Sacred Place

"Sacred places are the foundation of all other beliefs and practices because they represent the presence of the sacred in our lives."

- Vine DeLoria, God is Red

Each tribal religion was intimately connected to a particular area or land.

Many myths and religious ceremonies originate from these places.

Sometimes, these places hold the history of the tribe. Sometimes they even hold the deceased ancestors.

Various rituals and ceremonies would take place on the lands. Some rituals would have happened in a specific location for thousands of years!

Thus, the land becomes "sacred"

think of some sacred places

Sacred Places

• Gettysburg
• Jesus' Sermon on the Mount
• The River Jordan
• Moses on Sinai
• Mississippi
• Bear Butte and Devils Tower

Don't Restrict Sacred

THINK OUTSIDE THE FOUR WALLS...

At these holy and sacred places, native peoples are commanded to perform ceremonies so that the earth and all its forms of life might survive and prosper.

sometimes

But most of the time, ceremonies are done *simply* to express gratitude for and on behalf of all creation.

It's a humble attempt attempt to keep things in harmony and in balance with the cosmos.

Sacred places inform us that we are not larger than nature.

We have responsibilities that go beyond our selfish desires.

These places hold "spiritual DNA" and carry a tribal culture for future generations Therefore, they must be respected.

Devil's Tower

Black Hills

Bering Sea