The Sacred Earth

The Earth is a living being-who has been called Gaia.

Our bodies are composed of the substance of the Earth and whatever happens to her happens to us as well.

Humans are both spirit beings and earth beings and to ground the new vision of the world that we all wish to manifest, it is essential to help heal the Earth.

One of the best ways to do this is to work with the sacred sites of the Earth. What are sacred sites?

Sacred sites are often built on energy points on the Earth. These energy points, or ley lines, have been known as sacred by ancient cultures for thousands of years. Mayan temples, Christian churches, Egyptian pyramids, and Native American petroglyphs are found on these sacred energy points. Often, in fact, churches are built on ancient temples of earlier religions. For example, Chartres in France, arguably the most famous medieval church in the world, is built above an ancient temple to the Egyptian goddess Isis. This may appear strange to witness an Egyptian goddess worshipped so far from her homeland, but these happenstances occur quite often on sacred sites. "Why is that?" you may ask. The importance of sacred sites

Sacred sites are more than buildings. Sacred sites honor the living being, the Earth. Ancient peoples were much more in turn with the energy of the Earth than most of us are today and they could feel the energy in certain places of the Earth. Native peoples throughout the world still maintain this connection. Some years ago I was privileged to hear Avrol Lookinghorse, the 19th generation pipe carrier for the Lakota, speak. Avrol spoke at great length about the sacredness of the land of his people. He was taught that the star people came to the Black Hills of his people and gave them the sacred pipe which he now carries.

Avrol says, "Our sacred sites have been confiscated, our people have been prevented from praying at these places. This void in our spiritual life impacts all nations upon Mother Earth. We must again be allowed to access these sacred sites for the continued existence of all nations upon Mother Earth and for peace and harmony."

We are sacred sites

In the last few years I have come to realize that each human being is a sacred site, a cell in the body of the Earth. Our life and health is intricately connected to the planet. When we go to sacred sites and pray, do rituals and healings we tap into the reservoir of energy that has been used for millennium in that location. By doing this, we are more likely to speed our own transformation and that of the Earth. People intuitively are drawn to some countries more than to others and often they experience a physical and spiritual longing to visit these countries. Often, especially in middle age, we feel drawn to visit the land of our childhood or our ancestors. This is a call in our blood to remember who we really are by contact with the land and its people. This journey that we make is a sacred pilgrimage. Healing the Earth

I have been leading tours to sacred sites of the Earth for 20 years. I have come to realize that there is a certain energy associated with each country, just as each country is a different organ or part of the Earth's body. For example, because Egypt is in the solar plexus of the Earth it is a center for strengthening our will and power. France with its strong shadow is a perfect place to visit the shrines to the Black Madonna, the shadow side of female energy. Ireland is a place of magic and elemental spirits that give us back fun, joy and surprise. Japan helps us to learn to flow consciously through life with beauty and grace. Greece teaches us how these gods are "archetypes," or predictable aspects of our personalities, which we all need to integrate in order to be effective in both our inner and outer life, both personally and professionally.

By Tanis Helliwell