What Can We Learn from Ancient Sacred Sites

Sacred Sites Survey of South Hill, Middlesex, NY

Hypothesis—It is my fervent belief that ancient cultures were much more attuned to Mother Earth and knew how to work with earth phenomena to improve their lives and enhance their spiritual experience.

Survey—NY State Archaeologists(Parker, Richie) have written about the Woodland period (100BCE to !000AD) sites found in the Vine Valley of Yates County by Canandaigua Lake in NYS. Archaeologist and NEARA member David Robinson found several stone cairns(platform) at the top of South Hill, that he believed were Adena-Hopewell. (To read his paper--http://www.crookedlakereview.com/articles/101_135/103spring1997/103robinson.html
They have been catalogued by his friend Stonepilewhisperer at : http://hi-torstone.blogspot.com/ The Seneca people believe that they were born at South Hill and the area contains the remains of numerous cultures.

Members of the Finger Lakes Dowsers (Chris Meath, Jill Gage, Kevin Greer, Lorraine Mavins, Madis Senner) gathered for a survey of South Hill on April 26, 2008. The morning was spent surveying and praying at the various sacred sites in the lower part of South Hill—Clarks Gully. I have written up these sites at: http://www.jubileeinitiative.org/SacredClarksGully.html

The afternoon was spent exploring the upper falls area off of South Hill Road near the DEC parking lot. We found several large stone cairns in a bowl area below the ridge west of the falls. Attached is a picture of Chris Meath standing on one of the mounds. We believe that these cairns were spiritual in nature.

Archeologists have a lot of opinions as to why such cairns were made—rites, sun-worship, burial ceremony, etc. As a person who passionately believes in the transformative power of Mother Earth I look at it differently. I believe that ancient sacred sites were either consciously or subconsciously chosen because of their earth phenomena and the ability to commune with Mother Earth at them.

We found that the bowl area was one giant vortex field. I have to thank my dog Pepper for going absolutely ballistic hyper in helping point this out to me. Land form feng shui holds that mountains carry chi and I have found that they do very often have vortex fields. Each of the stone cairns was placed on an area that contained several energy vortexes. None of the cairns had any lines of consciousness (spirit lines, ley lines) at them as you often find at sacred sites.

It appears that cairns were located to tap into the energy. Energy vortexes are invigorating and can give you a quick boost. They can also enhance your spiritual experience.

Any input would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Madis Senner
Madiss(at)verizon.net

Foundation of Light Talk--March 22, 2008

Connecting with Mother Earth’s Soul at the Foundation of Light

March 22, 2008 10 AM

391 Turkey Hill Road. Ithaca

Join madis senner (www.MotherEarthPrayers.org) for a talk about sacred sites in upstate NY and a survey of the Foundation of Light (FOL-- http://www.foundation-of-light.org/).

Part 1; will be a pictorial presentation of various sacred sites in the area, with emphasis on the Ithaca area, and a discussion of the attributes that make them special.
Foundation of Light— http://www.jubileeinitiative.org/SacredFOL.html
Ithaca’s Spiritual Embers-- http://www.jubileeinitiative.org/SacredIthaca.html
Danby’s Forest of Prayers-- http://www.jubileeinitiative.org/sacreddanby.html

Part 2; will be tour of the special places (indoors and outdoors) at the FOL. Effort will be made through spiritual exercises to help people sense and feel the consciousness of the space.

The FOL is a spiritual, healing and learning community center in Ithaca, NY. It is sits on some very special parts of Mother Earth and contains numerous ancient prayer sites. It offers a myriad of alternatives to connect with and experience Mother Earth first hand--a meditation room, a labyrinth, a stone circle, a medicine wheel and much more. You will explore these and the numerous ancient sacred sites on the grounds. Whether you are looking to connect with and experience sacred space for the first time, or build upon your awareness you will be helped by the group consciousness of spiritual exercises done at the FOL.

The event is expected to last 2-3 hours. Make sure to bring along a pair of boots (or overshoes) and warm clothing for the outdoor experience.
Madis Senner is an ex-Wall street money manager turned faith based activist living in Syracuse, NY. He writes and lectures about sacred space. In 2002 he felt called to get people to pray around Onondaga Lake. That began his genesis of learning about sacred sites in Upstate NY. He believes that Mother Earth is a living being with a soul and that her soul resides in the area (www.GaiasSoul.org.html). He has been cataloguing sacred places for to go pray at for the past two years at www.MotherEarthPrayers.org. One of those places is the Foundation of Light-- http://www.jubileeinitiative.org/SacredFOL.html

Medicine Wheel at the Foundation of Light--Ithaca

Yesterday at the Foundation of Light http://www.jubileeinitiative.org/SacredFOL.html in Ithaca, NY I dowsed out (found the spiritual embers of) a medicine wheel adjacent to the Northwest corner of the main building. What was so interesting about the medicine wheel is that the axis’s did not run north-south and east-west. Rather the axis’s, or spokes, were aligned on energy lines. Traditionally many people believe that medicine wheels should have at least two spokes one running North-south the other East-west.

Later I dowsed out several other medicine wheels I had found closeby and they too were aligned on energy lines and did not go North-south/East-west. I never paid much attention to the direction of the axis before.

The medicine wheels also had numerous ley lines running through them. I think that this is a shiva(consciousness) shatki(energy) thing and shows incredible knowledge of how to work with Mother Earth. Ley lines or spirit lines http://www.jubileeinitiative.org/Gaiassoul4.html carry divine consciousness and intersections of ley lines in particular are good places to go to connect with the divine. Energy (energy lines) facilatate that connection--call it the Kundalini principle. The circle at the FOL was created by Spirit Keepers. http://www.jubileeinitiative.org/SpiritKeepers.html

The FOL medicine wheel shows a different approach and needs to be studied further. I expect that there is a lot more at work. I consistently find that the Spirit Keepers focused on`aspects of mother earth's mechanics--energy lines, spirit lines, fields of consciousness, etc. Not a pretty view as we do today.

This is the second epiphany of sorts I have had at the Foundation of Light.

I will be speaking and leading a tour of the sacred places (prayers/meditations) of the Foundation of Light on Saturday March 22 beginning at 10AM.

peace,
madis

Ithaca's Ceremonial Embers Still Glow--Just Posted

http://www.jubileeinitiative.org/SacredIthaca.html

Ithaca’s Ceremonial Embers Still Burn--Ithaca NY
One of the many places of Prayer in Upstate NY.

One cannot help but be amazed by numerous places of worship clustered together on Ithaca’s east side. They outnumber anything one would expect to find in a town center. I believe that this has to do with the numerous fields of consciousness that can be found in the area as well as a rekindling of spirit planted by Native Americans. Once a place takes on an identity, becomes a worship site, a home, a meeting place, etc. that consciousness remains. I call this a place’s geographic samskaras--its vibe. It appears that Ithaca’s east side was previously peppered with Native American ceremonial sites.

When traveling it was Native American custom to stop and pray or conduct ceremonies along the way. The intersection of trails was a favored spot for this. I often find ceremonial sites, prayer circles and sacred fires that once glowed at the intersection of trails; most notably at the home of the Where the People Gather community in Parish, NY I have found dozens of ceremonial/Sacred sites near where several Native American trails once intersected. Whenever we pray we begin to raise the Kundalini energy within our base chakra; similarly Mother Earth sends her Kundalini energy to a place if we pray long and hard enough there. This energy leaves a dowseable energy line and a very loving space to tap into and add to it. (Read:The Ability to be Transformed.)

“Old Indian Trails in Tompkins County” by W. Glenn Norris (1969 Dewitt Historical Society) has within it a map that shows numerous trails converging on Ithaca with several intersecting on the city’s east side. I believe that several of these trails intersected at Dewitt Park on the east side near the First Presbyterian Church of Ithaca. Norris noted that Native Americans have inhabited the area from at least 3,000 BC with the Lamoka. So there is a lot history and spirit to the area.

Ithaca is a unique place that has attracted the eclectic and those looking for spiritual alternatives. For example, Madame Blavatsky came to Ithaca within days of founding the Theosophical society to rest and think things out. See also our review of the Foundation of Light. The following is a survey of three places of worship in Ithaca that offer an alternative as well as a good spiritual experience.

Namgyal Buddhist Monastery

Namgyal Buddhist Monastery, 412 North Aurora Street, is the North American Seat for his holiness the Dali Lama. It offers studies in Tibetan Buddhism and group meditation (Friday evenings, additional evenings and Sundays as well—check website). Programs and times run to coincide with Cornell and Ithaca college campus schedules. Several Buddhist monks with little grasp of the English language live there so contacting the center could be challenging—they are cordial but depend upon the local Tibetan community to answer questions.

Namgyal has a great vibe to it. The area around the monastery is unfortunately blanked with negative samskaras, but once you get within ten feet of the monastery you will see a dramatic change to the positive. This is because of all the praying and meditating that has gone on inside. Walk in and you will feel it. Good Work Monks and friends. This would be an excellent place to go if you trying to learn how to mediate. The Monastery sits on a single field of consciousness that is very nice. A new monastery is being built at Tibet Road off of Rte 79 near Ithaca College. . A preliminary survey of the new location indicates that we will be writing it up once it opens.

First Unitarian Society of Ithaca

First Unitarian Society of Ithaca, 306 North Aurora is a member congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Association. I know of the church because it is a meeting place for Catholic workers and others dedicated to social justice. The church is very accepting of alternative views and religious philosophy. Check the web site for services, meetings and other programs.

The church office next door affords easy access to the sanctuary. The sanctuary sits on a stacked (2) field of consciousness. Within the sanctuary there are numerous spirit keepers and other Native American sites. As you enter the sanctuary the area by the last pew on the left is particularly strong.

Tara House

Tara House, 101 Linn Street next to the waterfalls at Cascadilla Park gorge is a Buddhist sanctuary in the Tibetan Vajrayana tradition. It offers Sunday morning meditations and other programs.
Tara House sits on a single field of consciousness and has a positive samskara.

Peace,Madis Senner

Buffalo on Saturday January 26, 2008

I will be presenting and speaking (12 Noon) at the Buffalo Psychic Fair this Saturaday 1/26/08 at the Heartstone Manor. For more information go to: http://www.evolvingessenceeast.com/fairs.html

Finger Lakes Survey--Owasco, Otisco, Cayuga

After my talk at the Universalist Unitarian church in Auburn yesterday we surveyed several places around Owasco, Otisco and eastern shore of Cayuga Lake in the Finger Lakes. It was a very cold and windy day with wind chills below zero—but the sun was out bright and beautiful.

Most of the area we surveyed is covered with negative geographic samskaras http://www.jubileeinitiative.org/Samskaras.html . We did find some places that are worth further investigation and should possibly be written up.

Auburn, NY has some phenomenal features but unfortunately much of the area is now caked over with very negative samskaras. A lot of great souls have been attracted to the area such has Harriet Tubman, Frances and William Seward,…Ft. Hill cemetery sits on an old Spirit Keepers http://www.jubileeinitiative.org/SpiritKeepers.html site consisting of several mounds and numerous fields and stacked fields of consciousness http://www.gaiassoul.org/ . Unfortunately, a Cayuga Indian chief decided to turn this most sacred of sites into a military fort. Then settlers built a cemetery upon it. All of which make parts of it quite nasty.

Emerson Park http://www.co.cayuga.ny.us/parks/emerson/directions.html on the northern shore Owasco Lake has some nice features. Nothing outstanding—but nice. Great views of the lake. The vibe or samskaras were, okay for most of the park. A single field of consciousness is found by the trees near the dog run area; a little north of there.
I found one Spirit Keepers site (where they prayed) by the trees. The fact that not a lot of sacred sites existed in an area with such majestic landscapes and FT. Hill was full of them tells me that Spirit Keepers were more attuned with and concerned with mother earth than those that followed, particularly settlers. Today we are all too quick to build a place of worship, or perceive of the sacred, at a place that has pleasant aesthetic features rather than a place that allows for a soulful connection.

Union Springs http://www.co.cayuga.ny.us/unionsprings/ rests on the eastern shore of Onondaga Lake. In the center of the town is a park where a Cayuga village once stood. A few Haudenosaunee sacred sites can be found on the burm at the lake side of the pond.

Great Gully Falls, Union Springs http://www.naturalhighs.net/waterfalls/falls02/greatgully.htm a mile or so south of Union Springs on rte 90 just below the intersection with Great Gully Road, about a 100 feet south of the monuments to the Sullivan campaign of massacre. Several Native sacred sites can be found on the ledge to the north where the falls begins. The area is overwhelmed by the negative samskaras http://www.jubileeinitiative.org/Samskaras.htm created by all the killing and violence that has occurred in the area. Very Bad! One must wonder whether this was the work of Sullivan himself or a place where violence has gone on for eons before.

Long Point State Park http://www.hikercentral.com/campgrounds/108357.html the samskaras were so bad and the wind so bitter that we did not spend much time there. As I have said before, waterside locations have been inhabited for eons and have been fought over for eons—creating a very bad vibe. And unless they have some positive features of mother earth and people that have inhabited the places have earnestly taken prayer to heart they are generally to be avoided. A Bad vibe.

Sherwood—Holland Stone Store Museum—Underground Railroad Site--http://www.rootsweb.com/~nycayuga/howland/index.htm SWEET!! The museum was closed when we were there. It sits on a stacked (3) filed of consciousness http://www.gaiassoul.org/ and has got a great vibe. This place definitely deserves another look and some soulful time. Retired Oswego Historian Judy Wellman spoke about the store and her work in Sherwood at a conference last summer in Auburn on the women’s movement.
The Holland Stone store underscores the notion that people are drawn to place and the place shapes their consciousness.

Moravia United Methodist Church http://www.christumcmoravia.org/ --we were pleasantly surprised while driving through Moravia and drawn to the city center and the UMC church. The church was closed when we were there, but we could tell that it sits on a stacked field of consciousness (3) http://www.gaiassoul.org/ and has a great vibe. I found a few sacred sites outside the church and I imagine that there are more inside. The church is definitely worth a visit and a possible write-up.

Skinner Hill Road out of Moravia http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=skinner+hill+road+moravia&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl is just north of the Fillmore Glen and may even be next to DEC land that is part of the park. It had a good vibe and there appeared to be several fields of consciousness. I need to go back in the spring and summer and take look. It holds promise.


Otisco Lake Park http://syr-area.com/cny-parks/otisco-lake-park.html There is a stacked field of consciousness (2) on the northern side of the park near the water. There are also numerous sacred sites by the water. It was getting late, but the park needs to be visited again.

All said we had a very fruitful and fun day

Sacred Space talk—Sunday January 20th 10:30 AM

Sacred Space talk—Sunday January 20th 10:30 AM

Auburn, N.Y., Unitarian-Universalist Church, 607 N. Seward
http://www.geocities.com/auburnnyuu/

Friends,

All are welcome to attend a talk I will be giving at the Auburn Unitarian-Universalist church on sacred space. Topics to be covered include; what is sacred space, the importance of sacred space, enhancing and benefiting from sacred space, unique sacred spaces in upstate NY and other UUA churches in the area. I will point out the unique features of the Auburn UUA church and offer participants the chance to experience and feel these special places themselves.

Church service is expected to last an hour, which includes my talk on sacred space (45 minutes). Refreshments will be served afterwards and I will stay to answer questions.

Peace,
Madis Senner

PS---Does anyone have a lap top and a projector I could borrow for a presentation in Buffalo for January 26th? If so, please contact madiss(at)verizon.net , 315-463-5369 Thanks.