In modern day society with all the rushing around work and social pressures we often become disconnected with the spirit that is all around us and we forget that we are part of it. The earth and the natural world have almost become our slaves providing resources for the now with little consideration for our future generations.
Our ancestors realised that they were part of nature, moving with the herds and seasons and had respect for their prey. The Sans bushman of the Kalahari among other traditional societies still say a prayer to their kills to honour their gift and spirit to run from in what every realm you choose to believe in.
Landscapes are often a forgotten part of our spirituality with an increasing population that needs housing and the almost unstoppable road building schemes that bulldoze their way through whatever gets in their way. The Damh the Bard’s song ‘The Tomb of the King’ sums this up quite eloquently.
Standing stones, burial mounds are all obviously constructed in the landscape by our ancestors to indicate the significance of the area as a ceremonial meeting place in honour of the spirits of place. Some however are subtler such as mountains, trees and lakes and even the place where the fairies live at the bottom of the garden.
Just have a look around you to see and feel what you see; every place has sacredness about it, where’s yours?
We should not also forget the sacredness of what is above us the universe or is it the multi-verse, the stars, planets and moon of the sky-scape of the night sky. These all influence our life to a greater or lesser extent (obviously from your point of view).
The greatest forces we have on us and the earth is obviously from the sun and moon with heat, gravity, tides and light. Our ancestors realised this and creation myths were born from the energy and spirit that make up the gods.
NatureRuna 