OSTENTATIOUS THEORY OF SACRED SITES

OCTOBER 23, 2020 REVISION PLEASE NOTE THAT I AM REMOVING THE NICKNAME OF DONALD TRUMP FOR THE OSTENTATIOUS THEORY OF SACRED SITES. DONALD TRUMP HAS BECOME A CONTENTIOUS FIGURE FOR BOTH THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT AND NO LONGER HAS THE SAME PANCHE THAT DID 15 YEARS AGO WHEN I DEVELOPED THE OSTENTATIOUS THEORY OF SACRED SITES. AT THE TIME TRUMP WAS THOUGHT OF AS BEING OSTENTATIOUS  LIKING THE LAVISH, THE OUTLANDISH, THE OPULENT. BECAUSE HIS IMAGE HAS CHANGED I AM REMOVING HIS ASSOCIATION WITH THE CONCEPT. MADIS

With the possibly that Donald Trump could become the next President of the United States of America I thought it important to write on a theory I have had for years about sacred sites that I call “The Donald Trump Theory of Sacred Sites,” a barometer of sorts. It is not so much based on the Donald we have come to see during the presidential primaries—a loose cannon, foot in mouth, bigoted and lacking policy knowledge, a deal- maker for the average Joe/Jane.  Instead, it relates to the real estate developer who built large, ostentatious, opulent, over-the-top, and arguably gaudy buildings.  I am at the other end of the spectrum, seeing simple and plain as the order of the day when it comes to sacred sites.

When I look at a supposed sacred site with a large stone structure or ornate design I ask myself, “Is this a place that Donald Trump would build, or was it built by someone more modest, in the vein of a nature worshiper, a Native American, or an ascetic? Would Jesus or Buddha build such a place?   A physical structure in many ways is a reflection of the person or people who created it. A physical structure is also a barometer of the times, as well as a magnet for attracting like-minded people. (Law of Attraction: like attracts like.) 

Co-creating with Mother Earth

Some may say that the physical structure of a sacred site is irrelevant because if it is on a power place of Mother Earth, what is on top does not matter. I disagree.  Ultimately, what makes a site sacred are the human intentions, or imprints that are attached to the location. It is the imprints that either greatly enhance a space, or significantly diminish it. The vibe of a place affects how we feel there and what it does for our energy body, or soul.

We are meant to co-create new births with Mother Earth. Water dowsers will tell you that a water dome may form over time under a labyrinth, a stone structure, or some other holy place. Similarly, an energy vortex – what I call a natural vortex –  may form above ground, giving an extra dose of nurturing energy to visiting pilgrims. The veil between the Earth Plane and other higher realities can thin at sacred sites, allowing communication with other beings or changes to our consciousness. Powerful thought forms/ imprints created over the years by visiting pilgrims lingering at sacred sites can bring us answers, guide us, improve our meditation, and more. 

In my book, Vortices and Spiral, Unlocking the Mystery of Our Dynamic Relationship with Mother Earth, I began by telling of an incredible experience I had meditating in an energy vortex on a mountaintop in Vermont.  An excerpt ran in the summer 2014 ASD Digest, entitled, “Transcending Time.”  It tells what is possible. There was nothing there but an energy vortex and now, a mostly blocked view of the mountain vista. It was the energy vortex that made it a wonderful sacred site, one I found at a time when I needed to be spiritually replenished.

No doubt there are places that are uniquely sacred to each of us, or our faith tradition.   Ultimately, what makes a sacred site special and enhances it is the co-creation of a new birth with Mother Earth that opens up the possibility of powerful mystical experiences. 

Idolatry

It is our intention that brings about a new birth with Mother Earth. When we love, give, heal, do unto others, practice ahimsa, pray and meditate, we open up the possibility of co-creating a new birth with Mother Earth. Conversely, when we act violently or selfishly, focus on the material, and use electronic devices that damage Mother Earth, we diminish a space and start the process of decay that leads to geopathic stress and ultimately the creation of debilitating negative energy vortices.

When Donald Trump builds an opulent building, he plants a seed, a seed that is fortified by the building’s physical structure, a seed that is a reflection of who he is, his consciousness. This seed attracts like-minded people. This strengthens the imprint at the location, increasing the possibility that it can sweep up others into it and get them to focus on the material and the path towards superficiality.  An opulent sacred site risks having a similar future.

The problem with this trajectory is that it can lead to idolatry as decried by the Hebrew prophets: an object, in that case  a large/opulent temple structure, became the focus of attention rather than Mother Earth’s power to transform us in sacred space. 

The Marriage of Function with Structure

A structure should be a reflection of its function. Large and stunning structure may serve a purpose. For example, a large earthen mound, rather than being a Trumpism, may have been made large because it had to hold a lot of people. So the Trump Theory of Sacred Sites is not a “black and white” rule.  

Large, or ornate sacred sites present challenges. Consider Serpent Mound (Peebles, Ohio), the world’s largest effigy mound creatively structured in the shape of a serpent to tap into and connect the earth energies located there, a very impressive feat that showed creativity and knowledge of Mother Earth.  Serpent Mound was saved Professor Putnam of Harvard University because of its large size and serpent shape. I imagine several other places around the world are still standing because they are large, awe-inspiring, or beautiful to behold: being large can bring benefits to a sacred site.

Today tens of thousands visit Serpent Mound annually. Unfortunately, few come there to pray/do ceremony and experience the powerful earth energies created by the serpent, but rather only to view the Serpent, and snap pictures of it. To insure the Serpent is not damaged, visitors are not allowed to walk on it. While this care for preservation of the site is admirable, it focuses attention on the Serpent, rather than on the experience of Mother Earth’s energy that can be found there.  As the Hebrew prophet taught, the focus has shifted from Mother Earth to the material, the effigy mound in the shape of a serpent.  While visitors can still feel the earth energies at Serpent Mound, all the focus on the material (effigy mound) and the lack of spiritual pilgrims (few prayed/mediated while I was there) results in a vibe that could be much greater.

I have found many other places in the wilderness that have used the same approach to tap into Mother Earth that the Adena mound builders did at Serpent Mound: the thoughts of spiritual pilgrims still linger in the air, and are much more palpable.  The chances of having a mystical experience or a revelation are much more likely than at a sacred site frequented more by gawkers than spiritual pilgrims.

Small and Simple is Beautiful

When we next view a sacred site, ask how it feels and what it does to us, rather than focusing merely on how it looks. Understand also the impact that we will have on a sacred site when we visit: let’s go there with the best of intentions, bring an offering, and while there act in a sacred manner, and pray and meditate while there. Let’s be part of the solution, not the problem.

We don’t need to buy into the hype about all those large structures around the world: small and simple is beautiful.  We can go into the woods and look for an energy vortex, or some dilapidated pile of stones nearby.  That pile of stones could have once been a very holy place which may still retain its spiritual embers.  These are the great finds, the great sites, the simple ones that did not attract treasure hunters or gawkers looking for eye candy. These are the places that can nourish our soul and raise our consciousness as we connect with the Spirit of those who created them.  When we feel with our heart, we will be drawn to and find all sorts of sacred sites. 

The picture above is an example of the many stone mounds that can be found in nature. It is a picture of a stone circle and  was taken in 2010 and was posted to my Clarks Gully Blog under Orbs, Megaliths and Covered Earth Chakras.

The preceding appears in the current summer issue of the American Society of Dowsers Digest.