Cave Temples.

Since the dawn of man we have been fascinated, mesmerized and drawn to caves. Initially they were used for shelter and that feeling of refuge surely was partly why ancient Pagans saw them connected with the feminine. They were wombs of protection and these ancestors quite literally believed them to be the womb of Mother Earth herself. The sacredness was surely reinforced by their other worldly in appearances. They were the first "buildings" man inhabited and were surely, in part, the inspiration for future sacred spaces such as delicately decorated cathedrals, temples and mosques.Take a look at the small spires of a cathedral such as the ornate ones in the foreground of the picture above. Their design often is quite similar to the stalactites and stalagmites of caves and caverns. "It can be pointed out that the cella or naos of a classical temple was not provided with windows, so that the interior space was dark and cave-like (cf. the Athenian Acropolis). One set of doors provided the only access and the only source of natural light. The doors would have been opened on religious occasions, and perhaps at times when the location and angle of the sun (and because the temple was so oriented in the first place) permitted sunlight to penetrate directly into the otherwise dark interior space (such as occurs at Abu Simbel and Newgrange)."

Green Man: Being that my body runs hot I really like the coolness of caves and the damp, musty smell helps remind me that I'm in a place like nowhere else above ground. As I penetrate these caves it feels as if I literally am transported to another world. It's as though these caves are portals to exploring places not just inside the Earth but inside our spirit, mind and body. Other than that I can't really explain my affinity and pull toward caves. The first time I entered a cave as a kid I felt instantly at home in them, however, I must say that I don't like squeezing through tight spaces like those found in some caves.

In the Buddhist tradition caves have been the refuges of monks who seek out their isolation and quiet to meditate and practice enlightenment. That appeals me to immensely being that Buddhism is my main belief system. The life of a hermit cave dweller sounds wonderful given how crazy the world has become. In nature our ancestors found refuge in the woods, caves and mountains -- It is time that we rediscover that past and seek their safety and wisdom yet again.

-Be Well-

The Green Man Cometh.

I am a very spiritual person -- always have been but unfortunately I was born into a family who was very loving but unfortunately for me they practiced Mormonism. Since I was born into the "system" I was programmed to be a loyal soldier for that strict religion. However, being a naturally inquisitive being I always had questions that would eventually grow into full blown doubts. That said, I was brainwashed well and especially trained to hate myself. So, whenever I thought about those doubts too much I guilted myself into remaining faithful to the religion but also by extension, my family.

Not wanting to let either down I dutifully marched off to Africa to serve as a missionary for two years. I might have had the guts not to go if it weren't that I was going to be able to live in Africa. Since a mission requires you know the religion inside and out I began to see a lot of things that didn't make any sense to my maturing mind. As I was trying to justify and explain why Mormons believed in polygamy. They don't practice it now but they believe they will in their version of "heaven." That and why Mormons believed that African-Americans didn't deserve nor were they qualified to hold the "power" of the priesthood. Needless to say I was asked the later one numerous times through each day being that I was in an African country. By the time I came home the carefully constructed psuedo world of "The Truman Show" Mormon version began to collapse.

I wandered about spiritually and eventually became an Atheist and I still have a strong streak of that in me but eventually I found Buddhism, which is my primary belief system. I probably won't talk about it much here being that this is a Pagan blog but suffice to say that I find Buddhism (especially the tradition of Zen that I practice) to blend well with many Pagan beliefs. One of which is the belief that all things are interconnected and interdependent and that obviously includes nature. I come to Paganism in part due to a life long love, respect and awe for nature -- especially the Rocky Mountains, which helped raise me. My father introduced us to the wilds when we were kids and it has been heavily imprinted into my life. I find that most man made religious sites and buildings aren't as impressive and those that nature can produce. You never experienced a sacred building until you've sat at the base of a high mountain cathedral formed by a 3/4 bowl of peaks circling a deep, volcanic lake. Or meditatively walked through the winding trails of a deep, dense forest and listened to the secrets that escape its lips.

This is why I am exploring the Pagan roots that stem from my Scottish/Celtic and Nordic ancestry. I'm especially interested in plants and greenery. Ironically and as a side note my favorite color is green. I am a bit of a "green thumb" and have beautiful plants scattered throughout the house to the point where our cozy abode feels a bit like a rain forest. I have a strong connection to forests especially having spent my lifetime camping in the woods and following enticing, meandering trails into them. So because of this connection to all things green I have decided to adopt the name "The Green Man's Grove" for the blog. The idea of a "Green Man" appeals greatly to me -- half man and half mythological forest magician. Also because I celebrate the essence of natural, pagan manhood.

Green Man is the god of the woodlands and vegetation who represents the rebirth of life and is associated with Spring. He symbolizes the life that exists in the plant world if not Earth itself. He is often associated with May Day (Beltane) celebrations.