The Minotaur’s Tale by Ian Russell
Retired Psychiatrist, Artist & Soul Writer
(art by Ian Russell, inspired by his journey into the Eye of the Labyrinth)
Just ahead of me is a huge ancient tree. I cannot see the top and I can only imagine how deep its roots go. Despite its old age it is so vibrant; it radiates an energy that draws me towards it. Its bark is dry and warm to the touch as I embrace the tree with my arms, hugging it, sharing our memories and wisdom of the millennia we have existed.
In front of me, in the middle of the tree, is a square purple door with a bright golden handle. It looks and feels like a portal to another world. I open the door with a huge smile and a childlike sense of anticipation on Christmas Eve, wondering what awaits me inside. We are greeted by a bright light, which surprises me as the door was tightly shut with no way of knowing what was on the other side. The light draws me in along. Amber the phoenix in flight leads the way with Zen, my soul guide on one side (and tattooed on my arm), and the Minotaur at my other side, thrilled at the prospect of showing me his home. The Minotaur has been here before and knows what lies ahead: the Labyrinth.
Through the doorway is a steep staircase heading down – a spiral twisting back on itself as it winds down. The floor and walls are made of stone. They are cool and smooth reflecting their age and the contact from all those who have passed this way before, up and down, in and out. As we walk down the light softens and the staircase opens out in to a foyer, dimly lit by several torches on the wall.
This way, the Minotaur gestures and in front of us I see the long awaited entrance to his home. Amber flies on ahead, lighting the way with her luminosity as she glows orange and yellow and then red. She is on fire today, barely able to contain her own excitement. She is eager to explore. I, on the other hand, want to take my time, to savour every moment, every morsel of the experience.
As we enter the Labyrinth, I notice the floor is constructed from beautiful multi-coloured tiles, a mixture of greys, ochre and hint of orange. These quickly give way to a red dust, which covers the floor. The walls here are smooth and worn just like the staircase and they are decorated with several drawings, which look to have been made by our ancestors using the very red dirt we are walking on. I am no expert in such things but if I had to guess they feel Neanderthal; they are certainly very old and they convey an energy, as they tell their story, of times long past.
I ask the Minotaur how he came to be in the Labyrinth in the first place.
‘I don’t remember how I got here now,’ he answers, ‘it was too long ago and it doesn’t matter anyway. What is important is that we are here together in the present moment.’
As we walk on the colours of the path change. The corridor becomes orange and yellow and red. The structure of the Labyrinth has started to shift as we progress deeper in to its depths. Time starts to become meaningless as I lose myself within the experience. The Labyrinth, Amber, Zen, the Minotaur and I are all one. There is no separation, no difference between us. Here, there is no me and them.
I stop to absorb all that is going on. The colours have shifted again, this time a mixture of blue and green. They remind me of the Earth viewed from outer space. The Cosmos and I have also merged it seems. Such freedom, such joy, such love!
We move on. Deeper and deeper we spiral down towards the centre. From the start of my walk I have been aware of a tingling sensation, like electricity coursing through my whole body. As I approach the Eye in the centre of the Labyrinth, it gets stronger – not unpleasant, quite the opposite in fact but palpable and it has my attention.
We have arrived. There is no mistaking the Eye of the Labyrinth. The colour has shifted to a pure golden light which I enter. Pure energy channels through me. My body starts to twitch. Twitches become jolts as the wave of electricity passes though me. This time it starts at my feet and as it progresses through my legs, into my torso and up to my head, each part twitches as the energy passes. It flows through every pore in my being, filling all the gaps as it goes whilst at the same time cleansing me somehow. And then calm. I have reached the eye of the storm where all is still. The Eye of the Labyrinth and I are one. I am filled with light; I am the light and the light is me – all manifest as a large golden heart embracing us.
I invite the Minotaur to join me. He gladly accepts. His home is my home too now. We embrace with a deep hug. This time the colour changes again, adding a red hue to the gold. If you’ve never had a Minotaur hug you should. We both acknowledge how loved we feel, how at peace we are and the joy of being fully accepted brings tears to our eyes. I smile. The Minotaur smiles. We are free.
The Minotaur thanks me for being brave enough to visit his home. There are no monsters here after all it seems, only treasures. The Minotaur has one final gift to share with me. I am blessed with a “creative arm” which is the most versatile object any aspiring artist could want. It writes like a pen, paints like a brush, chops like a knife, moves like a dancer and if I can work out how to use it, rumour has it can even sing!