Vietnamese zen master Thich Nhat Hanh once wrote, “The way in is the way out,” referring to the inner self reflection needed to understand personal suffering. What Hanh speaks of relates to the mind, but new studies are applying this reflectional therapy in a more literal way. By wandering deep within the hedges, people are purposely getting lost in labyrinths to find their inner peace. Whether Thich Nhat Hanh was referencing labyrinth therapy is up to interpretation, but it is seemingly working. 

At a University of Indiana research lab , researchers are exploring the use of labyrinths in physical healing, geriatric care, prisons, rehabilitation, and educational institutions as an innovative way to promote personal meditation. “The twists and turns can be interpreted as metaphors for our lives and relationships,” said Ladd in an interview with News at IU, “And yet, you’re going to end up where you’re supposed to at the end. I think that’s an important message for people." Their research includes not only walking labyrinths, but also finger tracing different intricate labyrinth shapes. 

For centuries labyrinths, whether circular, angular, or another unorthodox arrangement, have been artfully crafted across cultural boundaries. The first carving of a labyrinth was created more than 4,000 years ago in Greece, and depicts a now classic seven circuit labyrinth that features a single path which folds to form seven concentric walls leading to the center. Labyrinths continued to evolve and become more complex through centuries and different cultures.

From Roman mosaics, to the European Renaissance hedge gardens, labyrinths have remained a cultural icon.

From Roman mosaics, to the European Renaissance hedge gardens, labyrinths have remained a cultural icon.

A classical labyrinth is also known as a “Minoan Maze”, which refers to the Greek mythological story of Theseus and the Minotaur, in which Theseus kills the Minotaur who lives in a labyrinth. This myth’s greatest influence may have actually been the confusion between mazes and labyrinths, as labyrinths have one path and lead its venturers to the center and back, and mazes have dead ends and false paths intended to trick its travelers. 

This misconception may initially turn people off of this approach, as for many, walking into a walled corridor with a hidden exit sounds like the opposite of therapy. However, walking through labyrinths has been used to calm the mind and heal the connection between a person's spirit and body for centuries. Historically, labyrinth therapy has been used in many spiritual contexts to promote the physical aspect of meditation and cultivate social and communal connections. 

While these benefits are just now being properly studied, depictions have been found on every continent except Antarctica, which indicates a kind of universal appeal for the power of labyrinths. A labyrinth could represent a multitude of ideas and feelings, but perhaps the most prominent is the idea of a journey's inevitable beginning, middle, and end. If following a zen master’s words is not one’s preferred path to enlightenment, then they should try taking a step into the hedge and venturing towards its center.