Reflections: Sacred Sites…
“For the sake of it, you journey to sacred shrines and holy rivers; but this priceless jewel is within your own heart.” Sri Guru Granth Sahib
Reflections: Sacred Sites... Saint Catherine Sinai
Saint Catherine Monastery, Mt Sinai
Reflections: Sacred Sites... Shiva in Bangalore...
Sacred Sites Upon the Earth
When a person visits a ceremonial monument, is it their intellect, their five senses, their intuition, or the electromagnetic fields around their bodies that perceive the place?….One may individually respond in a limited set of ways to a site, but it is crucial to know that one’s preferred reactions are only part of a network of knowing that is involved in a more complete description of the place. Paul Devereux
Have you ever visited a sacred site? Today, I was reading an inspirational message, The Spirit of a Place, from Daily OM and it got me thinking about sacred sites, which are places and spaces that hold special powerful, spiritual meaning and energy; both historic and personal. There are sacred sites all over the world, and according to Martin Gray, a renowned photographer who has visited and documented many sacred sites world wide, there are about thirty-two categories of sacred places, and I suspect we’ve all been exposed to at least one in our lifetime. With all the talk of December 21, 2012 and other supposed shifts in our cosmos, we have become even more attentive to our space, our life of the spirit, and what we do with it. I’ve added some amazing photos I culled from Wikipedia and there are more you can suggest we look at. What do you think of the selection? Are you aware of these sacred places and spaces?
“Your sacred space is where you can find yourself again and again.” Joseph Campbell
Reflections: Sacred Sites... Madan Mohan Temple
Reflections: Sacred Sites... Teotihuacan - Pyramide de la Luna
Teotihuacan – Pyramide de la Luna
Reflections: Sacred Sites...Glastonbury Tor
The ultimate Consciousness is always present everywhere. It is beyond space and time, with not before or after. It is undeniable and obvious. So what can be said about it?Abhinavagupta
We live in changing times, and as more of us are drawn to the ways of the spirit, we are also drawn to mystical sites that hold powerful, positive energy that can uplift and empower us. We have all heard of many of the classic sacred sites like Stonehenge, The Pyramids of Giza, Machu Picchu and many others that dominate the UNESCO Heritage sites, and then there are other sacred sites around the world worth exploring.
“I do not understand how anyone can live without one small place of enchantment to turn to.” Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
Reflections: Sacred Sites... Nubian Meroe Pyramids
Reflections: Sacred Sites... Serpent Mound
Reflections: Sacred Sites...Leshan Buddha Statue
Sacred Earth by National Geographic Photographer Martin Gray
Certain areas on earth are more sacred than others, some on account of their situation, others because of
their sparkling waters, and others because of the association or habitation of saintly people. Mahabharata Anushasana
Sacred sites and spaces can be found in every country and community. There is also the sacred space within. When we need to turn within for prayer, reflection, contemplation of any sort, we often turn to our places of worship or a quiet space in our homes. Some of us even have family or personal altars in the space, and we go there to worship, to commune with our version of a sacred space. We go there for refuge and rejuvenation. More below! 😉 *Please bear with me as I catch up on my visits to your blogs to comment… TY!
“The beautiful landscape as we know belongs to those who are like it.” Muso Soseki,
Reflections: Sacred Sites... Stonehenge...
Reflections: Sacred Sites...Main chamber of Halliggye fogou Trelowarren Cornwall
Halliggye Fogou, Cornwall
In all such qualities those places excel, in which there is a divine inspiration, and in which the gods have their appointed lots and are propitious to the dwellers in them. Plato
Even as we consider the many sacred spaces out in our world, we also think about the mystical spaces that make us wonder about our planet and all that sustains us within it. Do we wonder how we came to find and recognize these Top 10 Earth Mysteries? Do we wonder what our sacred spaces will look like in 5 or 10 years? It is all a mystery, but in the interim, we can go inside; to a physical space or the space within our hearts, and contemplate there…
What are your thoughts? Have you visited a sacred site before? What was your experience? What was the purpose of your visit? Do share! Thank you. 😉 This post was inspired by a prompt from WP DailyPost: Where do you find strength?
Positive Motivation Tip: Sacred sites and spaces can be found in every country and community. There is also the sacred space within. Go there for refuge and rejuvenation.
Related articles
- Seven Sacred Sites In Korea (asiahotels.com)
- 6 Sacred Sites and Objects In Japan (asiahotels.com)
- Native American Rights Fund to Hold Opening Ceremony for Sacred Sites (indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com)
- Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery (asiahotels.com)
- Machu Picchu: A Sacred Site in Peru (worldcruisesandtravel.wordpress.com)
- Sacred Sites Protection Acts of Australia (egrejeen.wordpress.com)
- A Sacred Place (wellnessspirit.wordpress.com)
- You: The holy trinity of religions (japantimes.co.jp)
PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All Photos Saint Catherine Sinai, Shiva in Bangalore, Madan Mohan Temple, Teotihuacan, Glastonbury Tor, Nubian Meroe Pyramids, Serpent Mound, Leshan Buddha Statue, Stonehenge, Fougou in Cornwall, via Wikipedia or via Flickr
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
When I was 13 I traveled to Israel with my father. Visiting the Western Wall in old Jerusalem was a moving spiritual experience for me. It was great just thinking about it more than 30 years later (am I really that old?). Thanks for sharing. Miriam
Beautiful, inspiring and uplifting…as usual, Eliz.
I’ve just awarded you the Versatile Blogger Award which you’ve probably won many times already: http://viviankirkfield.wordpress.com/2012/01/04/positive-parental-participation-wins-versatile-blogger-award/
Pass it on. 🙂
Thanks for posting this… please keep blogging and putting us in such a great mind spirit daily. – ***Got a job interview tomorrow**** say a prayer: doing security! I am so glad you still come by my blog too… I know how busy you are. I just know that when I visit here, I learn so much. I use to have a sacred space in my apts now that I have a house or live in the basement I have to unpack and get that space made. The mysteries of history is so amazing to me. LIfe is grand in 2012!
http://postadaychallenge2011.com/2012/01/04/add-your-url-to-meme-for-project-365/ add your URL to the MEME for Project 365 You will get more followers and I will update all the links so we can all add them. It benefits everyone. ♥ Jackie
Beautiful photographs and beautiful quotes. All of this post is very helpful. But the most helpful is the conclusion that we all contain our most important sacred space within ourselves.
I agree with granbee – external sacred spaces are wonderful and I’ve a few that I love to visit – but they are only really powerful when your own internal sacred space joins up and then there is coherence within and without.
Thanks for the thoughts.
I have never visited famous sacred sites. They seem to have deep meanings. We think usual mountains as sacred sites which is said that the gods live.
How wonderful to contemplate! I haven’t been to any of the sacred shrines or settings you’ve mentioned, nothing that spectacular, but I live in close proximity to one of the 21 California Missions, and I find walking on the grounds very mystical. I know the history and sense the past. I do think I can cultivate a sense of Spirit and the sacred by just sitting still anywhere that I can find quiet. It’s important to me. I love Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and I enjoyed her words about needing a small place of enchantment. So true! Debra
Though it’s not on the list of usual sacred sites, visiting a certain lighthouse on Lake Michigan has always been a source of strength and inspiration for our family.
Sacred sites . . . we all have them whether they be physical places we journey to, or the inner space at our core where we retreat to reflect and renew our spirits. Such a lovely post. I have my spaces that are holy to me, within and without, where I gather strength and courage to continue the journey.
I love the first quote . . . we are the oyster . . . the pearl lies within. 😀
2012 is a year to search our deepest hopes and purpose. It’s a year to renew our broken soul. You are right in all that you said. What struck me the most is that the very sacred site we are searching for is within our own hearts. We can go around the world for inner peace and meaning but if our heart and soul is close for them, we’re still going to end up feeling empty. Beautiful inspiring words and images for 2012 my friend. Thank you for constantly nurturing our hearts with your thoughts.
I love visiting ancient, historic sites as I feel the energy of the place very easily. I agree with you that we can also visit the sacred places inside ourselves. I believe we are drawn to such places when it is part of the inner conversation we have with ourselves.
The sacred is within.
B
My most recent visit to sacred sites were in Thailand. There was a Buddha at the top of hundreds of steps and it took my breath away trying to get to the top! We also went to the Royal Palace where we had to take off our shoes (as you have to do in all sacred or historical sites) and bend low which we are not accustomed to doing! Sacred sites fascinate me and make me wonder about our existence. Great post, Eliz.
Yes, I have visited Stonehenge on more than one occasion. But the last time we visited, it was surrounded by a big fence and you couldn’t go up close to those huge stones, which were getting worn away by tourists’ hands. The closest we have to a sacred site in Jamaica (which I would love to visit, but it is very hard to reach) is the site way up in the mountains where Nanny of the Maroons had her stronghold. It is remote, and pretty mysterious.
I would love to visit all of the Sacred Sites before December 21, 2012, but that’s not possible. Machu Picchu is very mysterious, but it’s too far away. It would be cool if my husband and I could just get in the car and drive to a few of them. Devil’s Tower in Wyoming; Sedona, Arizona; and Mt Shasta, California are shown in the Sacred Sites video and they are within driving distance. Hmmmm. We’ll probably just end up visiting the sacred places inside ourselves. And, that’s cool too!
When I go to sacred sites I feel like all my senses are alert and appreciating everything around me… I feel peaceful… Sacred sites are always so beautiful!
Lovely photos, Elizabeth. I have never visited a sacred site. One day perhaps!
I did not get to Saint Catherine but did sleep out in the Sinai around a camp fire under the stars – our guide called it the hotel of a million stars – that is my kind of sacred space 🙂
I’m still stuck at what Gray said, “there are about 32 categories of sacred sites.” Who knew? One of my dream trips is to visit sacred sites around the world.
My trip last year to Stonehenge was great but I’d love to go back for the solstice or just to be there alone to feel the power of the space. It was hard for me to do so in the company of a bunch of people with various energies, limited time and a tour guide who spent all the time talking.
Stonehenge is always in my mind;
you can build a small one in your garden!