The fascination behind the allure of enigmatic locales, such as Stonehenge and Sedona, explained.
In the rising sun's glow, ancient sandstone casts elongated shadows at Chaco Canyon - it's hard not to believe it's tailored for cosmic purposes. At Machu Picchu, stonework engineering leaves visitors speechless. Sedona's red rocks buzz with rumored energy vortexes. On the Salisbury Plain, Stonehenge manipulates both landscape and purpose with its eerie stone circles.
These places possess an intangible allure that puzzles travelers, stirring feelings of awe and excitement. What are we chasing at these enigmatic destinations? What secrets do we hope to uncover, and are we ever truly satisfied with the answers we find?
Tapping into the unknown with nature
In a world swamped with digital media, there's a persistent growth in spiritual exploration and pilgrimages. People yearn to go beyond merely witnessing history, seeking to experience something more profound than themselves.
"The human consciousness views the sacred as a form of energy tied to specific locations or structures," says Jeffrey Kripal, the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University and author of How to Think Impossibly, among many other works. "It's ingrained in our human nature to return to these sacred places. It seems a necessity for human existence."
"Mountains, large bodies of water, and canyons frequently provoke this sense of awe," says Susannah Crockford, an anthropologist specializing in religion, ecology, and political economy. She explains, "These geographical features have a deep emotional impact on the human brain."
This fascination doesn't stop at natural landmarks. Ancient and mysterious human-built structures, like Indonesia's Borobudur Temple or Turkey's Göbekli Tepe, carry an enigmatic appeal that leaves visitors in awe, says Sabina Magliocco, a professor of anthropology and religion at the University of British Columbia. "Catholic cathedrals, Buddhist temples, and Islamic mosques are designed to create a sense of connection to something greater than oneself," she adds.
Throughout history, cultures have crafted places to contain their sense of mystery.
The power of storytelling
Once a place is deemed sacred, its aura endures, regardless of the shift in its purpose or the message it conveys. Sacred sites are often built upon one another, both physically and symbolically.
Although many of these sites possess extraordinary qualities on their own, it's often the stories we weave and the rituals we reenact that lend them their mystical quality. "People make places sacred," Magliocco explains. "Our personal experiences contribute to that process." This principle is evident in our daily lives, from routinely visiting our favorite coffee shops to expressing ownership.
Cultures also create this sacred meaning on a grander scale through shared narratives. These narratives bind physical locations to divine beings, heroic events, or transformative spiritual experiences. A site becomes sacred as legends are retold and rituals are repeated, eventually imbuing the location with deeper layers of meaning over time. Eventually, structures are built around these rituals, serving as sanctuaries for future generations to connect with.
The role of perspective
What compels us to these mystical locations often varies depending on the individual. Religious folk might attribute their experiences to a divine presence, while psychologists may view it as a simple brain response to awe. An anthropologist might argue it's a manifestation of society projecting its beliefs onto the divine.
"The sacredness of these places is not a universal truth," Crockford explains. "When someone presents you with an explanation, the answer reveals more about the person you've asked than the place itself."
In essence, the sacredness of these spaces serves as a lens through which we project our thoughts and beliefs. A yogi may feel a profound alignment with the energy of a quiet mountain. A pilgrim walking the Camino de Santiago might feel a spiritual connection free of church barriers.
Kripal concurs, "It's a dance between the person and the place," he says.
That relationship can be self-reaffirming. The more people share spiritual experiences at a location, the more others will be drawn to share the same experience. Expectations, in turn, make it more likely individuals will perceive a spiritual connection when they visit these mysterious locales.
The deeply subjective nature of sacred experiences
Despite their subjective nature, these mystical experiences are undeniably real. "These experiences are personal and unique," Crockford says. "There's no controlled experiment to prove someone's mysterious experience. But that doesn't invalidate it."
Science, by design, strives to challenge sacred stories. It offers a grand, comprehensive narrative - like the Big Bang or evolution - that leaves less room for myth.
This paradox has the potential to dilute the significance of sacred places. And yet, countless individuals continue to be moved by profound, inexplicable moments at these sites. A sense of connection to something bigger than ourselves, something eternal, is captivating and can feel elusive in modern life. Sacred places provide a much-needed escape, offering a respite outside of time where our constant quest for proof fades away.
The good news, Magliocco says, is that sacredness isn't limited to landmarks like Machu Picchu or Stonehenge. "We can transform any place into a sacred space," she explains.
"The real mecca," Kripal adds, "may just reside within our hearts."
- The persistence of spiritual exploration and pilgrimages could be linked to the human fascination with sacred places, as it offers an opportunity to experience something profound beyond oneself.
- According to Susannah Crockford, mountains, large bodies of water, and canyons have a deep emotional impact on the human brain, frequently provoking a sense of awe.
- Historically, cultures have constructed sites to contain their sense of mystery, with these sites often holding an enigmatic appeal that leaves visitors in awe.
- Sabina Magliocco suggests that cultures create sacred meaning on a grander scale through shared narratives, binding physical locations to divine beings, heroic events, or transformative spiritual experiences.
- Jeffrey Kripal posits that the sacredness of these places is a dance between the person and the place, with the relationship serving as a lens through which we project our thoughts and beliefs.
