4. Labyrinths in University Life

The following examples, drawn from a number of universities and colleges, illustrate the breadth of possibilities. Some of these were initiated by students, others by staff; some cross boundaries, involving collaboration across disciplines or with other university teams. A list of references is available at the end of this article.

Within academic disciplines

1. Architecture, Construction, Horticulture, Landscape Design: The labyrinth lends itself to these disciplines as a creative project for design and construction, whether temporary or permanent, as a design exercise or a fulfilled commission.
2. Art: Students have used a labyrinth in a variety of ways, through working with the image, constructing a labyrinth as part of their project, or with exhibitions to accompany a labyrinth event.
3. Business Studies: A guided walk for MBA students, to foster reflection and a time to consider their own journeys through their degree programme and beyond.
4. Complementary Therapies and Healing: A labyrinth as a personal and clinical resource for students and staff, including researchers.
5. Continuing Education, Liberal Arts: Lectures, workshops and labyrinth walks within a range of programmes for the community, ranging from free lectures to short courses.
6. Law: A labyrinth to foster contemplation.
7. Psychology: Research on prayer; a Psychology department project to bring a permanent labyrinth to the university
8. Religious Studies: Using a labyrinth to explore symbology and history; to deepen spiritual practice; to build experience of meditation.
9. Teacher Education/Pedagogy/Mathematics: The image of a labyrinth has been used to foster interest in mathematics, amongst school children and students.

In Wider University Contexts

1. Graduation: The Counselling Service led a workshop with graduating students, a celebration of their journey through Higher Education and a time to build confidence for their future journeys.
2. Health, Sports Science and Wellbeing: events led by an academic department, or by other teams with a focus on well-being.
3. Revision and exams: Labyrinth walks to reduce stress and anxiety.
4. Counselling Service: for students and staff, including staff development events. (For work with counselling clients, see the Labyrinth Society web page on ‘Labyrinths in Counselling’).
5. Staff and research student development: a portable labyrinth as part of a series of lunch-time events to reduce stress and foster creativity, contributing to a creative programme for staff and research postgraduates.
6. Chaplaincies and spiritual development: Labyrinth walks held, once a month or at other intervals, as a quiet reflective space in the busy-ness of university life; labyrinth events to support and bring the university community together.
7. Arboretums and gardens: Labyrinths as a beautiful design, enhancing the campus: sometimes linked to departments of Horticulture or Art, and sometimes to medical centres, chaplaincies or other centres and services.
8. Networks and forums: A labyrinth at a new forum for teachers of English at all levels in the region, as a way of drawing colleagues together and celebrating connections.
9. Retreats and conferences: Some labyrinths have been built close to, or as part of, university conference and retreat centres. Others have been built as part of the process of a retreat.