


The labyrinth is a journey:

* To the centre of the universe where the “Big Bang” brought it into existence.

* To the centre from whom all energy emanates: God.

* To one's own centre, source of our images, feelings, desires, thoughts and actions where we may find the answers to the questions: “Who am I”? and “Why am I here”?

* To the centre which is the present moment on which all my previous experiences converge and from which all my future will flow.


On Saturday, July 16th 2005, a number of labyrinth enthusiasts met at An Tobar to celebrate the First National Labyrinth Day.