Sacred Sites of the World
by Donna Thomson
You've probably heard of the Great Pyramid of Egypt, Stonehenge in England and Machu Picchu in Peru. These are just some of the hundreds of sacred and spiritual locations found around the world which people aspire to travel to some day to experience the special qualities of each location.
What are Sacred Locations?
Sacred locations usually refer to ancient sites where something of interest has occurred, such as the building of ancient monuments, cities, been the location of especially spiritual peoples throughout time such as the Mayans, and so on. Sacred sites can also be places of mystery or high energy locations where people feel a closer connection with the earth and the larger universe. Often such locations can assist people in their own spiritual connections and this is why some of the tours to these places also focus on meditation at the sites.
Power Spots
It's been discovered that our ancestors throughout time have built their special monuments or places of worship on what we term today as 'power spots'. Cultures that have appeared hundreds of years apart seem to have been aware of the same special and powerful energy spots, which is a direct reflection of their closer connection to the planet - something which is sadly lacking in today's society. There are many who still seek such connections though and hopefully we will learn as a planet to again listen to nature so we can live more harmoniously with our surroundings.
Personal Connections
It's interesting to note that different people are drawn to different sacred locations so what one person connects with could be different to another. This may be due to historical connections to a location through ancestry or even past lives. Or, the energy of a particular location might resonate more with the energy of that person so they feel more drawn to it.
People have been healed at such locations and received some of their greatest inspirations and personal transformations. For this reason, many musicians, poets and writers have spent time in sacred locations, as well as people who are interested in shamanic and ancient experiences such as chanting, drumming, healing circles and so on.
Healing the Earth
As well as travelling for personal reasons, some individuals and groups spend time in sacred locations to connect more deeply with the earth and to facilitate its healing, often through the ancient and shamanic methods mentioned above.
Sacred Geometry
For the curious, the mysterious crop circles that have particularly cropped up (pardon the pun) in the UK are a spiritual drawcard. There are many theories about crop circles and their origins. Although many have been proven to be man-made, there are still some that remain unexplained. Are they messages from our alien neighbours created by sound waves as one theory has it? We may never know, but the mystery of crop circles is very alluring as well as very artistic and appealing to the eye.
Crop circle formations commonly appear as sacred geometrical patterns and it's now being discovered that several of the crop circles close to each other form larger sacred geometrical patterns over the land which is of great interest to many.
Organised Travel
Reflecting the increasing focus on spirituality throughout the world, travel agencies and spiritually-inclined small businesses are now offering all sorts of organised tours to many of the world's sacred locations with the purpose of having a spiritual and meaningful experience.
There are sacred and spiritual locations throughout every country on earth, so it's quite possible that you wouldn't have to travel across the world to experience such a location. Here are just a few of the hundreds of special locations, possibly in your corner of the world:
Australia
Australia's sacred sites are closely linked to Aboriginal culture and spirituality. In the centre of Australia are the famous Aboriginal sacred sites of Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (the Olgas Mountains). Throughout the country there is also the Daintree Rainforest, Boonuloolu (the Bungle Bungles) and Kakadu.
North America
As with Australia, many of the sacred places in North America are linked to the indigenous people of the land, in this case the Native Americans. Such sacred locations are the canyons, valleys and energy vortexes found in Sedona, Arizona, or the ruins of the Chaco Canyon complex in New Mexico. Mt. Shasta in California is an extinct volcano which had great importance to several Indian tribes. Another site of significance to Indian tribes is Devil's Tower in Wyoming which gained attention as the location of the movie 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'.
Left: Devil's Tower, Wyoming, USA Right: Machu Picchu, Peru
Central & South America
The Peruvian Andes is the ancient home of the Incas with sacred sites such as Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, the Sacred Valley and Mt. Quilish. In Mexico there is Teotihuacan ('place of the gods'), home to the 'Pyramid of the Sun' and other pyramids. A place steeped in mystery, it is thought to pre-date and have mystified the Mesoamerican civilizations of the Mayans, Zapotecs, Toltecs and Atzecs. Also in South America, the fascinating Easter Island can be found off the coast of Chile.
China
Many of the mountains in China are considered sacred places with the most sacred being Mount Tai in Shandong Province which has been considered a deity in itself since at least the third millennium B.C. There are also many sacred temples such as Puji Si Temple on one of the lowest mountains, Pu Tuo Shan and Beijing's Temple of Heaven.
Tibet
People from several different faiths, including Buddhist and Hindu, pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in Tibet to complete ritual walks around the base of the mountain.
Left: Hagar Qim temple, Malta Right: The 'Immortal Bridge', Mt. Tai, China
Japan
As with many countries and cultures, the greatest mountains have been considered throughout time as sacred symbols of power. So it is with Mt. Fuji in Japan which has been considered sacred by both the Shinto and Buddhist religions.
India
The Ganges River in India (known as Ganga Ma, meaning 'Mother Ganges') is considered a goddess in itself, said to purify people of their sins and assist people on their path into the afterlife. There are also 'Sacred Groves of India' spread throughout the country which are areas of ancient forest or woodland which are preserved and considered sacred by their local communities.
Nepal
In Nepal, the Kathmandu Valley is a popular sacred pilgrimage location with temples and sacred caves. Lumbini is another Nepalese location that people seek to visit as it is the sacred location of the Buddha's birth.
Left: Standing stones of Callanish, Scotland Right: Crop Circle
UK & Ireland
In England there is the popular Stonehenge, plus Glastonbury on the Isle of Avalon, Chalice Well, Avebury stone circle, Arthurian sites and other mystical and historical sites. Scotland, Ireland and Wales all have many megalithic (groups of standing stones) sites. Scotland also has the Orkney Islands which have a lot of Druidic history, while one of Ireland's sacred sites is the famous Blarney Stone.
Europe
In Greece there is Mount Olympus and Meteora - rocky sandstone mountains that humans have been in awe of throughout time and which house the remaining meteorisa monastiria ('hanging monasteries') perched into the rocky slopes from the 1500s. Germany also has an interesting rock formation called the Externsteine rocks - a chain of towering sandstone spires dating back 70 million years to the Cretaceous period. The Mediterranean island of Malta contains interesting megalithic stone temples such as the Neolithic temple of Hagar Qim.
Egypt
We all know of the mysterious and ancient Great Pyramid in Giza, Egypt. In fact there are three pyramids on the Giza Plateau as well one of the most magnificent carvings, the Sphinx.
Left: Red Rocks, Sedona, Arizona Right: Mt. Nemrut, Turkey
Turkey
In Yazilikaya, Turkey, there is an ancient Hittite ceremonial site with artistic carvings dating back to 13th century BC. Turkey also has an awe-inspiring mountain-top shrine made of stone sculptures of large mythological figures and heads to name just some of the fascinating carvings, located at Mount Nemrut (Nemrut Dağ).
To go alone or in a group?
The benefit of travelling to sacred locations alone is the solitude you may be seeking in order to connect with the energy of the site. You can meditate as you wish and feel free to follow your intuition as to what you do and how you do it. Being in an organised group may allow this to a degree but your time may be more limited.
On the other hand, the benefit of travelling in an organised group would be that your guide would have a lot of information about the history and mysteries of the location which would give an added dimension to your visit. It might also be easier to interact with the locals when guided by someone who knows the local customs and so on.
A compromise might be to form your own small group to travel together and employ the use of a local guide. You would have to do your research carefully depending on the location and reliability of local tour guides.
Something for Everyone!
This has been but a taste of the types of sacred sites to be found on our planet. As you can see, some are natural formations such as mountains, rocks, canyons and valleys. Others are man-made, from ancient structures to ruins of mysterious civilizations. Of course there are also the more religious sacred sites such as temples, the home of Buddha, the Ganges in India, monasteries and much more. There truly is something for everyone!
If you've been to a special location, whether famous or just special to you, please write about it and send it to us, or share your experiences on the forum because we'd love to read about them!