Sometimes life can feel like a labyrinth — but that's not always a bad thing.

World Labyrinth Day on Saturday, May 6 celebrates the practice of "moving meditation" by encouraging folks to take a stroll through their local labyrinth. Sound a little far-fetched? Trust us, one is closer than you think.

Why labyrinths?

Those of us who got lost in corn mazes as kids may struggle to find anything relaxing about the experience. But labyrinths aren't about getting lost: they're about fostering clarity, peace, and reflection.

"True" labyrinths, according to The Labyrinth Society, have only one path that winds in on itself and ultimately leads you out the way you came. As Christiana Brinton with the Blue Ridge Labyrinth community told us, "There's no dead ends, there's no confusion [...] You can trust that the path is going to lead you to the center, no matter how many turns there are."

Walk (or don't) on World Labyrinth Day

Join others across the globe at 1 p.m. local time and "Walk as One at 1" at the First Baptist Church in Asheville, Holmes Educational State Forest in Brevard, or Unity of the Blue Ridge in Mills River, among others. Even if you can't make it out, try:

Pop-up a temporary labyrinth with tape, thread, pebbles, sidewalk chalk, or whatever you have lying around.
Grab a pencil, paper, or tablet and draw a finger labyrinth to trace — or just print one.
Teachers can celebrate World Labyrinth Day in Education Settings on Friday, May 5.
Join The Labyrinth Society Global Group and ask how to build a permanent labyrinth.
Register to collect data for The Big Connection, an ongoing labyrinth research study.

Whatever you choose, share your work with us on Instagram (@AVLtoday).