What have been your most memorable meditation locations?

What put Spells8 on the radar for me was looking for a way to honoring my guiding deity Aphrodite. Once I found the devotional for her on this sight, it just felt ‘right’ and since then its become a go to for meditating and giving thanks in her name. Beyond my room though I’ve had the chance to meditate with the devotional in two absolutely stunning locations.

The first was near the beginning of Virgo season and for some strange reason I did what I never do. I went… on a hike. :grimacing: It honestly was strange I’d pass by the park a few times and noted a trail that I wanted to check out, but one day returning home I was drawn to a different area of the park. It was actually the area where the mini golf course was. I wanted to treat myself to mini-golf, but due to the pandemic there was a whole time reservation deal going on that I didn’t want to bother with. Instead of getting dejected and leaving, I was drawn to the lake nearby and just decided to walk around it. Now I love the water and this made me incredibly happy, but what I wasn’t expecting was that on the other side of the lake I would find a trail and just felt called to walk. Without knowing the path or how long it was, to just walk and enjoy. Which, as a Virgo, haha, wanting to have control and know all the answers have been a hard stereotype to shake. It was absolutely worth it though, the sounds of nature, the views, the excitement of not knowing, the realization that I could push through more than I thought I was capable of. It was all jam packed into that little walk which led me to a cliffside over a highway, but across the way was nothing but the tree tops and the sky and in that moment I knew I wanted to give thanks. Cue the devotional! That trek ended in me finding a new Italian restaurant to try, got myself some grilled octopus and the most delectable chopped clam and garlic pizza.

The second actually happened last night. :smiley: My job had brought me to a town that was next to a beach. At first I thought it was just a pier alongside a river, but after walking closer and looking on my phone it was indeed a beach. And then with all the safe Speed Racer energy I could muster I found the nearest 7-Eleven and bought two extra large Big Gulp cups. Just. The. Cups. I got a strange look from the cashier at first, but with the way he shrugged I figure he’s seen worse. Heading back to the beach I’m happily trotting along and I fill one cup up with sand. The other was meant for collecting water under the light of the full moon, which I did, but that came after realizing a lot of fish were beached and some were still alive. So after maybe 15 minutes of listening and searching for flopping fish and some wet shoes later; I finally collect my water, get barefoot, stand in the water and you guessed it, cue the devotional.

I’m honestly glad that I could just be present and have to ability to be in and connect with nature, Aphrodite, and the Universe in that way. And Spells8 has played a big part in that. :smiley: Looking forward to hearing about others meditation experiences in memorable locales!!!

Pics from the first experience

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Well that is tough… I can tell you that all of my favorite locations are outside. I love just being in the moment… feeling, smelling, listening, seeing and just being aware of nature around me… and the more I quiet and listen the more I feel part of what I am becoming aware of. It is pure bliss. Usually I am energized and filled with joy, gratitude and contentment. When we were still traveling I loved meditating at the beach. I have also had wonderful moments by a lake here in town and somedays it is just my happy place to be in my garden.


“In all things of nature, there is something of the marvelous.” Aristotle

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I loved reading this, @Gambit- and I laughed over “Speed Racer energy” :joy: I’ve tried a lot of unique pizzas in my life (Japan and South Korea have this thing for mayo on pizzas. And corn. And sometimes cotton candy or cream sauce) I thought I’d seen it all- but clam and garlic pizza? Now that sounds interesting! :garlic::oyster::pizza:

I’m living in the city now, and with travel restrictions this year my time in nature has been very limited. Unfortunately, the parks are a bit far away and aren’t ideal for calm meditations. I caught this pic on a cold day in a rare moment when it wasn’t crowded:

I miss meditating on the beaches near my family home in Massachusetts- there were some great spots!

It was fun to your meditation spots Gambit and @Berta too- some truly lovely and relaxing locations! :woman_in_lotus_position:

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Wonderful topic, Gambit! Your story reminded me of a spot I found this year when I went to the coast (Oregon coast). I knew I had to take a picture:

Meditating outdoors is great especially when there’s wind or the sound of waves. But in the end I think the key is finding internal comfort wherever you are. :relieved:

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All of these stories & phots are incredible. I’m loving the fact we all posted coastal pictures too. In fact, this has really made me miss travelling especially @BryWisteria mentioning different types of pizza from Japan and South Korea (food adventures are my jam). So hopefully when these travel restrictions disappear I can kick adventuring back into high gear.

@Francisco When I first saw your reply I had just finished talking with a friend about us moving to Oregon for various reasons. We both proclaimed it was a sign that your reply just happened to be about Oregon. :laughing:

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A mountain top in Kentucky called Cloud Splitter is mine. It’s in the Natural Bridge area Red River Gorge Geologic … something today. But back in the 70s it was a wild place. Few knew it even existed then. Today it’s very popular with hikers.

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@Gambit Oregon is beautiful! If you like rain (or at least don’t hate it), it’s better than you’re probably expecting.

The coast has a very “unexplored” feel to it. It truly is a wonderland if you’re the outdoor/nature type.

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The Himalayas. I was there to help facilitate a summer break for kids at an orphanage. Twice a year the kids and teaching staff get two week breaks. The teaching staff goes back to their home villages and the core staff stays to support the kids. A team goes out during those two weeks and I had the privilege of being on the team in 2016.

In the mornings before we would get started, I would sit out on the roof and lose myself, and all sense of space and time, staring at the mountains. We were already over a mile above sea level but it felt like they climbed into the heavens. It was the most majestic, peaceful, powerful overwhelming experience of my life and it is what led me to accepting other faiths as being equally valid paths.

Thank my friends for taking these pics from the girls’ home at the orphanage.

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I’m hoping for the same, @Gambit! Fingers crossed there are more exciting adventures and wonderful travels in the near future :blush: :world_map:

That is so lovely, @praecog29! It sounds like a truly memorable experience that you will treasure for the rest of your life. Thank you for sharing those breathtaking mountain pictures! :mount_fuji:

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That’s a breathtaking description! I’d love to go there some day. Did you meet any monks while working there?

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No monks. There I ate with some Hindu villagers one night. The rest of the time we were at the orphanage or the hotel a mile away. (That in itself was a surreal experience that led to me crying every night.)

Fun fact: Manali, where I stayed, is a marijuana capital. There is a festival and everything. It grows like a weed along the roads. :rofl:

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