by Snowhawk
What is sacred?
Followers of Earth-based spiritual traditions often say all of Nature is sacred. Some people go so far as to say everything is sacred. What does that mean?
Is a plastic soda bottle sacred?
Yes? No?
What if you are walking across a desert and the same plastic bottle holds your water supply between oasis?
I think one would consider it to be very sacred then.
What makes the difference?
Need?
While I see that need plays a role, I believe that on a deeper level, it is our conscious recognition of some thing's inherent creativity and purpose that makes it sacred to us.
If we are in a place with plenty of water, is the plastic bottle any less creative?
Does it not share the same purpose?
Why is something sacred in one environment and not in another?
It is a matter of perception. How we perceive something is instinctive but it can be shifted by conscious choice. We as humans have the ability to see thing from many perspectives. We can consciously choose to experience something with our different senses. We can use our intellect, our heart, our imagination.
We don't recognize the sacredness of all things due to the limits of our human consciousness. We have our own unique ideas about, experiences with, and personal moments of connection to what we consider sacred. Druidry however teaches us how to find the sacred in all things, no matter the environment. We learn to find it at will. Most of us don't live in a state of being where we perpetually see (and most importantly feel) all the universe as sacred, holding meaning, purpose, filling us with a sense of wonder and connection every moment of every day.
Do you desire to live a life such as that?
How would learning to do this effect your way of being in the world?
What would change if we saw everything around us with the same eyes as when we look on our favorite places in Nature, or at our lover, or our new born child?
Exploring further we can ask the following:
Can an action be sacred?
Can an idea be sacred?
What about a gesture?
A memory?
I think it vital to explore this. And when I do, it leads me to ask:
Can I find/experience the sacredness of my own being, in its totality (my body, mind, memories, experiences, attitudes, heritage, my entire consciousness), in my own soul and all its creativity?
Since what is sacred to us depends on how we experience the world (and we can consciously and actively pursue experience), then one can hope we will reach for a state of being where we recognize and experience the sacred in each other, and perhaps most importantly within ourselves.
Many of us have touched the sacredness of Nature, experiencing moments of wonder and awe, of holiness. Are we not part of Nature? Are we not beautiful sacred creativity as well?
Druidry teaches us the skills to reach for that state of consciousness where we can find the sacred when we need it or when we simply desire a deeper relationship, to reach for a deeper level of connection, to see the wonder and creativity in all things - including our own soul. Overtime it gets easier and the periods in that state of being begin to stretch out. We can practice and work at this and doing so is a choice we make. That choice changes our life.
Are we willing to accept that change?
There is the challenge. This is why I walk the druid's path. No only did it lay down the challenge but offered me the tools to build such a life. It is a life-long journey, each day enticing me to explore ever more deeply; its mystery calling like music on the wind. I hope we meet along the way.
Snowhawk /|\
