The low spiritual signal to noise ratio in 21st century society often makes it difficult to find visceral life affirming experiences that feed the soul.
I have found Argyll in Scotland to be a wonderful place to connect with the feelings that our ancient ancestors were probably very familiar with.
Lots of ancient stone circles , cairns , ruined castles etc that date back to around 3000BC .
We tend to drive up there between October and March and wild camp where we can if conditions allow.
Sleeping in a silent landscape under a star packed sky with ancient 5000 year old burial sites nearby makes one realise just how insignificant we are but also how blessed we are to be part of this thing called Life on a tiny blip of rock in this vast Universe.
It is impossible not to feel the eternal power of God in these experiences.
I had a similar feeling walking through Avebury at dusk. I left the town and followed the path that takes you past Silbury Hill. Watching it loom up in the twilight like a pyramid was haunting.
It’s not that the spirit is weak, but the noise can be deafening. I live in France profonde and all I can hear is birdsong, but the little black thing I’m writing this on can drown all that out.
Aside from Stonehenge, the most moving recollection of my time in England was at Glastonbury. Planning to return and hoping to have an even greater experience.
This is fascinating. I’d never heard of them but I agree that we shouldn’t be surprised that creation worships the creator. Jesus spoke of the rocks crying out.
Wonderful, evocative and eloquent. You seem to be ploughing a similar metaphysical furrow to Paul Kingsnorth and his Fifty Holy Wells series, set in rural Irish locations. Perhaps the settings are for the most part seemingly mundane, but the "thinness" between realms you describe at Glastonbury comes through in the writer's words. Thank you.
This has become my baseline assumption whenever I examine my faith in light of those that came before me. Yes, I believe, and do many things within and for my faith, but I doubt that I come anywhere close to the kind of faith or worldview that Christians of old had. For them, it was infused in the entire world their whole lives. For me, I’m just trying my best to infuse my life with it in a world that’s hostile to sacralization.
Some 7 years ago my wife and I visited Glastonbury. I was at the time atheist and materialist in my outlook; as such I was rather bemused by the hippies and the woo-woo. We visited the Tor for a couple of hours and stopped to have some food near the tower.. Sat together afterwards, I was overcome by a deep sense of love for my wife and everyone around me. It stayed with me for much of the rest of the day and I'm afraid to say has never returned, at least not with that intensity. I can only describe the place as magical.
Some 7 years ago my wife and I visited Glastonbury. I was at the time atheist and materialist in my outlook; as such I was rather bemused by the hippies and the woo-woo. We visited the Tor for a couple of hours and stopped to have some food near the tower.. Sat together afterwards, I was overcome by a deep sense of love for my wife and everyone around me. It stayed with me for much of the rest of the day and I'm afraid to say has never returned, at least not with that intensity. I can only describe the place as magical.
Excellent piece old chap !
The low spiritual signal to noise ratio in 21st century society often makes it difficult to find visceral life affirming experiences that feed the soul.
I have found Argyll in Scotland to be a wonderful place to connect with the feelings that our ancient ancestors were probably very familiar with.
Lots of ancient stone circles , cairns , ruined castles etc that date back to around 3000BC .
We tend to drive up there between October and March and wild camp where we can if conditions allow.
Sleeping in a silent landscape under a star packed sky with ancient 5000 year old burial sites nearby makes one realise just how insignificant we are but also how blessed we are to be part of this thing called Life on a tiny blip of rock in this vast Universe.
It is impossible not to feel the eternal power of God in these experiences.
I had a similar feeling walking through Avebury at dusk. I left the town and followed the path that takes you past Silbury Hill. Watching it loom up in the twilight like a pyramid was haunting.
It’s not that the spirit is weak, but the noise can be deafening. I live in France profonde and all I can hear is birdsong, but the little black thing I’m writing this on can drown all that out.
This https://youtu.be/SeShvzwiiRc?si=SeFvvZJ3TSQ299IN has some truly terrifying things to say about its effects, especially on our children since 2012.
Aside from Stonehenge, the most moving recollection of my time in England was at Glastonbury. Planning to return and hoping to have an even greater experience.
This is fascinating. I’d never heard of them but I agree that we shouldn’t be surprised that creation worships the creator. Jesus spoke of the rocks crying out.
Thank you a wonderful uplifting piece, just what I needed at this low point in my life.
Wonderful, evocative and eloquent. You seem to be ploughing a similar metaphysical furrow to Paul Kingsnorth and his Fifty Holy Wells series, set in rural Irish locations. Perhaps the settings are for the most part seemingly mundane, but the "thinness" between realms you describe at Glastonbury comes through in the writer's words. Thank you.
This has become my baseline assumption whenever I examine my faith in light of those that came before me. Yes, I believe, and do many things within and for my faith, but I doubt that I come anywhere close to the kind of faith or worldview that Christians of old had. For them, it was infused in the entire world their whole lives. For me, I’m just trying my best to infuse my life with it in a world that’s hostile to sacralization.
I’m a native of Somerset but I’ve never even heard of them!
I’m definitely going to make the effort to visit them at some point.
Some 7 years ago my wife and I visited Glastonbury. I was at the time atheist and materialist in my outlook; as such I was rather bemused by the hippies and the woo-woo. We visited the Tor for a couple of hours and stopped to have some food near the tower.. Sat together afterwards, I was overcome by a deep sense of love for my wife and everyone around me. It stayed with me for much of the rest of the day and I'm afraid to say has never returned, at least not with that intensity. I can only describe the place as magical.
Some 7 years ago my wife and I visited Glastonbury. I was at the time atheist and materialist in my outlook; as such I was rather bemused by the hippies and the woo-woo. We visited the Tor for a couple of hours and stopped to have some food near the tower.. Sat together afterwards, I was overcome by a deep sense of love for my wife and everyone around me. It stayed with me for much of the rest of the day and I'm afraid to say has never returned, at least not with that intensity. I can only describe the place as magical.
After repeated acts of vandalism the tree was finally removed by the land owner in 2019. What an utterly evil act of deliberate cultural vandalism.
demonic really
That made me cry. It is perfect.
Thank you so much for this piece, it’s just what I needed . God Bless you
Enjoy but I would stay away from the large Cities.
Wow