Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Clark's Gully NY

Reader m.s. sent this in, an invitation to visit a new blog.

Friends,

I am survey places in greater upstate NY looking for places of prayer in Upstate NY— www.MotherEarthPrayers.org . Yesterday I went to do some more surveying and cleaning up of one of my reviews, Clarks Gully http://www.jubileeinitiative.org/sacredclarksgully.html . Interestingly I found that someone had created a monument near an area I had written up and was working on.

I posted the following to a blog on Clarks Gully I created to post updated pictures of new finds within the area. I thought you might be interested.

Peace,

Madis Senner

madis@twcny.rr.com

PS Any suggestions about places to review for Mother Earth Prayers would be much appreciated.

http://clarksgully.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Clarks Gully--Monument Erected

Since I first posted my review of Clark’s Gully and began cleaning up the space someone has created a small monument pictured above. It is not strategically located (ie on earth phenomena) and can be found by the large campfire area. Maybe the revelers that frequent the campfire area were behind this.

I find this very interesting and an affirmation of the power of Clarks Gully. I believe that people are drawn to the same site over and over again through out history. Many times I find a stone structure or pile of rocks that is not very old, but when I look closer I find that history is repeating itself; that the old farmers stone pile marked the intersection of several Native American trails or was a gathering place, etc…Stone structures deteriorate over time, but the spirit of a place, particularly if it is strong, can be indelible.

The fact that the Seneca people believe that they were born on South Hill, Clarks Gully lies at its base, and that Native American historian A. C. Parker and NY State Historian William Ritchie found mounds and stone structures associated with the Adena culture there speaks volumes to the power of the place. The area still has a very good vibe, a strongly positive geographic samskara, is a testament to what went on there before. However, a variety of actions less focused on God and spiritually have been transpiring there for some time. Still it is positive.

We all look for meaning in our lives, whether we are ascetics or party goers. How we find that meaning and represent it is a function of who we are, our focus and our intentions. No doubt people that created the monument felt the call of the land to create something.

1 comment :

Geophile said...

Wow. A different perspective. Always good to be reminded of the different ways in which people respond to place.