Social Question

partyparty's avatar

Where is the most spiritual place you have been?

Asked by partyparty (9167points) June 21st, 2010

Following on from my answer about the solstice, and thinking about Stonehenge, prompted this question.
Where is the most spiritual place you have ever been?
I once went to Stonehenge, and it was awesome. It has such a sense of presence. There is something so spiritual that I had to stay there for hours. It took my breath away.
Has this ever happened to you? Where were you?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/10362534.stm

Observing members: 0 Composing members: 0

67 Answers

lucillelucillelucille's avatar

Yes,but I can’t say where it is.I know that feeling very well ;)thanks for reminding me of it

aprilsimnel's avatar

Yup, at the beach near Crescent Head, NSW, Australia.

CMaz's avatar

Wrapped in the arms of my lover.

That is if/when I have one.

Adirondackwannabe's avatar

At Colgate University, in Hamilton NY there is a very small chapel at the very end of the drive up in the hills. It has a little garden and fountian and it’s totally secluded.I felt completely at peace.

partyparty's avatar

@lucillelucillelucille Is it a physical place that you want to keep secret?
@aprilsimnel Sounds lovely, thanks
@ChazMaz I am sure you have the ladies flocking for you LOLL
@Adirondackwannabe That sounds like such a very special place. Many thanks for sharing this.

cookieman's avatar

The home of the Franciscan Monks in Italy.

We were there on our honeymoon and wandered away from the group. A strolling monk saw my wife and I meandering around. He asked us to follow him and took us on an impromptu tour of the underground tunnels.

It was amazing and he blessed our wedding bands before we left.

Cruiser's avatar

Mine is a local forest preserve that has a serene atmosphere every time I go there. :)

partyparty's avatar

@cprevite Wow that sound amazing. It’s sometimes things ‘off the beaten track’ that take you by surprise, as your tour of the tunnels. That sounds really special. And to have your weddings bands blessed also. Superb!

Fyrius's avatar

I hope I’ll never be charged with the task of comparing places to determine which is the more “spiritual” one. I would have no idea how to approach the question.

partyparty's avatar

@Cruiser Yes there is something special about certain places that you really can’t define, but you know there is an atmosphere, don’t you think?
@Fyrius Have you neve felt something special when visiting a certain place?

josie's avatar

Normandy

Dog's avatar

I have been to a lot of places that felt very spiritual in nature. Massive cathedrals and cemeteries. But the most personally spiritual place I ever visited was an unlikely place- a small cantina in Mexico.

My childhood sweetheart/first husband and I had taken an adventurous road trip down to Ensenada one year. We had a blast. A couple years after he was killed I found myself drinking a margarita at a small cantina we had gone to in Cabo San Lucas and was overwhelmed by the memories of the last time I had been there.
Suddenly the radio- which had been all Spanish-speaking traditional music played an American song- but not just any English song- one from Guns and Roses- one of our favorite bands called Don’t Cry

Talk to me softly
There is something in your eyes
Don’t hang your head in sorrow
And please don’t cry
I know how you feel inside I’ve
I’ve been there before
Somethin is changin’ inside you
And don’t you know

Don’t you cry tonight
I still love you baby
Don’t you cry tonight
Don’t you cry tonight
There’s a heaven above you baby
And don’t you cry tonight

Give me a whisper
And give me a sign
Give me a kiss before you
tell me goodbye
Don’t you take it so hard now
And please don’t take it so bad
I’ll still be thinkin’ of you
And the times we had…baby

And don’t you cry tonight
Don’t you cry tonight
Don’t you cry tonight
There’s a heaven above you baby
And don’t you cry tonight

And please remember that I never lied
And please remember
how I felt inside now honey
You gotta make it your own way
But you’ll be alright now sugar
You’ll feel better tomorrow
Come the morning light now baby

And don’t you cry tonight
And don’t you cry tonight
And don’t you cry tonight
There’s a heaven above you baby
And don’t you cry
Don’t you ever cry
Don’t you cry tonight
Baby maybe someday
Don’t you cry
Don’t you ever cry
Don’t you cry
Tonight

It was surreal- nobody around me seemed to even notice the sudden change in the music. When it was over it switched right back to traditional Spanish music and conversation.

For the rest of my trip I never heard any other American songs. So yeah- a little cantina to me was the most spiritual place I have ever been. It was where my love on the other side told me he was okay and that I would be good too.

Jude's avatar

Cathedral of Saint John the Divinel in NYC. They had the boys choir practicing. It was as though you were being greeted by a chorus of angels.

janbb's avatar

Little Gidding

john65pennington's avatar

Rome, Italy. the whole city is a spiritual experience.

Fyrius's avatar

@partyparty
Certainly, I’ve felt all sorts of special things brought on by places I went. Like excitement, familiarity, nostalgia, boredom or fascination, as well as all sorts of memories coming back.
But what particular special feeling indicates the place is spiritual?

Is it a feeling of piety when a place reminds you of your religion?

partyparty's avatar

@Dog I feel quite emotional after reading your answer. That was certainly such a special and spiritual place and time for you. :-)

BoBo1946's avatar

In the quietness of my den in my favorite chair!

Bluefreedom's avatar

Probably St. Peter’s Cathedral in Vatican City in Rome, Italy.

SmoothEmeraldOasis's avatar

@Dog thanks for sharing, these type of similar events happen to me often, I am happy that you found that place and was able to experience it and find peace and maybe closure. Thanks for sharing. I will share of one incident, I was a victim of a four vehical accident, where it happened that a ¾ ton truck was speeding and the highway I was driving on to get home to my children was unusually congested that day and the truck was coming at me in the middle of both lanes. I remember seeing all traffic moving towards their right allowing the speeding truck to pass them, for me it was just too unreal, but when it hit one car that was ahead of me that after was ovious they were not prepared to move away from, it richeched into the car in the left side of me and that car went full impact into mine and pushed my car into yet another car. I was driving an old Dodge sedan with a sunroof, it was so cute and fun to drive, well anyway it was totaled in that accident and after ward the medical techs had to use heavy equipment to cut my car to get me out and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. This has been my last incident as a victim in such a major event, Thank God! I was going through many difficult life transistions and that was the icing on the cake: so to speak, I lost my job because of being unable to do any heavy lifting and my children were so afraid of all our future since their father dediced to move to another counry without ever looking back to this day and so I knew at that moment that I had to stop feeling sorry for myself and kick myself back into action and take care of what had to abe taken care of, PRIORITY: MY CHILDREN. The reason to me this was a special moment is that during the impact instantly I felt as if I was being enveloped in a warm blanket and securly protected, because in spite of the damage to my vehical all that was broken was the car, after all the exams at the hospital it was found that there was glass inbedded into my skin andthe nurse was gently taking each visible piece out, and my spine was slightly misaligned. So, yes in that incident, I found peace in that instant.

Adirondackwannabe's avatar

Here’s another one on a different plane. The trailhead at Mt Marcy. It’s a superbly wild and natural place. It felt like I should see ancient Indians at their daily life activities.

SmoothEmeraldOasis's avatar

You know, there are daily moments where we can find moments of spiritual peace, we all just have to reframe our minds to look for them, it takes actual practice.

bunnygrl's avatar

For certain one of the most spiritual places I have ever been is here The photograph makes it look larger than it really is, it’s actually quite small, and I can easily imagine that it must have been a very personal, contemplative place for so many through the centuries. It’s a place built from love and devotion and on a nice day it is just literally bathed in sunlight and there is an atmosphere there that is so serene and peaceful. It’s just stunning. You can stand in there and genuinely feel your cares melt away and any tenseness leave your body, such an amazing atmosphere.

Places aside though, even on days when i get really stressed or upset or whatever is ailing me I just have to look into hubby’s beautiful blue eyes and have him wrap his arms around me, and that is the safest, calmest most wonderful place I can be.

partyparty's avatar

@josie Yes we are always saying we will go over the Channel and see Normandy. Haven’t got round to doing it yet, but it is on my list of ‘must do’.
@jjmah Aw that is lovely, thanks
@john65pennington Yes my friend went to Rome, and she said it was totally captivating

SmoothEmeraldOasis's avatar

Hey! Everyone, just go to your local park or even in your back yard, and for those of you whom only have a porch, well get confortable and look at what nature has given to your enviroment, even the rose bush that is planted in that pot gives you some peace to enjoy! YES, YES YES ;-)

Jude's avatar

Can you guys see this?

CaptainHarley's avatar

I am of the belief that no one place is any more “spiritual” than another. God teaches that “the kingdom of heaven is within you,” so wherever you place your foot, there is the kingdom of heaven. And since “God is love,” you carry this spiritual love to every place you go.

Cruiser's avatar

@partyparty There is a certain spot I go to that has almost a chapel feel to it, plus the wildlife is fairly abundant and that only adds to the spiritual quality of going there.

SmoothEmeraldOasis's avatar

@jjmah I clicked on your this and did not see anything, sorry what is it that you wanted to share?

partyparty's avatar

@BoBo1946 “There’s no place like home” and you don’t have far to travel :-))))))))
@Bluefreedom Yes @john65pennington says Rome is wonderful. I am sure the cathedral is quite magnificent. Thanks
@SmoothEmeraldOasis Wow what a life changing event!
@Adirondackwannabe Sorry, never heard of this place but it sounds fabulous!

drClaw's avatar

Hooters.

Seriously though, the most spiritual place I’ve been is in eastern Washington. Growing up my family had a cabin in the woods. We had no electricity, no plumbing, no running water, basically no modern amenities and we would spend our summers up there. Up there a lot of places seemed magical to me, but by far the most spiritual (whatever that means) was this aspen grove that led out to a hillside.

It was way off the beaten path and had an extremely old well pump (probably from the 20s) randomly placed within it. The aspen trees would break up the sun into thin rays and the leaves sounded like water when there was a breeze. It felt like a scene from a movie, but unfortunately that grove was burnt down in a forest fire.

partyparty's avatar

@SmoothEmeraldOasis So very true. Oh I have planted a rose in a tub, and it has just one flower on it, but that is special to me. Thanks
@bunnygrl Oh yes, my mother-in-law has been there. Equally she said it was serene.
I know what you mean about the arms of your loved one – so very special :-)

eden2eve's avatar

In a funeral parlor one Saturday morning when I was helping to dress a sweet elderly friend of mine after her death. I was holding her head and looking down into her face while the other ladies were putting on her clothing. Something had happened earlier that morning which was very special, and the feeling I got there with her was indescribable.

bunnygrl's avatar

@partyparty <hugs> xx
@eden2eve that’s so beautiful, and your friend was so lucky to have such caring friends to see to her final needs <hugs> xx

partyparty's avatar

@CaptainHarley Yes I understand what you are saying, but haven’t you ever been somewhere where you feel an indescribable ‘something’? Something which takes your breath away?
@Cruiser It sounds such a perfect place, thanks
@drClaw It sounds like such an idealistic place to grow up in. How very sad it was burnt down.
@eden2eve Such a touching story, many thanks

HGl3ee's avatar

In the middle of my bedroom on my Yoga mat; I have had some of the most profound thoughts and have gained clarity about so many things in my life right there on my mat.

I choose to create my own space to connect deeply with my spirit. It use to be an empty closet in my apartment. I painted it a serene blue with a sage green floor. Put on some thin grass curtains, a couple of small shelves for candles (well protected in enclosed mesh stands!) and incense. Put a small pillow for seating in the middle and tada my little space <3 I left the closet doors on so I could easily close it up when it was not in use. I loved that little space. ^.^

cookieman's avatar

what’s ironic is that in the middle of @ElleBee‘s bedroom on her Yoga mat was my number two choice

partyparty's avatar

@ElleBee Sounds perfect. Is there room for me… oh and @cprevite? :-)

tinyfaery's avatar

I don’t believe in spirit. I’ve been to many places that have given me a sense of peace. One such place is Muir Woods in Marin County, CA.

ZEPHYRA's avatar

Anywhere surrounded by nature! Also, lost in my existential, metaphysical thoughts.

HGl3ee's avatar

@partyparty & @cprevite : There is always room for more! <3

Hawaii_Jake's avatar

I have been to many Buddhist temples all over the world, but some of the ones in Japan had profound effects on me. In particular, I’m thinking of one with a rock garden, but I forget the name.

partyparty's avatar

@hawaii_jake Yes I believe some of the temples in Japan are stunning. Thanks

Berserker's avatar

A trainyard. I was stoned as all hell though…

Scooby's avatar

Same as you!! :-/ the Henge….....

Neizvestnaya's avatar

It’s a tie between a hometown to more than a century’s worth of family members and a northern California beach town. Both places are on my list of possible retirement spots.

partyparty's avatar

@Scooby Have you ever been there? It’s stunning. I’ve never been for the solstice though.
@stranger_in_a_strange_land That is such a beautiful answer. I understand your reasoning. <3
@Neizvestnaya Hope you achieve your dreams :-)
@boffin Stunning!!

Scooby's avatar

@partyparty

Yep, sure did, myself & a couple of friends made our way down there in 93, we also visited Avebury complex just north of Stonehenge on the way, we spent almost an entire day at the Henge before moving on to our camp site, it’s a very moving place & one I feel very connected with, it wasn’t as commercialised back then , there was no visitor centre to speak of & I remember it being quite littered but apart from that, it has to be the most spiritual place I’ve been, I should go back, if only to be re-charged :-/

partyparty's avatar

@Scooby Yes it is more commercialised now, but still a very special place. We are going back there in a couple of weeks. Can’t wait!!
BTW my SO plays the guitar – similar style to AC/DC. Love it

Adirondackwannabe's avatar

@stranger_in_a_strange_land SOB. Here’s a few tears in honor of your lady.

downtide's avatar

I’ve been to Stonehenge and Avebury but the most spiritual place by far for me was the Chalice Well gardens in Glastonbury.

http://www.chalicewell.org.uk/

partyparty's avatar

@downtide Yes I have heard of the Chalice Well before, but never been there.
I will certainly be going there in a few weeks. Thanks for your answer.

jazmina88's avatar

Rocky Mts with my dog and the elk poop
a Bahama night in 79 with a storm rollin in
my heart
my sisters and fathers burial site in OH

partyparty's avatar

@jazmina88 These places seem perfect. Does OH mean Ohio? (I am in the UK)

Scooby's avatar

@partyparty

I’ve made a few calls & hope to get down that way again in early August. I’ve a couple of weeks to myself so plan to visit some friends in Cornwall, I’ll most definitely be having a stop off at the Henge on the way down there, all being well, :-)
Maybe just the tonic I need to iron out the glitches ;-)
I might even take my guitar, although I’m no Angus Young, not by a long shot :-/ ………

downtide's avatar

@partyparty when you go to Glastonbuty take some empty water bottles with you. You can fill them for free from the spring at the bottom of the tor, instead of paying for them in the shop. The water is very iron-rich and very tasty.

partyparty's avatar

@downtide Thanks for that. Yes I will take some bottles. Can I take my dogs up to the tor would you know?

downtide's avatar

@partyparty I should think you can take them on the tor but I suspect they’re not allowed in the Chalice Well gardens. But I’m not 100% sure because I didn’t have a dog when I went. :)

partyparty's avatar

@Scooby If you take your guitar, you MUST go to the church halfway up the hill of the main street. Everybody sits on the wall of the church playing their guitars. They have a jam (is that the right word) session together. Oh and it is a lovely church. Enjoy!

mattbrowne's avatar

On the top of a mountain in the Alps during a clear night. So many stars. It was awesome. And very inspiring.

partyparty's avatar

@mattbrowne That sounds idiyllic. I love to watch the stars, my daughter is really interested and regularly tells me the names of the constellations. Thanks for your answer

mattbrowne's avatar

@partyparty – Yes, unfortunately almost the whole of Germany is polluted by light… But the Alps are really close. 3-hour drive.

SmoothEmeraldOasis's avatar

@mattbrowne Nice! Idea to share, I live in a place that allows for intermittently enjoying such views, it depends on the weather though. again, nice idea! Have a wonderful day ;-)

Answer this question

Login

or

Join

to answer.
Your answer will be saved while you login or join.

Have a question? Ask Fluther!

What do you know more about?
or
Knowledge Networking @ Fluther