The amazen labyrinths and us

Meditative states have become a valued way of finding a quiet mind and relief from stress and anxiety in our daily lives possibly because scientific research has revealed that they stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain.

As with any meditative practice using the amazen labyrinth is a step-by-step process. We believe that the beneficial effects of using an amazen labyrinth as a meditative tool relate to four key aspects. All of these are related to the way tactile sensors in our fingers interact with parts of the brain to produce a state of focus and calmness akin to that achieved during deep meditation and relaxation.

We are currently doing in-depth research into exactly how this works, and look forward to bringing you more detailed information in the near future. For now we have summarised these aspects as tactile: experience attention and focus; memory, and soothing sensations.

The brain - our sensory processing machine

The spinal cord, brain stem, cerebellum, and cerebral hemispheres use sensory input from the receptors to produce awareness, perception and knowledge, to produce body posture, and the planning and coordination of movements, emotions, thoughts, memories and learning. Over 80% of the nervous system is involved in processing or organising sensory input. Our brain is therefore primarily a sensory processing machine.

The stimuli - tactile and kinesthetic

Placing your finger on the glide and following the path of an amazen labyrinth is perceived by our brain as a tactile kinaesthetic experience, which in turn is communicated through the nervous system.

The body's sensory organs are called receptors and these pick up energy from the part of the body where they are located. Each receptor changes the energy into streams of electrical impulses that flow through sensory nerve fibres to the spinal cord and the brain. The streams of electrical energy flowing toward the brain are called sensory input.

The region of the brain where sensations of touch are perceived is the sensory cortex of the parietal lobe. The parts of the body with the greatest sensitivity are represented by the largest areas of the sensory cortex, so that the fingers, thumbs and lips are each represented by almost as large an area as the whole of the rest of the body put together.

The fingers are filled with different levels of sensory receptors, which respond to touch, texture and pressure. A single touch on the finger can produce awareness, meaning, thoughts, emotions, learning and behaviour, all in the same instant.

Proprioception is the sense of body awareness telling you the position of our limbs, your posture and the equilibrium. It involves the integration of several sensory inputs: touch and pressure sensation from the skin, muscles and tendons, visual and motor information from the brain and data about our balance from the inner ear.

Using an amazen labyrinth engages all of these sensory inputs.

Memory mantra

Once you have used an amazen labyrinth several times you will find that your body remembers its pathway and you will achieve a sense of calmness more easily. This is similar to how chanting a mantra in meditation can help achieve a deep meditative state. This is due to a part of the brain called the putamen.

The putamen forms part of the unconscious limbic system and is connected by a complex loop of nerves to the pre-motor cortex - part of the conscious brain, which creates the urge to move.

Its function is - to look after automatic movements - those that have been learnt by repetition and to keep them flowing smoothly, so the conscious brain can get on with the grander business of deciding how to direct those movements and learning new ones.

Soothing sensations

Finding a tool that provides enough stimulation to keep us awake but allows us to find a calm, meditative state has been the dream of many people. We believe that an amazen labyrinth can do just that.

It does so by engaging our sensory receptors and focusing our attention. This in turn engages our brain stem, cortex, and limbic system. Moving the glide through the path of the amazen labyrinth creates a smooth flowing soothing motion, which in turn becomes a continuous loop of sensory stimulation. This results in a sense of satisfaction and unity of self.