BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Buddhism Your favorite sacred places?

My latest article is on Buddhist Sacred Places. I have only been to the Japanese ones on this list - Nara and Kyoto - but I would love to visit more. I consider many places sacred, especially in the U.S. desert southwest. Of course we could say everywhere is sacred, and everywhere is, but there are so many places around the world that emanate a special spiritual energy...I'd love to hear about some people's favorite sacred places??

Kingley Vale Just near where I live has a great atmosphere and is popular with the local Pagan groups

Hi Ian, looks wonderful, I hadn't heard of it before. What makes it so special do you think - is it the trees (I saw them mentioned)? I find that different natural areas have different kinds of energies, like earth chakras. I did a post on my blog re: earth chakras and people love to weigh in on different areas. For example, I think of the Grand Canyon as very root chakra - primal, powerful etc., while other places are more heart chakra and others more third eye...

Hello Lisa,

For me, sacred places have been 'places within places'. I'll try to explain.

I live in Australia, and being a Piscean, I always found places close to the sea, or rivers, etc, to hold a special 'magic' for me. Not only did I feel peace and joy in these places, but also I received healing of the emotional and mental aspects of my being. When I look at the sea, I feel united with the Universe.

Lately, in my sunset years of life, I have found, to my amazement, certain small areas, even beside a busy main road, where a grove of trees leads the way to some homes built at the side of the road, or perhaps a wooded area by a creek, and every time I pass, (in my car - I first noticed them when driving by) and look at these places, I feel something which is not quite of this dimension. It's hard to describe, but I get a feeling a little like when a perfume reminds you of some beautiful memory, or a dream which was magical. Perhaps something from your childhood which transported you into a magical place. There is a little leap in my heart as I gaze upon these places, which I now regard as being sacred. I don't know why, or how, but they are.

If I am on foot, and stroll through any of these places, I am wrapped in feelings of love, beauty, and something else which can only be described as 'sacred vibes'.

I am feeling the beauty just talking about it!

Onealone, I love it. It's like little pocket chakras in the earth. I find that too - things can shift energetically very quickly. You can find a special spot by a pond, or a circle of trees in a forest, that just have a heart vibe to them. Thanks for sharing

And I'm a Pisces too, so I definitely get the water thing. And we are very absorbent energetically, so I do think we are particularly connected to the vibrations of places...

- Lisa

Ah Lisa, another Pisces! How delightful!

It's wonderful to meet others who have this same 'connectedness' with Nature and with special places - places which others would not even look at twice!

I can see too why Buddhism is compatible with our natures. I have been attracted to Buddhism since 1978. Somehow, it is the only Spiritual Philosophy (I won't say 'religion') that 'fits' my own inner beliefs.

I love its respect for all life, and its great gentleness.

I wish you peace and love.

Hi Lisa

I have been very busy at work and with the preparation and celebration of Samhuain and missed this post when you placed it. This is my article explaining some of the Earth Energy theory behind why some of the sacred places feel as they do. There is another article coming out this week giving some further background.

Hi onealone, yes I don't think in terms of organized 'religion' either, and don't even consider myself solely Buddhist at this point, but it is my primary spiritual reference point. I wish you peace and love as well!

Hi Ian, yes I am familiar with ley lines and dowsing, very interesting article. I did an article on my blog just for fun a couple of years ago called Planet Earth's Chakras where I put forth my own favorites, and it is still one of the most popular posts in my blog, with people chiming in with lots of different view points (and debates, although I never meant for it to be a definitive list!) I work a lot with nature in my own path and teaching, so I relate to that aspect of Paganism very strongly...

When I lived in St. Louis, I loved the Japanese gardens there. They were beautiful. I haven't found anywhere quite like that in New England yet.