:stonehenge: Weekly Witchy CHALLENGE - Sacred Places, Sacred Spaces

[BryWisteria]

Merry meet!

Thank you once again to all those who joined in last week’s Weekly Witchy Challenge - Wiccan Magick

Our exploration through pagan paths has come to an end, but the adventure continues. This week, feel free to spread your wings and look far - or give some love to some special places close to home

The theme for this week’s challenge was suggested by the lovely @stavroula and is…

Sacred Places & Sacred Spaces

What places are significant to your practice?

While a large part of developing a magickal practice and forming your religious/spiritual beliefs happens within, we can’t forget about the significant outside influences that also give a home to your Craft.

Sacred places may be human-made locations, such as shrines, temples, churches, or historical or religious sites . They might also be natural places, such as forests, mountains, oceans, parks, etc

Sacred spaces may be smaller locations closer to home - they might be your altar, a ritual room, Craft corner, travel altar, etc

Whichever place(s) hold special important to your Craft, it’s time to give them some love and acknowledgment!

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This week’s challenge is all about sacred places and spaces - but as always, how you do so is up to you!

So are you ready? Because it’s…

CHALLENGE TIME!

Stonehenge picture from Canva

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STEP 1 : Close or Far: Special Places in Your Craft

This challenge is all about sacred places and spaces - but how you choose to take on this theme is up to you!

Still not sure where to begin? To help you get started, here are a few ways in which a witch might approach this challenge…

Please make sure you are logged into your Spells8 Account so you can view all of the resources shared!

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Sacred Places & Sites

From churches to temples, shrines to forests - there are many sacred locations around the world. This week, consider your unique practice:

• If you follow a tradition (be it Greek, Egyptian, Norse, Wiccan, etc), what sites or locations are sacred to your path?

• If you worship a deity, do they have any special monuments or sites special to Them and Their stories?

• If you are eclectic or unlabeled, are there any places that call to you spiritually?

Sacred Spirals

Related discussions:

• Stonehenge: History of Magick
• Celebrate the Solstice with Stonehenge...or Foamhenge!
• Mên-an-Tol 🪨 Cornish Sacred Site
• St. Brigid’s Temple in Ireland
• Labyrinth experience
• https://forum.spells8.com/t/portals-or-gateways/37053
• Communing With Loki & Building Him a Temple
• Has anyone gone to a Witchy Historical place yet?

Egypt Photo by @Cosmic_Curiosity, shared in Egyptian Cat Deities

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Sacred Spaces

Regardless of spiritual or religious practice, many people have a designated place for their worship and/or practice. This may be a formal altar, ritual room, travel altar, or even a special spot where you keep your magickal tools or books.

Creating a Moon Altar: Making Offerings by Moonlight

Creating a Deity Altar: Prayer and Offerings at Home

A Traveling Witch’s Altar: Portable Altar Ideas

Related discussions and resources:

• Making your Inner Temple: Casting Without Tools
• Creating a gratitude shrine
• All Altars - Share Yours with the Coven

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… And More!

The suggestions above are just a few ideas to help kickstart your creativity- if you feel called to explore sacred places and spaces in another way, you are welcome to do so!

As always, all witches are encouraged to embrace their own unique practice with how they explore the challenge theme

Gratitude Shrine

Video by @Silverbear, shared in Creating a Gratitude Shrine

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STEP 2 : Share Your Experience

Click here for a note about challenge inclusivity

Everyone is welcome to join the challenge by practicing magick in line with the current theme. For lurkers and those who don’t feel comfortable sharing, it is absolutely okay to follow along with the challenge but keep your entry personal. Feel free to join in spirit and do what feels most comfortable for you!

That being said, please know that if you would like to receive a prize and a public shout-out, it is required that you share your experience.

Getting Your Credit

In order for your entry to be counted, all you have to do is write/share about your experience and label it as your challenge entry. There is a lot of chatting here (which is awesome- chatting and discussion are very welcome!) so please clearly write that it is your entry so I know to count it!

Where Should I Share My Entry?

Click here to learn where to share your challenge entry

You are welcome to post it right here- just click “reply” to this post and write your experience in the text box that pops up!

Alternatively, you could create a new post in the forum (this is good for when you have a lot to share and/or would like to discuss aspects of your entry not related to the current theme)

Note : If you do choose to create a new thread, please add the “challenge-entry” tag and/or add a hyperlink back to this post so that it can be easily found- thank you!

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Deadline

This challenge will close in 6 DAYS

To join in, please share your experience by:

Tuesday, July 2 at 7:00 AM EDT (Eastern US Time)
2024-07-02T11:00:00Z

(Note that the time zone is ET- if you don’t see your time displayed above, you can use this time zone calculator to check for your time zone!)

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Prizes

For their efforts, all participants will receive a special shout-out and a small prize!

Acknowledgments will be given in a Props and Presents Post that will appear in the forums on Tuesday.

After the challenge closes, you are still very welcome to post but please be aware that no additional prizes will be given. This discussion will remain open for about a week after the challenge finishes.

Mt. Koya Temple and Shrine photos by Bry Wisteria

A warm reminder that the challenges are designed to be very open- everyone is encouraged to participate in a way that honors and reflects their unique practice

If you have any doubts about if something is acceptable to post or say, please double-check with the Forum FAQ and/or reach out to your friendly Moderator Team.

And for those new to challenges- welcome! Know that the goal of these activities is to help you further diversify and strengthen your abilities and to bring together the Spells8 forum family to inspire and support one another in creative ways

Temple of Poseidon picture by @stavroula, shared in Skies

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Sacred places near or far
Reached by dreams, by plane, by car
A forest shrine or mountain peak
Temples Egyptian, Norse, or Greek
The sites await where you may roam-
In sacred places, you’ll always be home

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Blessed Be!

[Satans_Helper]

This is an awesome challenge

[MeganB]

Oh, I’ve got the perfect idea for this challenge!

[Satans_Helper]

I can’t wait to see what you come up with

[john1]

This is my entry:

My scraced space would be my bedroom I have many alters everywhere in here. Depends on what im working on .

Im still currently looking for a forest and area to. Do more outdoor rituals or I might use my back yard and my fire pit.

I’m gonna use my mom’s dream alter next to my bed and my little tiny alter by the foot of my bed and practicing my dream magic,spiritual magic and astral projection magic

[Satans_Helper]

That’s awesome.

[Mystique]

How awesome to have so many different altars! Sure beats having to reset one single altar every time you need a different set up.

[BlueAngelite]

I have a plan for this Challenge - thanks for the push to get me back into a saved Zoom recording that I have just waiting for me on my desktop!

[john1]

I only have to move certain candles depending on spells that’s all

[stavroula]

Oh god, I have so many ideas, should I write about all of them?

[georgia]

@stavroula

should I write about all of them?

Yes! Please do!

Challenge Entry
I tend to have difficulty with the process of moving. I want things of value packed safely away so they don’t get lost or broken, but that means they aren’t available for use until the move itself. A travel altar would be ideal under such circumstances. I have one, but it is packed, too! This works against me.

Instead of keeping things out that I would otherwise use, I work with my inner temple, all in my imagination. I developed its use during hot summers when I couldn’t use incense and candles- it’s amazing how much heat they produce!

Albus likes the music on my Quarters CD, so I’ve learned to keep that out. Once in a while, I’ll play his favorite song on my tablet via the internet. I also have my music saved to an external hard drive so I can access it whenever I like.

I remember spending a full year in search of Sacred Space when I first moved to Albuquerque. There was a deep need to connect to something in my environment.

It seems difficult because public space is used by so many people at all times. There aren’t thick forests like up north. Whenever there are secluded areas, the homeless like to hide in them. I don’t want to bother them or be bothered by onlookers and passers by, so I learned to stay home.

There is a story of a church in a town to the north of us wherein the dirt is blessed and causes miraculous healings. One of my neighbors wanted to hang a painting in the chapel, but all wall space was taken up by crutches and health implements no longer needed. He was allowed to work at the chapel a while. When the hole in the ground got big enough, my neighbor said, the caretaker brought in fresh dirt at night to fill the hole and encourage people to take home a sample.

There is a volcanic area nearby. The dirt is full of tiny crystals, similar to a sacred island in the Nile. It is said such dirt holds magick. I discovered some on a day trip to the area: the sand sparkles in the sun more than normal. It is very pretty.

[Artemisia]

Challenge Entry - Sacred Places, Sacred Spaces

If I have time I’ll do an additional entry but one of my sacred places isn’t an exact spot. Or maybe more accurately I have so many of this type that it’s better to generalize. For me, the most profound moments of reflection, meditation, introspection, and magick occur when I’m in the woods. Be it a dense forest in the mountains, the woods that surround a lake, to the trees that envelope the Greenways.

[AIRAM]

Challenge Entry
agion oros athos
The Monastic State of Mount Athos is geographically defined within the Athos peninsula and is part of the Greek territory.

What is Mount Athos?

Quite epigrammatically it is a living devotional and hesychast community with a continuous and uninterrupted presence for centuries. It consists of 20 Monasteries, Sketes, cells and seats scattered throughout the peninsula. Monasteries by order are:

1. Holy Monastery of Megisti Lavra

2. Holy Monastery of Vatopedi

3. Holy Monastery of Iberon

4. Holy Monastery of Hilandari

5. Holy Monastery of Dionysios

6. Holy Monastery of Koutloumousiou

7. Pantokratoros Holy Monastery

8. Xiropotamos Holy Monastery

9. Holy Monastery of Zografou

10. Holy Monastery of Dochiariou

11. Holy Monastery of Karakallos

12. Holy Monastery of Filotheou

13. Holy Monastery of Simonos Petra

14. Saint Paul’s Monastery

15. Holy Monastery of Stavronikita

16. Holy Monastery of Xenophon

17. Holy Monastery of Gregory

18. Holy Monastery of Esfimenou

19. Panteleimonos Holy Monastery

20. Holy Monastery of Konstamonitou
    THE MINARES OF AHMET AGA and church of Agios Nikolaos
    

    
    
    The church of Agios Nikolaos has a unique architecture. This has to do with the fact that it was originally a Dominican monastery, built between the 13th and 14th centuries. For this reason it is sometimes called the monastery of Agios Nikolaos.

During the Ottoman occupation of Crete, the monastery was converted into a mosque. At the same time, a part of it was used as a barracks for the Turkish janissaries.

It was at that time that the tall minaret was built at the corner of the church. Although the minaret’s impressive metal canopy was destroyed over the centuries, the minaret has been restored with much artistry.
Rotunda: The oldest monument of the city that hosted three religions.

The Rotunda hosted three religions, the ancient Dodecatheon, Christianity and Mohammedanism, it was the metropolis of Thessaloniki from 1524 to 1591 (after the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a Muslim mosque). The oldest monument of the city (along with the Kamara) was built in the years of Caesar Galerius around 306 AD, as a temple of Zeus or Kaveri. Gods who had as their patrons the tetrarchs (Dioclitian, Galerius, Maximian, Constantine Chloros). It is possible that the building was intended as a Mausoleum of the emperor Galerius, which ultimately was never used, since Galerius died and was buried far from Thessaloniki
The majestic monument has a height of 29.80 meters, a diameter of 24.50 meters and the width of the walls reaches 6.30 m. The large circular building built with bricks, is housed with a central dome and is included in an enclosure. The lower part of the inner wall is formed into eight rectangular niches with arches decorated with mosaics. The interior of the monument impresses with the feeling given by the large space with the huge dome.

Ροτόντα: Το αρχαιότερο μνημείο της πόλης που φιλοξένησε τρεις θρησκείες |...

[Cosmic_Curiosity]

CHALLENGE ENTRY

One country has many places that are significant to my practice with the deities of the Triad if Abydos (Osiris, Isis and Horus) – Egypt of course! have had the pleasure and honour of visiting the main temple sites dedicated to two members of the triad when I went on a week long Nile cruise:

The Temple of Edfu

The Temple of Edfu is on the west bank of the Nile in the city of Edfu. This temple is one of the best-preserved ancient Egyptian temples and is dedicated to Heru (Horus). Construction on the temple began in the 3rd century BC and it took over 200 years to complete.

What struck me was how the city seems to have enveloped the temple. You literally walk along streets and down side alleys to reach it but when you arrive, you feel like you have been transported to the middle of the desert. The entrance pylons are huge and tower almost 40m above you. You cant help but wonder how it was done. The intact and imposing falcon statues are also impressive to behold. I also could help but notice a large number of real falcons perched on the columns around me. It was like Horus was watching from all directions.

The temple’s walls are covered hieroglyphics and carvings that tell the story of the conflict between Horus and his uncle Set. Inside, the inner sanctuary still has the stone case that housed Horus’ golden statue as well as the barque that was used to transport the statue during festivals and celebrations.

The Temple of Philae

The temple of Philae is dedicated to Auset( Isis) and lies on an island in the Nile. When visiting, we had to disembark our river cruiser and take smaller boats over to the island. The temple is no longer on the island of Philae but still takes this name. The reason is that the temple was actually moved from its original island to another. When the Aswan dam was built, it created a reservoir which would have caused the temple to disappear below the water. Rather than allowing thus to happen, a UNESCO campaign was launched to save the temple( and others). It was dismantled, moved to its new island and rebuilt in order of preserve it.

Philae temple is important because it is the place where the last hieroglyphic inception was made in the year 394AD. It continued to operate through Greek and Roman periods. You can see the influence they had through structures that were added over time. Some parts just “look more Roman” or Greek as opposed to what you see at other Egyptian sites. This temple operated until the year 537AD and this was said to mark the “end” of the ancient Egyptian religion. I don’t like to think if it as that, perhaps more a period of rest or reflection, ready for its revival.

Unfortunately, I did not get the opportunity to visit the main site dedicated to the third member of the triad but would certainly love to in the future:

The Temple of Abydos

Abydos is an archeological site and was an important city in Ancient Egypt. There is no modern city in this location. The site has many temples and a vast burial site for early Pharaohs. More importantly, it is considered to be the site of the tomb of Asar (Osiris). This association meant that many Pharaohs and nobles wished to be buried here or as close to here as possible.

Overtime, it became a place of pilgrimage for many people, where they could leave their mark or that of a deceased lived one near the tomb of Osiris, who would oversee their transformation from this life to the next. This often meant leaving statues or other objects that represented their loved ones. Even better would be to carve your name on a stone and place it at the site. A name that was written down was how the Egyptians ensured that they would be remembered and granted eternal life. If I get the opportunity to visit this site, leaving my name on a stone would be something I would very much like to do. Perhaps one day.

Images from Canva as I can’t seem to find the USB Drive with all of my photos.

I also have my sacred space at home to represent these temples. This is where i give offerings, prayers and carry out any rituals and magick.

Blessed Be

Alan

[Satans_Helper]

All beautiful entries so far. Great job everyone

[stavroula]

@AIRAM

Rotunda: The oldest monument of the city that hosted three religions.

Hometown representation!
Actually Thessaloniki has a pretty rad history since its founding (315BC). Maybe a story for another time?

@georgia I will try, I don’t know if I have the time to do so xD

@Artemisia these are so lovely! But why did I have the impression you will write about Delos?

@Cosmic_Curiosity The temples are so majestic. I hope one day I will do the Nile cruise as well

[Mystique]

Such beautiful temples! Must have been amazing to visit them! I can just imagine how awe inspiring it would be to see the original hieroglyphics and the structure of the temples. Thank you for sharing this

[stavroula]

Challenge entry

I had many ideas for this one, and flirted with a lot of themes, but I couldn’t bring myself to choose a monument, or a natural space to write about, so I thought to tell you about how it feels when you visit archaeological sites that are connected to ancient energy. In the beginning I will present more general ideas and then how these apply to ancient Greek space (I know, shocking, not expected from me )

So, how can we benefit from the ancient spaces? First of all, we have to understand that these spaces emit a special energy, the one we have to discover at our visit. Every trip to ancient monuments is an opportunity for self-discovery. The space itself, the buildings and the energy of the past lives meet in an energetic hub that we have a lot to gain from.
Please note that even though the examples used are Greek (as I am more familiar with), those things apply to most of the monuments in the world

The energy of the landscape

Archaeological sites are not built in random parts of the planet. Special priests and geomancers, through searching in nature, chose the areas for the construction of the ancient monuments. Thus, the landscapes that host them now constitute from small or large channels of energy and nodal energy points on the living body of the planet.

The composition of the soil, the altitude, the fauna and flora, the waters of the area, the intense geological phenomena (steep and detached rocks, ravines, caves, etc.), constitute the particular energy of the specific area chosen.

One way to feel it is to choose a quiet corner, sit on the ground, spread your palms so that they “face” down, and try to listen to the sound emitted by the landscape.

Each landscape emits a different sound, which represents the breath of the planet in that particular area and leaves an indeterminate taste in our mouths. You will get similar results if you close your eyes and let the landscape “send” you its color image.

Depending on the type of the latter or the sound you will receive, you can discover the predisposition of the energy of the space and by feeling it coordinate it with yours.

The energy field

Each space, especially the great sanctuaries, belongs to a wider energy field, in which individual centers are connected to each other like the members of a body. Sacred to each other may schematically create an energy triangle, circle or other geometric shapes and sacred numbers (golden ratio). It is also possible that sanctuaries dedicated to the same god (eg Apollo at Delphi and Delos) have interacting elements.

So, when you are in an archaeological site, you draw energy from its wider energy field, because each of them is connected to the energy of the others like the wires of a network. Thus, by walking on one you draw energy from everyone in the wider area, as their pulses and vibrations join beneath your feet.

Energy from use

Regardless of the landscape in which it is located, an archaeological site hosted people who were born, lived and died there, charging the site with their energy.

Their thoughts, feelings, action, rituals and expectations were crystallized in the space and still pulsate today. The visitor who is a sensitive receiver of stimuli can feel the echo of the old life and its energy.

Because this can also be negative (from massacres or the performance of dark ceremonies), it is good that your visit to such places is accompanied by an energy protection before entering at the archaeological site.

To receive the positive one, rest your palms on the soil for a few minutes, feeling it move through your body, making a circle before returning to the ground, “cleansing” you. You will feel like you are reconnecting with your roots.

The energy of the monuments

Ancient ruins emit powerful energy, especially if they have been used in rituals, which have “watered” the buildings of the site. A pillar of an ancient temple that remains standing acts as an antenna emitting the old energy of the monument and a gate (like the one at Mycenae or Naxos), through which thousands of people had reverently passed, as a “passage” to finer vibrations and frequencies

In addition, the architecture of such spaces is a carrier of powerful energy, as they are constructed according to sacred proportions and secret codes that sustain it together with the thought forms, which are an invisible indestructible building that surrounds the physical, interacts with visitors and ennobles them.

You will find this by touching an ancient stone or part of a column with your left hand and bringing your right hand to the navel area. You will then feel the energy of the monument pass through the left hand and end up in the right, being stored in the navel area.

But let’s be a bit more specific and see how these principles apply in the ancient Greek sites
Depending on the use, the architecture and the era of its construction (Mycenaean, Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic, etc.), each monument also maintains another form of energy.

Temples

The temples, due to their long-term use, but also their high energy charge from rituals and invocations that took place there, have retained a large amount and good quality of energy. This quality varies depending on the god to whom the temple was dedicated. In temples of Apollo (Delphi, Delos) you can tune into the energy of inspiration (especially artists), clear thinking or the removal of old karmic burdens.

The temples of Zeus (Dodoni, Olympia, etc.) are suitable for raising issues of determination, will, power and managing affairs and in temples of Athena (Parthenon, Aphaia in Aegina, etc.) issues of reflection, existential, knowledge and wisdom or the request advice for better action.

The temples of Artemis (Vravrona) are offered for matters of goals and the handling of emotions and the temples of Hephaestus (Lemnos, Theseus, Samothraki) for matters of creativity, vitality and the realization of aspirations.

The temples of Demeter (Elefsina) “facilitate” matters of love, understanding, reunification with persons or the release from suffering and the temples of Hera (Argos, Samos, etc.) matters of family, relatives, mutual support, agreement in marriage, etc.

To use this energy, find a quiet area at the archaeological site (or, even better, sit on some stone remnant under the shade of a tree) and, after calming down by inhaling and exhaling slowly, concentrate on the matter of interest.

Then you will feel the energy of the ancient temple penetrating you and causing clarity in your thinking… Everything will become bright and clear within you. An ancient idea, inspiration or discovery can resonate with you in such a space.

Temple of Aphaia (Athena), Aigina
personal archive

Oracles

The oracles (Delphi, Dodoni, Trophonio in Livadeia, Amfiaraeio, etc.) are like portals to other dimensions, where we can sense to some extent some of the future events. When you find yourself in such spaces, mentally state the topic you would like to receive a message about before entering the space. During your tour, let your gaze wander over the monuments and the landscape.

Unexpectedly, at a moment when you have almost forgotten the subject, you will “hear” an answer within yourself, which you need to process. Many times, such places “speak” with special codes of antiquity (such as Pythia) and we need to de-symbolize their answer, just like in a dream.

The oracle of Delphi
via diaxroniko

Theaters

Theaters have been charged by large gatherings of people, by ancient poems of writers, but also by their very shape, since their hollow is a matrix that holds and multiplies the emissions of energy. During your visit there, stand in the center of the theater’s orchestra and read aloud (conditions permitting) a passage from the original text of an ancient tragedy or a work by Plato. You will feel the space coming alive and yourself becoming part of the hollow.

Theatre of Epidauros, which is still in use
via bussiness mum

Asklepiia

Asklepiia (Epidaurus, Amphiaraion, Hippocration in Kos, etc.) are the ancient hospitals where you can draw healing energy, as long as you are receptive, with body and mind. Stand in the space of an ancient asklepiion and visualize its energy in the form of light spirals, entering your soles, rising toning you from the spine and ending as a luminous glow at the top of your head. Center yourself there and feel the spirals of energy detoxify and heal you internally.

Asklipeiion of Ko
discovergreece.com

Markets/ Forums

Ancient markets were the meeting places of the ancients, trading and exchanging ideas. Where vast sums of money have been transacted, you can tune in to the energy of wealth. Meditate on financial, monetary, professional issues, etc.

Although the conditions of trade have changed from ancient times to the present, the spirit of success in getting rich is the same and is still active in the ancient markets.

The Roman Forum of Thessaloniki, part of it is still in use
thessalonikiguide.gr

Apart from the structures, there are a lot of locations in nature that hold a lot of spiritual significance. Visiting them can help you connect with the energy and the said lore and deities that protect them.

Let’s see some examples

Mount Olympus

The shape of Olympus, the charm of its nature, its high peaks, full of mist and low clouds that often bring storms, caused awe and admiration to the prehistoric man who lived at its foot, where the archaeological shovel today reveals findings from iron age settlements. These first inhabitants of the area will create the legends that will later give rise to the Twelve Gods of the Ancient Greeks.
The twelve gods dwell in the gorges, “the folds of Olympus” as Homer calls them - where their palaces are located. The Pantheon (today’s Mytikas), is their meeting point. The throne of Zeus (today’s Stefani) exclusively houses the leader of the gods, Zeus. Olympus in the Iliad is called megas (big), long, aiglieis (i.e. bright), many-treed.

On the eastern outskirts of Olympus, in Pieria, the mythological tradition placed the nine Muses, patrons of the Fine Arts, daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyni.

To this day, Mount Olympus, is still the place that the “modern” Hellene paganists meet to hold Prometheia, their annual 5-day ceremony to honor the ancient Greek spirit. https://promitheia.wordpress.com

blog.thessaloniki.travel

Idaean Andron or Psychro Cave

Is a cave on a plateau on Mount Idi (Psiloritis) in Crete, in which, according to Greek mythology, Zeus, hence the name “Cretan”, was raised from his infancy. Its entrance was guarded by the Kurites, mythical figures, and every time the little Zeus cried, they struck their swords against the shields they held so that Saturn would not hear his cry. According to another version, the Curites danced a dance very intense and fast, which made their heavy armor rattle and covered the crying of the infant Zeus.
It is said that inside the cave you can feel very positive emotions and time vacuums

we-love-crete.com

Cave of the Nymphs in Ithaka

According to tradition, it may be the Homeric cave, where the Naiad Nymphs were worshipped.
In this cave it is said that Odysseus hid the treasures given to him by the Phaeacians on his return to Ithaca. another proof that this is the cave mentioned by Homer is the existence of the two entrances it has. One for the Mortals and another for the Immortals. People that visited the place felt like going to other dimensions, peace and relaxation.

Altar inside the cave
ntua.gr

Acheron

It is also called the river of sorrow, and this because according to mythology it was the entrance of the Underworld. According to the legend, the gate to Hades was located in Acherusia. Charon transported the souls of the dead through the river Acheron, to the realm of the underworld. There was also a well-known necromancer of antiquity. Those who visit the area refer to the special energy that the place attracts.

iellada.gr

[georgia]

Wow! That was a lot! Thank you so much for this!

[bj1]

Challenge Entry - Sacred Places, Sacred Spaces

Backyard Sacred Spaces

You are always in a sacred space because the earth is a sacred space.
You are also a sacred space.
There are special places around the world that radiate remarkable energy. Some believe it comes from ley lines, or vortexes, or a local spirit, or an accumulation of energy from worshippers using the site. Visiting famous sacred sites could be an important experience for enhancing your practice.
Being able to recognize sacred sites in your own backyard is also important. Your connection with nature will improve by paying close attention to the world around you, and you will be able to visit a local site more than once.
Marian Singer says: “Sacred places are perfect locations for meditation. Being present at a sacred site is much like having an electrical plug that goes directly to Spirit. When you connect yourself to that outlet, it’s much easier to move into altered states of awareness.”
Here are some key indicators that you have found a place that houses special energy:

• body heat increases
• pendulums or dowsing rods react positively
• the place appears repeatedly in dreams with spiritual activity
• a sense of tranquility settles over you
• a feeling that living things are trying to communicate
• hairs on your arms rise
• unusually lush growth of plants
• regular greetings by power animals
• a sense of timelessness

Your journey to a sacred site can be an inward quest as well as a physical pilgrimage. You can do a ritual, meditation, shadow work, and healing at a sacred site. You can honour a sacred space by setting up a ring of stones, planting trees or flowers, or giving offerings.

In the northwest corner of our lot is an oak tree that I planted in 1991. It was 12 inches long. Now it towers 40 feet above the canopy. I also found a hawthorn shrub on the edge of the wood. I read that in Celtic lore a triad of an oak, a hawthorn, and an ash was a sacred space for faeries.
This week I was carrying some weeds up to the compost pile and noticed these keys on the ground and looked up to find an ash!

Today I cleared away the branches, and decayed stumps, and swept the debris off of a large flat rock surrounded by my triad of trees. I set up my travel altar and was ready to dowse for a vortex when around the corner came the neighbour on his riding lawn mower, and then he followed up with the weed whacker. There went the ambience!

We are expecting 2 days of rain, so I will try again on Monday.

Source: The Everything Wicca and Witchcraft Book by Marian Singer.