One thing we all have in common is mothers.Whether it’s the mysteries of biology or something more spiritual than that, the connection lasts forever.The thought occurred to me yesterday as we visited Columcille, one of those places that reflects a vision for a piece of land that transforms the ordinary into sacred.Columcille Megalith Park is inspired by the standing stones of Celtic lands.Open to the public for a suggested donation, the park consists of a stone circle and several menhirs (megaliths) arranged along paths through the woods.Recognized by the Nature Conservancy as a sacred space and outdoor sanctuary, it draws thousands of visitors of all faiths with both recreational and religious rationales.Throughout the park we found evidence of spiritual interaction with nature left on or near the stones.But what has this to do with mothers?
One of the areas in the park is the Sacred Women’s Site.As we lingered there yesterday, I reflected on the sacred nature of all women, and mothers.That’s not to suggest that motherhood is for all women, but rather that our society has been slow to catch up with the idea that women show us the way.Men have “had charge” for millennia now and look at where we are; cooperative ventures and peacekeeping efforts crumble as world leaders encourage the resurgence of exceptionalism.We’d rather have an inveterate liar lead the nation than a politically able woman.Britain wants to pick up its marbles and let the European Union disintegrate.We seem to have forgotten that just a century ago a world war ended.We need sacred spaces like Columcille.We need to remember the sacred women.
One takeaway from our brief visit was that although there was also a grove for sacred men, that of the women was more peaceful.The idea of standing stones making a site sacred goes back at least to the Bible.Stone circles are found from ancient Israel to the far-flung Orkney Islands of Scotland.Standing among them, whether modern like Columcille or ancient like the Ring of Brodgar, or yes, the more famous Stonehenge, there is a sense of sacred purpose.Miles from Stonehenge stands Avebury, a town built around another stone circle.There the megaliths were divided between female and male stones, with both required to make the ring complete.Such places require a tremendous amount of work.When they’re constructed, however, they give us places to think of mothers and the mystery of life.
