What Makes a Site or Place Truly Sacred?
Sep 20, 2024
“Wakan Tanka, Great Mystery, teach me how to trust my heart, my mind, my intuition, my inner knowing, the senses of my body, the blessings of my spirit. Teach me to trust these things so that I may enter my sacred space and love beyond my fear, and thus walk in balance with the passing of each glorious sun “. - (Native American Prayer)
In Search of Sacred Sites
Throughout human history, sacred sites have been places of pilgrimage and transformation, offering a portal through which we attune ourselves to the divine. Many sacred sites are still active in today’s world, revealing a basic human need to bathe in the blessings such sites bestow on those open to receive the transmission.
I believe that the search for such sacred portals is on the rise and I hope to offer an inner and outer map of places I have been or heard about from friends, which may help to nurture this trend.
Kudaka Island: A UNESCO World Heritage Site
In Okinawa Japan, an archaic matriarchal tradition still persists, with roots that may go as far back as the Lemurian Continent. Traces of a very advanced civilization have been found under the sea close to Okinawa. On the islands of Okinawa are a series of sacred sites linked to the 7 chakras with the womb center being on Kudaka Island. Each 12 years, a secret ceremony is held there, guided by priestesses. The area this ceremony is held in is considered so sacred that no one is allowed to enter unless they have gone through special initiation.
Kudaka Island holds deep spiritual meaning for the indigenous communities of Okinawa. Even to this day, no cars are allowed on the island as the whole island is holy and pollution is not allowed. Isshiki-hayama Beach is reputed to be the place where deities descended in their spaceships from a celestial realm from where earthly life originates.
It is interesting to note that Okinawa has until recently held the record for the longest-lived people in the world. In recent times, an American base has brought with it the scourge of fast food, which has in turn corrupted the youth, leading to obesity and disease.
Mother India and Sacred Tibet
In India, the source of the Ganges is a powerful portal. Osho speaks about the true source of the Ganges being in the ether, having been programmed as a holy river by extraordinary mystical prowess. The Ganges River is one of the most revered natural sites in India, holding deep cultural and spiritual significance. All over the Indian subcontinent, Tibet, and the surrounding area there are innumerable sacred sites that vibrate with mystical power and energy.
In fact, one could spend a lifetime exploring these, with no end to the pilgrimage. Perhaps it is for this reason that in spite of modernization, India is still the place to go when a person is called towards a spiritual search. Countless sages, mystics, yogis and yoginis, have permeated the very air with the effects of thousands of years of meditation.
Sacred Sites & Spaces With Enlightened Vibrations
It is well known that great blessings can be experienced by those who go and sit in Satsang near to the tomb of an enlightened being or saint. These places hold profound religious significance for various communities. The effects of the enlightened vibration are to be felt long after the physical passing of the mystic. Some of the more popular places infused with enlightened vibrations are;
1. Bodh Gaya, which hosts a descendent of the tree under which Gautama the Buddha, became enlightened.
2. Mount Kailash, the abode of Shiva
3. The tomb of Jesus in Srinagar, Kashmir, India
4. The sacred mountain, Arunachala, Tiruvannamalai India where Ramana Maharshi lived.
5. Meher Baba’s tomb near Pune, India.
6. Osho’s Samadhi, where his ashes are kept, in the Osho Resort, Pune
7. Khajuraho, where there are a series of Tantra temples
8. Rumi’s Mausoleum in Konya, Turkey, (which is also a Dervish museum)
9. Egyptian Pyramids
10. Mount Sinai
11. Machu Picchu, Peru (reputed to have extraterrestrial activity)
12. Delphi, Greece (of Oracle Fame)
13. Samothraki, Greece (Was a protected sacred site for 1000 years before Christians destroyed it, honoring Gods / Goddesses)
14. Camino de Santiago, Spain (A pilgrimage walk which takes up to 3 months to traverse)
Some sacred places are so old that nobody knows why or how they are infused with mystical vibrations. We can marvel and feel humble at the miracle of how energy is transmitted and held in such sites.
Crete - The Blessed Island
I was once in Crete with several friends looking for a place to establish an eco resort for living and working. We visited several sacred sites from the ancient Minoan civilization, which was based on joy as a way of life. The name of Crete used to be Makarios Nisos which translates as ‘heaven on earth’, or ‘blessed island’.
We went to a cave, which is reported to be the birthplace of Zeus. This magnificent and very deep cave full of stalagmites and stalactites is a wonder filled world of its own. These caves are considered important natural landmarks with deep spiritual meaning. Later, we visited a cave off the beaten track, which had very few visitors and no guides (or kiosks). It is reported to be from Minoan times and is said to be the cave of Chronos, who is reputed to be un-aging and eternal.
Legend says, he produced ether and chaos, which gave birth to a silvery cosmic egg. With his consort Ananke, they opened the cosmic egg and out of it came the Hermaphrodite God, Phanes who in turn gave birth to the Gods and the Cosmos.
As we sat in meditation, I was overwhelmed by the powerful and eternal quality of the vibration, sensing a presence that is beyond time and space, a true oracular energy, spirit in matter, containing wisdom of all the ages.
In Osho’s book Hidden Mysteries, he reveals that the true sacred place is often hidden from the view of the curious and is available only for adepts to discover. I heard him say that such places are often near to a big and renowned site, and may appear insignificant to the casual visitor.
How Sacred Sites are Infused with Spiritual Energy
Ancient people were able to feel the subtle vibrations of the natural world, including the land and places in nature. In some places, the protective field between heaven and earth is very thin. From such portals, it is easy to access other dimensions of reality. Such sites were given recognition by Shamanic practitioners and adopted as a portal to Universal energy by those people following the wisdom of the Shaman.
When a person meditates in a certain place, over time the spiritual vibration of this area is enhanced and begins emitting a feeling of peace and spiritual energy.
The Magic of Terma
The magic of Sacred places is in part given by nature and in part permeates a designated place through human intention. The magic of these places is often tied to the sacred landscape they inhabit, which holds significant cultural, spiritual, and historical meaning.
There is a phenomenon called Terma, which has been in use in Tibet since before recorded history. A mystic who is pregnant with divine energy and wisdom may or may not find an adept to pass the flame of his or her realization to.
If no one of merit is found, the Mystic may conceal this enlightened energy in the etheric realm and anchor it in a certain place. Someday or other, a worthy seeker may arrive to that place and be suddenly catapulted into spiritual realization which comes as a direct transmission from the etheric field where the wisdom was stored.
A story told by Osho illustrates this:
A Yogi sat under a certain tree in the forest, determined to become enlightened. He remained in the same place for 30 years, doing spiritual discipline of all kinds. Even though he could feel he had progressed on his path, enlightenment eluded him. Finally, he got fed up and decided to leave that place. Unbeknownst to him, if he had waited, he had built up so much spiritual potency with the tree that he was destined to become enlightened that very night.
But he left in disgust at having wasted 30 years. A short time later, a simple man who had nothing to do with spirituality was passing by the tree. He felt very attracted to go and sit there. No sooner had he sat down, than he was overcome with spiritual bliss and entered Samadhi, an enlightened state of consciousness.
Just as we can infuse water with our thoughts and change the vibration of the water, so places also are infused with the vibration of what happens in that place. Anywhere where people meditate will be permeated with divine energy.
Likewise, in places where there has been much suffering, such as a battlefield, sensitive people will feel and be affected by the energy of suffering there. When we move into a new house, it is important to do cleansing of the old energies, which may be clinging to the walls of the house and to infuse the house with the vibrations of joy, love and meditation.
Ancient people followed an earth-based spirituality, such as in the Hawaiian Huna tradition or the Japanese Shinto religion where the object of worship is usually a tree. Only later did our ancestors begin constructing ‘Dwelling places of God.’ meaning temples, churches, synagogues, and other holy buildings. Often such buildings were constructed directly on the top of older Shamanic or pagan sacred sites. Such temples became a place to focalize and feel the vibration of an omnipresent divinity.
Sacred Architecture
In ancient times, the art of sacred architecture was considered of paramount importance, making buildings in such a way that amplified divine vibrations. I heard a discourse by Keith Critchlow who specializes in sacred geometry and sacred architecture. He revealed that sacred temples and cathedrals all use the harmony of yin and yang, masculine and feminine symbolism in equal measure throughout the whole structure. This brings a magnetic quality of power, beauty and grace to the building.
The Creation of Osho Mandir
Another example of intention creating a sacred place is in Osho Nisarga in Dharamsala, India, where I hold the Tantra Meditation Retreat each year. While the Osho Mandir, (Meditation and group space) was being built, Ma Neelam, one of the founders of Osho Nisarga kept a constant thread of loving and meditative energy circulating in the space.
The creation of sacred spaces is a common practice across the world's major religions, emphasizing the significance of these sites for their followers.
She told the workers of the building site that this is a temple to Osho and that if they are in a state of devotional joy, they are welcome to work. If they were in a bad mood, they were not welcome to come into the workplace, even though they would still get paid. Furthermore, she asked them to clean up the building site each night to maintain a clear vibrational field for Osho’s energy to feel at home.
The first time I walked into the Osho Mandir, I gasped in wonder. The vibration is exactly like in Osho’s bedroom! (I used to clean his bedroom so that is why I know about the vibration.) I asked Neelam how she managed to bring such a clear Osho energy field into the Mandir and then she told me the story.
Enlightenment Tree: Sacred Trees
I experienced a similar phenomenon while visiting the tree where Osho became enlightened, one of the sacred trees revered for its spiritual significance. Hugging the tree has the same quality as hugging Osho! One of the people who knew Osho in those early days told me that after Osho was enlightened, he came back to the tree several times and gave discourses, thus anchoring in his enlightened presence.
Transforming Spaces through Meditation
Even if a person is not enlightened, you can do a simple experiment in regards to creating your very own sacred space. Meditation can transform religious sites into spaces of profound spiritual energy. A well known and highly regarded dowser has stated that if a person meditates in the same place daily, the vibrations of meditation will last for at least 24 hours. If you meditate in the same place each day for one month, you will certainly notice a difference in the energy of that spot and indeed of the entire room.
I read an article about a man in jail who learned Feng Shui and meditation. He created sacred space in his jail cell and was released from prison unexpectedly early. This is a fine example of how meditation and the creation of sacred space functions.
Sacred Self, Sacred World
Anywhere imbued with conscious love becomes the temple. You can also do this practice with your own body. Send loving and meditative energy into your own body and the water element in the body will ensure that this vibration is absorbed and spreads through your whole body. You can become a walking sacred space!
“I salute the light within your eyes, where the whole Universe dwells.” (Native American Lakota Saying) It is said the eyes are the mirror of the soul. Next time you look into the mirror, sense your soul shining in all its glory, looking back at you through those eyes in the mirror. Once you are able to create sacred space in your living place, or in your office and are able to see the divine shining in your own eyes, then it will be easy to see the divine in others as well.
At some point, there will be an exponential jump, from sacred sites to a sacred world.
“May the warm winds of heaven
Blow softly upon your house
May the Great Spirit bless all who enter there
May your moccasins make happy tracks in many snows
And may the rainbow always touch your shoulder” - Cherokee Native American Blessing.
The Journey to Sacred Places Begins!
I’m inviting you to join me on the Hampi Sacred Tour, where we will explore the ancient temples and divine energies of one of India’s most powerful spiritual sites. Let this sacred land guide you, as it has guided so many before, into deeper connection and transformation. Every stone and temple in Hampi holds a unique story, and together, we’ll tap into the energy that will resonate within your soul long after you leave.
