The Sea Cat
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Re: Our Sacred Land
Sep 07, 2011, 11:33
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juamei wrote: The Sea Cat wrote: Resonox wrote: tjj wrote: Not hard to see why clean, clear springs were held in such reverence by our ancestors.
Would our ancestors not perhaps have used streams to wash away their own effluence??? So perhaps they would've been regarded as "sacred" as a cleanser as much as the other uses for water(already mentioned).
I think they would have differentiated between sacred wells/springs etc. and water sources for practical uses.
Unless they were considered sacred since they carried human waste away...
The Celts saw water as the entrance to the Other World. Hence the Danube being named after the Celtic Goddess Danu, for example.
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goffik
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Re: Our Sacred Land
Sep 07, 2011, 11:36
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The Sea Cat wrote:
I must say, I think The Chalice Well is totally overblown. There's much nicer (and cheaper!) ones in the area. The gardens are nice though. It's very well (haha) looked after.
G x
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Sanctuary
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Re: Our Sacred Land
Sep 07, 2011, 11:44
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The Sea Cat wrote: juamei wrote: The Sea Cat wrote: Resonox wrote: tjj wrote: Not hard to see why clean, clear springs were held in such reverence by our ancestors.
Would our ancestors not perhaps have used streams to wash away their own effluence??? So perhaps they would've been regarded as "sacred" as a cleanser as much as the other uses for water(already mentioned).
I think they would have differentiated between sacred wells/springs etc. and water sources for practical uses.
Unless they were considered sacred since they carried human waste away...
The Celts saw water as the entrance to the Other World. Hence the Danube being named after the Celtic Goddess Danu, for example.
UNESCO’s Water Portal Weekly Update No. 122 published in December 2005 had this to say:
'Water plays a central role in many religions and beliefs around the world:
Source of life, it represents (re)birth. Water cleans the body, and by extension purifies it, and these two main qualities confer a highly symbolic – even sacred - status to water. Water is therefore a key element in ceremonies and religious rites.
Water is often perceived as a god, goddess or divine agency in religions. Rivers, rain, ponds, lakes, glaciers, hailstorms or snow are some of the forms water may take when interpreted and incorporated in cultural and religious spheres.
Religious water is never neutral and passive. It is considered to have powers and capacities to transform this world, annihilate sins and create holiness. Water carries away pollution and purifies both in a physical and symbolical sense. Water is a living and spiritual matter, working as a mediator between humans and gods. It often represents the border between this world and the other'.
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drewbhoy
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Re: Our Sacred Land
Sep 07, 2011, 11:46
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Looks pretty good to me as well, no pun intended. Cheers SC, that might come in handy.
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goffik
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Re: Our Sacred Land
Sep 07, 2011, 11:48
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The Sea Cat wrote: I completely disagree. Yes, there are other lovely ones around, but The Chalice Well is of huge significance and importance re. Glastonbury and its Sacred Heritage. If it's good enough for Dion Fortune, it's good enough for me!
Ah - I don't doubt it's importance, there's just too much concrete (and "om"ing!) for my liking! ;) Be good if you could reach the water prior to it running through all the concrete channels and bits where people bathe their feet...
Just my opinion, of course! Good to have someone disagreeing with me for a change though! :D
G x
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drewbhoy
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Re: Our Sacred Land
Sep 07, 2011, 11:49
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And the Auld Scots held water in high reverence, being quite serious, as whisky is known as the 'water of life'.
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goffik
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Re: Our Sacred Land
Sep 07, 2011, 11:54
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Tsk. Call this racist? You should see some of the vile homophobic, racist bile I've had aimed at me on here recently! Not to mention the ongoing bullying over the years. This is kid's stuff. ;)
G x
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The Sea Cat
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Re: Our Sacred Land
Sep 07, 2011, 12:29
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drewbhoy wrote: The Sea Cat wrote: juamei wrote: The Sea Cat wrote: Resonox wrote: tjj wrote: Not hard to see why clean, clear springs were held in such reverence by our ancestors.
Would our ancestors not perhaps have used streams to wash away their own effluence??? So perhaps they would've been regarded as "sacred" as a cleanser as much as the other uses for water(already mentioned).
I think they would have differentiated between sacred wells/springs etc. and water sources for practical uses.
Unless they were considered sacred since they carried human waste away...
The Celts saw water as the entrance to the Other World. Hence the Danube being named after the Celtic Goddess Danu, for example.
Don't know about down your way but a lot of sacred wells up here are close to cairns. Any connection or are both seemed useful to get to the next work. Thought this yesterday morning, St Colm's Well near Alvah Hill (home to 3 cairns) and St Devenick's near where a cairn once stood at Little Gight in the Ythan Valley.
The Chalice Well at Glastonbury:
http://www.chalicewell.org.uk/
One of my favourite places. You must visit it sometime.
:-)
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goffik
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Re: Our Sacred Land
Sep 07, 2011, 12:31
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Haha! That's brilliant! Thank you. :)
G x
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The Sea Cat
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Re: Our Sacred Land
Sep 07, 2011, 12:38
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goffik wrote: The Sea Cat wrote:
I must say, I think The Chalice Well is totally overblown. There's much nicer (and cheaper!) ones in the area. The gardens are nice though. It's very well (haha) looked after.
G x
I completely disagree. Yes, there are other lovely ones around, but The Chalice Well is of huge significance and importance re. Glastonbury and its Sacred Heritage. If it's good enough for Dion Fortune, it's good enough for me!
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