An introduction to religious and spiritual experience

Sacred places
Throughout the ages, there have been places revered as sacred: mountains 
such as Uluru (Ayers Rock) in Australia, Mount Sinai in Egypt, Mount 
Kailas in the Himalayas, Fuji-San (Mount Fuji) in Japan and Chomol-
ungma or Sagarmatha (Everest); caves such as the Psychro Cave and other 
Minoan caves on Crete, and the Mayan caves in the Yukatan. Ancient 
man-made constructions such as the stone circles at Stonehenge and 
Avebury, huge pyramids in Egypt and of the Mayans and Aztecs are great 
wonders of the world. Humans have interacted with nature in diverse 
ways throughout the ages and some places are said to have special power. 
There are ley lines or leys, marked or unmarked lines connecting sacred 
places, nowadays often the sites of churches. 
Places of worship have an atmosphere of sanctity which is often 
tangible. The poet Eric Gladwin has written of this,
Prayer in an Old Church
(St Mary’s Thame, Oxfordshire)
Dear God, who, through the fabric of this place:
Knew of praise and joy and longing in the minds
Of generations quietly kneeling here . . .
Please hear us, in our turn
And know our thankfulness 
For confidence in Your Peace; eternity.
Aware too after last Blessing by Christ’s priest
When the heavy doors swing open to the mundane street
That we have left this little gift: ourselves . . .
To strengthen this, Your sanctuary of Peace.
NOTE:
When we visit a place we leave behind an ‘imprint’ of ourselves on 
departure. This ancient Principle is termed ‘psychometry’ or ‘Morphic 
resonance’ in modern terms. This gradually increases in all sacred 
buildings when correctly used, especially near the altar or parts dedi-

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Religious and Spiritual Experience
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cated: as to our Lady. The very fabric of the building is thus permeated 
and so gives back, as it were, in times of distress.
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Perhaps there are more places than we are aware of which are or can 
become sacred through a particular interaction with humanity. Perhaps 
we need to open ourselves to greater interaction and co-operation with 
the forces of nature.