Pagan Hiking
Jun. 29th, 2003 02:48 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
vervain13Today we made our second visit of many to come to a HUGE nature preserve not far from our home overlooking the Boston area. This pristine appearing area, known as the Middlesex Fells Reservation, spans over 2500 acres of heavily forested land with rocky outcroppings, great hiking and biking trails, reservoirs, and vantage points from which to view Boston and the surrounding area. I discovered and initially explored the Reservation a few weeks ago when I found it on one of our biking trail maps. During our first visit there, we encountered a variety of things including, magnificent fern beds, tree spirits, and a carefully constructed stone spiral at the top of one of the many ridges in the Reservation. The spiral was probably the most enjoyable site of our first visit and we knew from the way it was made that Pagans had been the ones to build it. The sense of respect for the Earth, the careful attention to the placing of the stones in such a precise manner, and the complete absence of any litter were strong indicators that the spiral had been made for a sacred purpose and not merely built on a whim.
Today's venture was in an entirely different area of the Reservation which led us through new vistas of exercise and viewing pleasure. As we huffed and puffed our way along we couldn't help but feel so at home in this place. We even found a stone cairn/altar which someone had left in plain view along the trail to which we lovingly added stones of our own selected from the immediate area. At one point, I remarked to Don, "You know we're not alone, don't you?" He replied, "Oh yes!" Both of us could feel the presence of the elementals and spirits present around and with us...providing a sense of encouragement and almost amusement at our trek through their domain. It was a great feeling! And while we kept open to the possibility of discovering something which we would be allowed to take home with us, we also felt no sense of obligation other than to respect the forest and all its inhabitants. We returned empty-handed but with hearts full of joy and contentment at this new venue in which we can learn and grow.
Today's venture was in an entirely different area of the Reservation which led us through new vistas of exercise and viewing pleasure. As we huffed and puffed our way along we couldn't help but feel so at home in this place. We even found a stone cairn/altar which someone had left in plain view along the trail to which we lovingly added stones of our own selected from the immediate area. At one point, I remarked to Don, "You know we're not alone, don't you?" He replied, "Oh yes!" Both of us could feel the presence of the elementals and spirits present around and with us...providing a sense of encouragement and almost amusement at our trek through their domain. It was a great feeling! And while we kept open to the possibility of discovering something which we would be allowed to take home with us, we also felt no sense of obligation other than to respect the forest and all its inhabitants. We returned empty-handed but with hearts full of joy and contentment at this new venue in which we can learn and grow.
