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Tidying up offerings
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Littlestone
Littlestone
5386 posts

Edited May 21, 2010, 20:43
Re: Tidying up offerings
May 21, 2010, 20:40
I really struggle with this issue. On the one hand, I detest seeing sites littered with plastic crap, but on the other hand, we'd have no stone circles if our ancestors had adopted this philosophy and left woods and glades undisturbed.


Perhaps.

Not saying it was ever done, but strips of raw meat draped over stones and the branches of trees by our forefathers (and mothers) as offerings are probably as unacceptable to us now (even though it may have been done millennia ago and in accordance with the traditions of the time) as is the modern practice of hanging plastic from trees - in other words it's a question of what is perceived to be acceptable in any given context. So, what might be acceptable in the Buddhist or Hindu traditions is not necessarily acceptable in our here and now (though that might change).

One thing's for sure though, tat's on the increase. First time I ever went to the Swallowhead (fifteen years ago?) there was no tat there at all - well, I thought there wasn't. Sat there for a while listening to the stream and it was only when I glance up into the willow tree that I could see some delicately woven balls, stars and figures made from (hazel?) twigs suspended there. Think I'd find even that unacceptable now though. Just let things be I'd say. No need to add or subtract anything (unless it's an attempt to restore or conserve something or somewhere to what it might once have been).
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