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-