Your sacred space

[glitterfairy]

I was thinking about places where I feel really at one with myself and my soul (for want of a better word) and wanted to know what yours were. I have two. One is in the Yorkshire Dales below pen-y-ghent mountain on a track where there are little becks and moors deep ravines and limestone pavements. I used to go for gallops up there and have even written about it in a book. I always go back when I am at my lowest ebb and need to reconnect with myself and my life. THe other is Inch strand in Kerry Ireland. It is a six mile long spit of golden sand stretching out at right angles from the land into the atlantic. It hsa huge dunes which the kids climb and make dens in and where you can spend whole days looking at sea thistles and wild flowers and hearing the waves. Here is more a family space where the kids surf or body board and we are one unit at peace with ourselves and our lives. WHere are your sacred spaces?

I have many but must dash right now, but of course promise to share soon!

xx

You've got me thinking now. Your descriptions are fantastic may I say. So do you write gf?

I suppose Oasis in penrith is one as I feel like we're in another country when there, like we've escaped. The kids are safe, the air is clean and it's peaceful. We all go at least once a year and my In laws come too. The boys love to be with them. It's only an hour away too so we don't have the hassle of travelling far.
Another is Whitby especially in winter. I never tire of it's beauty.

Whitby is fab Juniper i love it there dark, mysterious, beautiful adn the church on top of the hill is exquisite.Yes I do write when i have time my brother is an author and makes me feel guilty published his first novel whilst completing his PHd etc etc but no kids!

I thought you must do GF. I used to write poetry as a child but haven't done in ages. I'm more into crafts now than writing, when I get the time.

In New Zealand I have experienced many sacred places. I am a great lover of the wilderness and natural places and I had many to choose from in NZ.

A most sacred place that I have visited is about 7 hours walk through the forest to hot pools. It is sacred because not only do you have a long journey to get there, but once you are there you are really in the bossom of nature. Everything is so so big. It always feels to me like I am experiencing evolution and life happening. When sitting in the pools, which arel completely natural, you can hear from below the river going by. Above you are very big mountains and frequently you can hear snow falls which makes you feel vunerable in the most splendid manner. The pools are filled with tiny bubbles that fizz and make me tingle with aliveness and also at the same time complete relaxation.
There is a cabin to sleep in a little bit away from the pools but I have always slept inside a rock overhang.

The first time I visited the pools was with a group of people from a course I was doing at University called Human Ecology. I can tell you we had the most amazing conversations and an extremely spiritual experiences. We liveed as a tribe and it was beautiful.

What a lovely experience papillon. I felt a bit sad reading it though as I know how much you miss NZ

This is a very good subject , as I use these places for my hypnotherapy every week. Some wonderful vivions from your places girls.
Here are some :

I went on trek around USA camping,hiking and horseriding. Zion canyon was the most memorable, as I had been to other parks before but this one was very spiritual for me. There were several hikes in there that we did, one of which was called Emerald falls. It was a 2 hour trek thorugh enclosed woodland with a raised path right throught the centre which meandered all over , but you felt this great energy flowing as you got nearer and nearer the falls. Once there you came apon this large red rocked area. The path suddenly cut a line right through the rock and underneath the lower part of the falls. It was amazing to have a thin sheet of water sparkling to your right and the orange red glowing stone to your left. I believe the path continued and took you right to the top of the falls , but I didnt venture further as I was so taken with this space. We all found a huge mound of rock opposite the path and decided to clamber on to the top , were we all sat contemplating.

The other hike in there was called ANGELS LANDING , and was considered one of the hardest in the area. On the same trek my oldest friends and I were condidered the CITY GIRLS and the ones least likely to get our hands dirty so to speak. So I am very very proud of this hike and feel that it was one of my biggest acheivements. I will have to post some of the piccies of that day. The other notable part was the fact that NONE of the other group with us came on this hike with us!!! They were to frightened bless them.
It takes about 3 hours to get to the top , and starts with 45 degree switch backs,(slopes that are kinda layed one next to the other going in oopposite directions at each turn but go higher and higher), and seem to go on and on and on. The scary part is that you eventually get to parts that need chains so you can haul yourself up the steep parts 60 degrees + and the other scary bit was that sometimes when you looked down there was a sheer drop to the bottom of the valley !!! It was quite an adventure and some encouragment was required on the way by my friend to climb the steps that were cut into sheer flat cliffs faces, I can tell you. It was all worth it as you get nearer to the top, you can feel your energy lifting higher as you go higher and when we reached the top it was a wondrous site of the whole of Zion Canyon before us,all the other cliffs, mountains and glistening blue sky against the black emerald trees. It was like being in a magnificent dream. I stood with my arms out and turned all the way round , I couldnt believe I was there.

We managed to find a safe place to lay cut into the sloping top face and look up at the sky. We had the most amazing sleep and rest before making our way down the way we came up !!!

oh melsy that is fantastic and made me remember climbing the highest mountain in Slovenia called Triglav. It takes two days and you have to sleep in a hut near the top. We went to the top first thing in the morning and there was a choir singing edelweiss who met once a year to do the trip and sing at dawn. It was fantastic and we all cried.

I have very fond memories of a 'field' opposite our house as a child where I used to go to escape into fantasy land and looking back meditate at a young age and have had other great experiences of beautiful places ....but my most sacred places are in my head 2 images I use when meditating....perhaps they are an amalgamation of the things I have seen/experienced and liked the most I don't know.

One is a beautiful white sand beach and I swim amongst tropical amazingly coloured fish as teh sun warms my skin and birds fly above......

another includes a stream, field with long grass where I make daisy chains, a hill at the top of which is a huge pine forest...when I am having a good meditation I can go into the forest, interact with the animals then come to a break int eh trees where the sun shines through, I then get drawn towards a white light (won't go into this bit too much) but eventually I am placed back on the grass and know it's time to leave the forest and wake up.........

Oh sibble take me to your beach I need sun and sea right now!