We took an after hours private tour of Stonehenge that allows you to walk up to and in between the 5000 year old stones. Some people took pictures, some laid in the grass, some meditated and prayed. Stonehenge is seen as a spiritual place to many and is situated at one of earths main energy centers
One of the best tourist attractions in England! Built by the ancients of Britain and ruined by Chevy Chase in the movie European Vacation, this landmark’s purpose has still not been completely found. Some claim its purpose is to determine the movement of the sun and stars and others feel it is a religious. Whether either or both are true, make sure not to jump on any of the boulders because that will be an expensive repair bill.
Every year, thousands of pilgrims gather at the Neolithic Stonehenge monument in Wiltshire, England to celebrate the summer solstice. Thousands more trek to Nevada’s Burning Man Festival to burn a towering effigy, and the hopeful ill journey to Lourdes, France seeking a cure as they have for centuries. Although pilgrimage may seem an antiquated religious ritual, it remains a vibrant activity in a modern world of gadgets and instant gratification. As increasing numbers of us seek refuge from the demands of modern life and its electronic distractions, venturing to a sacred place in search of spirituality has never seemed more appealing. That pilgrimage continues to exercise such a strong attraction is testimony to the power it continues to hold for those who undertake these sacred journeys.
Pilgrimage is broadly defined as an outward journey of a religious or spiritual nature, typically to a shrine, temple, site or rite of significance to those of a particular faith or belief system. There are pilgrimages associated with all the world’s spiritual traditions. Perhaps best known is the Hajj, an annual journey to Mecca considered one of the five pillars of Islam. Another famous pilgrimage is the Camino de Santiago, a journey made by Christians to the shrine that houses the remains of the apostle Saint James in Galicia in northwestern Spain. Jews make pilgrimage to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, while Tibetan Buddhist, Hindus and Jains circumambulate Mount Kailash, the holiest mountain in the Himalayas. Every 12 years, Hindus in India gather at one of four sites along the Ganges river in what is known as the Kumbh Mela, considered the single largest gathering of human beings in one place on the planet.
The purposes for undertaking a shamanic or religious pilgrimage traditionally range from fulfilling a spiritual vow, finding or deepening one’s faith, seeking a remedy for physical or spiritual problems, requesting guidance from spirits or deities of Nature, undergoing initiation rituals, paying homage, to realigning with one’s innermost purpose and passion. For many, pilgrimage is a way to mitigate and resolve karma, the sum of a person’s actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences. Undoubtedly pilgrimage benefits those best equipped to receive its effects, pilgrims with a developed meditation ability, an unfolded responsiveness to the inner world and a receptive vision.
Since ancient times, sacred sites have had a mysterious allure for billions of people around the world. Legends and contemporary reports tell of extraordinary experiences people have had while visiting these places. Different sacred sites have the power to heal the body, enlighten the mind and inspire the heart. A growing body of evidence indicates that there is indeed a concentration of holiness at pilgrimage places, and that this holiness or field of energy contributes to a wide variety of beneficial human experiences. The value and benefit of pilgrimage is often only revealed long after the physical journey is over. The pilgrimage never ends. To learn more, look inside The Art of Pilgrimage: The Seeker’s Guide to Making Travel Sacred.
I’m teaching a mixed media workshop tonight as a part of my term class @gallerylanecove We will take a similar process to this work on paper from the Wodi Wodi track series, 53 x 57cm on Stonehenge paper. Mediums include dry pigments, inks, acrylics, pastels and watercolours. #mixedmedia #stonehenge #australianartist (at Alexandria, New South Wales) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLVy8NFh6O7/?igshid=c682ua00sbc6
The Roden Crater Telescope by jurvetson Portal to a magical overnight at Roden Crater with friends, and the artist James Turrell.
50 years in the making, it’s an art work tunneled through an extinct volcano, aligned with celestial events.
I noticed the crescent moon perfectly centered down the 1000’-long keyhole tunnel. I was excited to share with the group that almost missed it.
The tunnel is purposely built to align with events like this, and it took a year to dig with a tunnel-boring-machine. Craziest of all - it has a 10-ft. diameter lens that can roll out midway down the tunnel, forming the largest refracting telescope on Earth. https://flic.kr/p/2mHj8FJ
a ‘henge’ is arrangement of mega stones in a circle + surrounded by a ditch
inside rings are 'blue stone’ and surround a horse shoe
includes a 'heel stone’ - a marking stone, marks the spot where the sun rose in the summer solstice; stonehenge is an astronomical observatory, and is remarkably accurate to solar calendar
not sure how they got there since their weight is tremendous; the stones are from Wales
