Walking in the Dark is Good For Your Soul

 “Only in the past few hundred years have we shut ourselves off from our natural surroundings. Walking at night is a powerful way of reconnecting . When your vision is reduced, your other senses are sharpened.”

Walking at night is like discovering a new world on your doorstep, one that allows you to roam beyond the duration of winter’s short days and explore in the time of Covid. As Henry David Thoreau wrote in Night and Moonlight: “Night is certainly more novel and less profane than day.”

Click to Read Article

Into the night: why walking in the dark is good for the soul

Melondy Hill State Forest (SE Chenango County, NY), Part 1 Manitou Stones

Given the success that I have had doing surveys recently in Chenango County, NY  (Survey in Chenango County, NY--Part I, Chenango County Survey (9/26)--Continued) I decided I would return to Chenango County.

While doing research I remembered Don Windsor Chenango County's archaeologist's paper on Stone Mounds in Chenango County. Given the glowing writeup on  Melondy Hill NYS DEC State Forest I decided to go there.I also found a writeup that Don Windsor did for the Rock Piles Blog Souvenirs of Yesteryear: The mysterious stone ... - Rock Pilesrockpiles.blogspot.com › 2006/10 › souvenirs-of-yester... I was pretty psyched to check out the tall columned stone structures at Melondy Hill.

The challenge was that I would have to walk two miles in a trail-less state forest relying only on my compass and a topographical map to get to the stone columns. I was also going to use the boundary markers of the state forest to help guide me. Unfortunately, I had difficulty finding the first boundary marker.....

Manitous Abound

On my hike in I found lots of Manitou Stones (pictured below), mostly small ones in areas that had not been logged. I did not see any Manitou Stones in areas that were logged on my hike in; although I did not spend time looking because I was  on the move. These logged areas contained lots of rubble, large truck tracks, overturned soil, downed trees and a vibe that was negative. In essence these areas were both physically and spiritually scarred. 

If you have read this blog, or my other works, you know that the vibe/atmosphere of a particular space is very important. That is because a positive vibe will enhance a space, while a negative vibe will diminish a space. An improved vibe will accentuate and highlight features of Mother Earth found there. More on this later.

The following are some of the larger Manitou Stones that I found.

In the picture below Jaeda Bear is lying down between two larger Manitou Stones.

The picture below shows how the Manitou on the right side in the picture above has split.

As I noted finding that first boundary marker was a challenge and I walked over a mile before I found one. I can't remember if I ever felt more grateful for finding a posted sign. See below.

Below is a closeup of the smaller Manitou on the left side in the picture above.

To Continue Reading

Melondy Hill State Forest (SE Chenango County, NY), Part 2 The Zig Zag Stone Mound

Melondy Hill State Forest (SE Chenango County, NY), Part 2 The Zig Zag Stone Mound

Most of the land at Melondy Hill NYS DEC State Forest (Chenango County, NY) has a neutral or a slightly negative vibe. There were some places with a very negtive vibe and a few with a very positive vibe.

The one place with a sweet vibe was a location with an interesting stone structure; sort of a low rising stone wall that twisted and turned  at right angles. A stone wall that you might be scratching your head to figure out what its purpose was. Possibly a pen for animals?

Well.

There was no decision regarding whether it was used for spiritual purpose. As soon as got close to it, I was zapped with a powerful Earth Energy. One that sent me into the balcony almost immediately. Impressive.

Here is a pic of the structure.

Although difficult to see, if you look hard on the left  you can see the stone wall turns right.  It definitely marks an alignment of Mother Earth. But of what.?

Ten to twelve years years ago I was blessed to be shown a similar formation at a very sacred site. It may be the same type, or maybe slightly different. I still don't understand what their purpose and functions are. I will go back and look at my notebooks from that period to try and figure it out.

More importantly the vibe was very positive and because of this a synergy was created that jacked up the power of the structure. Underscoring what I have said many times on this blog---IT'S ALL ABOUT THE VIBE.

When we love, give, heal, act altruistically, pray, meditate we can uplift a space and in the process magnify the affects of an aspect of Mother Earth found there. This is what happened at the location pictured above.

Why has this stone structure not suffered the fate of other locations?

Its modesty. There is nothing outrageous or extravagant about it.

Years ago I developed the Ostentatious Theory of Sacred Sites--that opulent, extravagant, massive, elaborate sacred structures attract an element that might not necessarily be in keeping with the sacred nature and intent of the structure. People into  things (material objects), thrill seekers and the like will be drawn to it. That intention  and focus will begin to attach to the structure and surrounding space. In the process the vibe will begin to diminish. See my OSTENTATIOUS THEORY OF SACRED SITES

The efficacy of the OSTENTATIOUS THEORY OF SACRED SITES will become ever more apparent in the next section Part 3 Stone Columns.

Again its all about the vibe. The power and presence of this nondescript, plain, simple and unassuming stone structure was its vibe. A vibe it has been able to retain because it is not eye candy that attracts curiosity and thrill seekers. It's all about what is in your heart and not in physical things.

To Continue Reading
Melondy Hill State Forest (SE Chenango County, NY), Part 3 Stone Columns

Melondy Hill State Forest (SE Chenango County, NY), Part 3 Stone Columns

It took me almost two hours to get to the tall stone columns. Not knowing my way, stopping to photograph Manitou Stones, having to constantly zig and zag to walk around objects such as downed trees increased my time walking. It was well worth it.

There were well over a dozen stone mounds in the shape of a column in varying states of condition: from excellent to poor.

All of the stone mounds marked the intersection of numerous Energy Lines. A nest. I call the intersection of numerous Energy Lines, Ley Lines or any other linear line of Mother Earth a Nest. When you get a Nest of converging lines you often get other Nests nearby because there are so many lines converging in an area. That is the case here. Multiple nests close to each other.

Given so many Nests people decided to mark them by making stone columns.

I imagine that this was a very holy and sacred area at one time. That had numerous pilgrims coming to pray, to do ceremony or coming for healings.

Unfortunately, the vibe that once must have been very powerful was now gone. I found shot gun shells and a magazine with a stone upon which a hunter sat on. Hunting has a very detrimental affect upon a space--the thought of killing, even a four legged is very negative and stands in sharp contrast to the love and sacredness of the original intent of visiting pilgrims.

The eye candy visual appeal of the stone column attracts curiosity seekers, thrill seekers and others. This intent of curiosity contrasts with the sacred intent of the space. This intent merges with the original intent and diminishes it. Again diminishing the vibe.

As I noted in Part 2. People into  things (material objects), thrill seekers and the like will be drawn to large and intricate stone structures. That intention  and focus will begin to attach to the structure and surrounding space. In the process the vibe will begin to diminish. That is why  I came up with my OSTENTATIOUS THEORY OF SACRED SITES; that having an elaborate of visually appealing stone structure attracts an element that diminishes its vibe.

Again you need a positive vibe to enhance a space and the aspects of Mother Earth found there.

Unfortunately a Treasure hunter or amateur archaeologist decided to rip apart one of the stone  mounds to  investigate it, and/or hoping to loot it of any treasure. In the picture below Jaeda Bear is lying in the depressed/dimpled center of what was once a stone column. I imagine that the stones surrounding the sunken center were part of the stone column.

A Manitou stone is standing in front of a stone column in the picture below.

It was another great day connecting with our Mother and learning from and appreciating the work of the Earth Healers and Telluric People that constructed these stone columns. Thank you.

I also have a hunch that these stone columns are a makeover of what was there originally. That what was there originally had decayed and someone decided to reconstruct them by building over them. I have seen this at Stonewall Jackson State Park West Virginia ( Part III Stonewall/Ohiopyle Survey--The Earthen Mound  and at Long Branch Park at Onondaga Lake Park in Syracuse New York (The (Hopewell Adena?) Mounds at Onondaga Lake ). It's only a hunch.

It was a great trip. If I go back it would be to look for an energy vortex to meditate in,  or explore more. Evidently there was a spring close to stone columns, a very promising sign.

Blessings, 

Madis

Back to Part 1

Melondy Hill State Forest (SE Chenango County, NY), Part 1 Manitou Stones

Watching nature on TV can boost wellbeing, finds new study

Being homebound during the Covid-19 crisis has made many people bored and depressed. A recent research study in the Journal of Environmental Psychology found that many of the traditional benefits of being in Nature such as improved health and mood, transferred over to those that watched Nature on TV. 

Chenango County Survey (9/26)--Continued

Following my survey of the stone structures in North Phasalia in Chenango county NYSurvey in Chenango County, NY--Part I on Saturday September 26th I continued surveying on my own and found several interesting places and stone structures.

Since the publication Sacred Sites in North Star Country: Places in Greater New York State (PA,OH,NJ,CT,MA,VT,ONT) That Changed the World I have been looking for more places with Fields of Consciousness for an update of the book in the future. I do a map dowsing looking for possible FOC and follow-up with a survey.

The following are pictures from my survey in Chenango County.

I went to NYS's Bowman Lake State Park looking for a Field of Consciousness. As I entered the woods I was immediately struck with the image of several large Platform Stones. I first thought that they were stones marking an old trail or entrance; but a dowsing showed them to be Platform Stones. Wow. What Luck.

Below are the pictures of Jaeda Bear sitting next to the Platform Stones

I then went to NYS DEC's McDonough State forest next to Bowman State Park looking for a FOC. 

Wow what a beautiful Hemlocked woods.

While not far from the entrance the FOC was a little off the beaten track so it had a positive and sweet vibe to it. Very Nice.

I next went to another NYS DEC Forest and found more FOC. It was getting late so I did not investigate first hand but marked in on the map for when I come back.

I was very, very lucky to find all these wonderful things. Often I go and see nothing. So today was unusual. A Gift. Thanks God.

Manitou's at Skytop (in the city of Syracuse) Posting #4

 I have been going to Skytop to do surveys several times a week. Here are some pictures from my October 2nd visit.

Above is a mountain bike jump. Hard to believe that someone would go over that.

Below are a few pictures of a big Manitou Stone I found that day.

In my previous posts I had talked about stone walls that may have been constructed of stones that previously were part of an ancient stone structure.

Amazing what you can find in the woods.

Places We Love

In researching my next book on how the Environmental Crisis is a Crisis of our Heart I came across the following poem that speaks to power of place 

Places We Love 

By Ivan V. Lalic  

Places we love exist only through us, 

Space destroyed is only illusion in the constancy of time, 

Places we love we can never leave, 

Places we love together, together, together, 

And is this room really a room, or an embrace, 

And what is beneath the window: a street or years? 

And the window is only the imprint left by 

The first rain we understood, returning endlessly, 

And this wall does not define the room, but perhaps the night 

Your son began to move in your sleeping blood, 

A son like a butterfly of flame in your hall of mirrors, 

The night you were frightened by your own light, 

And this door leads into any afternoon 

Which outlives it, forever peopled 

With your casual movements, as you stepped, 

Like fire into copper, into my only memory; 

When you go, space closes over like water behind you, 

Do not look back: there is nothing outside you, 

Space is only time visible in a different way, 

Places we love we can never leave.