‘The Breadknife’, Warrumbungle National Park, Australia
Our extraordinary planet is truly blessed with many fascinating locations of natural power and visual intrigue filled with earthly empowerment and uplifting terrains.
Sacred sites are typically parts of the natural landscape such as rocky outcrops, hills, springs, caves, trees, ridges, gorges and mountains. They are frequently in remote and secluded locations with distinctive features and appearance, sometimes highlighted by monoliths, pinnacles, geometry, light, water and other unique aspects. They serve as a focal point for ceremonies, celebration, worship, pilgrimage, contemplation and seeking blessings. Sacred landscapes tend to have an otherworldly visage and create a sense of timelessness and detachment which can assist in raising a visitors consciousness.
Ecstatic granite monolith at Mt Kinabalu, Borneo
‘Antara’(Infinity) – a pair of prominent rock holes aligned in parallel that mark the passage of creator beings. With a rock formation that depicts outstretched fingers on the edge.
APY (Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara) Ranges
South Australia
Blue Canyon—Arizona
USA
Granite Dome – Erika Sharpe
Girraween National Park, Queensland
Natural rock formation at Hanging Rock, Victoria
Rock pool, Karijini National Park
Australia
Natural stone archway on Mt. Alkhanai, a sacred mountain to the Buryats people
Siberia
Cinque Torri — Luca Campigotto
These inspiring modernist peaks are what I would expect to be towering over the north of Italy in the Dolomites
Lodge Rifugio (bottom left)
Tofane Mountains 2137-metres
Sleeping Lady, Mount Sustina, Anchorage
Geometric Rock Art, Atlas Mountains
Morocco
The ‘Mushroom’ rock in Wadi Rum desert, Jordan
Dalwallinu–Buntine Rocks. Profile of a woman with cascading hair.
WA
Atlas Mountains Petroglyph – Eliptical spirals carved into the rock face.
Morocco
Caesarea Pilgrimage stone arches
Pulka Karrinya Sacred shard, Mount Wedge, Australia
Site where the Tjapaltjarri and Napaltjarri Rainbow Serpent spirits dwell.
Resting red fox in front of the Vilyuchik Volcano, Russia
NASA’s Curiosity rover on the summit of Mount Sharp, Mars
Pilbara Petroglyph — Photo by Doug Fost
Nyungar Owl Stone at Red Hill
Photo Ken Macintyre
Howling wolf pointed desert dock
New Mexico
Prehistoric Temple site
Isle of Arran, Firth of Clyde, Scotland
Sacred Mount Alkhanai, Siberia
The Mongols, Shamans, Buddhists and indiginous Buryats circumambulate this mountain
Cape Le Grande National Park
WA
Large carved stone, nestling on the slopes of Wangsan, 0n one of the peaks in the Jirisan region (Korea)
A giant turtle-shaped rock weighing 127 tonnes and is carved with ornate designs. It rests flat against the mountainside, and is said to be a strong Chi source.
Pilliga Forest sculpture
NSW
Carved Magdala stone
Sea of Galilee, Israel, 70AD
De Na Zin Wilderness Area
New Mexico
Natural Moai profile
Hanging Rock, Victoria
Dragon Rock, Lake Baikal
Russia
Hiro Nishikawa–Weirs Creek
The Crag
Group of carved mantra stones and objects left by pilgrims.
The custom of placing a pilgrim stone or memorial at a holy place or along its path is an ancient practice in both the East and West.
Ancient stone monument, Japan
Kadadora Viharaya lies under the waters of the Kotmale reservoir
Sri Lanka
Black mica, bluish quartz, and pinkish feldspar comprise most of the granite of the ‘Remarkable Rocks’
Kangaroo Island
Kelly Thorpe climbing K9 Stroll, Cambuslang
King Neptune, Pinnacles Desert
WA
‘Landscapes Electric’ by Joshua Cripps (US)
Stirling Falls, New Zealand
Large hoodoo (used to refer to an eroded pinnacle of rock) at Little Egypt
Utah
Ceramic books created by artist Lotte Glob
Markawasi Stone Forest Plateau is located high in the Andes Mountains
Peru
‘Fist Of God’ – Mark Goff
Paria Rimrocks – Utah
Three Goanna’s Pool
WA
‘Garden Of The Gods’
Colorado Springs. USA
Uluru, Australia
Rock puppy at pool
Desert Queen Baths Gorge
Wadjina cave at The Grampians
Victoria
Ochre Pits at the Inarlanga Pass
West MacDonnell Ranges, South Australia
Hierve el Agua petrified waterfall
Oxaca, Mexico
‘Skull Rock’
Wilsons Promontory, Victoria
‘The Remarkables’ –Kangaroo Island, SA
Christian Fletcher Gallery
Lake Baikal Olkhon Island
The Sarma Gorge, Buryatia, Siberia
Uluru – Kata Tjuta National Park
NT
Sacred Anvil – Uran Dushe Mountain
Padmasambhava Samye Chinpu caves
Warrumbungle National Park—Grand High Tops
NSW
Ricketts Sanctuary
Dandenong Ranges
Yakushina Megalith at summit
Japan
Portal Doorway Stargate-of Daramu Muru
The spiritual doorway of the Incas on Lake Titicaca
Peru
Stefani Peak on Mount Olympus
Photo by Dretakis Manolis
The ancient city of Hattusha
Turkey
Arches National Park
Moab, Utah,
Mt Barney National Park
‘Secrets of the Scenic Rim’ – Robert Rankin
S.E Queensland, AUS
Dragon stones near the monastery lake (in the Geghama mountains, Armenia), the largest of which is about 3.5 m. They are placed near the sources of natural-artificial pools and springs, symbolizing the unbridled power of the element, the awakening of nature, fertility, abundance.
Murphy’s Haystacks – Windswept megaliths on Eyre Peninsula, South Australia
Giant rock boulder at Daga Kataba
Ethiopia
Tutu Fela, Ethiopia
TARA Trust
The summit vayu mudra at Precipitous Bluff, Tasmania
Precipitous Bluff,Tasmania
Brahmagiri village children
I did this capture with an Olympus Om1
While on a month long Yatra (pilgrimage) through Maharashtra, we decided to visit the Trimbakeshwar temple, which was in proximity to the Lord Rama caves of Nashik. As we drew closer to our destination, the terrain began to reveal a more distinctive and unusual appearance and I was feeling a growing feeling of anticipation. Upon arrival it was immediately obvious when I saw the commanding crescent ridge of Brahmagiri Mountain which was a spectacular backdrop to the temple.
My travelling companion and myself were instantly transfixed by its vibrational power and beauty and we were instantly drawn towards it and immediately embarked on our unplanned journey to its summit.
Cascading water down the Brahmagiri steps in the rain
For the remainder of the day we climbed the 750 steps carved into the stone ridge that ascended to the peak without any feeling of fatigue while imbibing the enlivened spirit of the mountain. The chance discovery of the meditation cave of Saint Gahaninath and seeing the source of the Holy Godavari River was the highlight. The most rewarding discoveries are usually the unexpected ones.
A natural trident aligned with the meditation cave of Gahaninath at Brahmagiri, India
Stone carved path at Brahmagiri
Waiting for a train in Maharashtra. Urmila, my Yatra companion, on the far left.
Balancing rock in Chillagoe
QLD
Aeolian geomorphology on the Ennendi Plateau, Chad
Chad Jumbo – photo by Laurent Lepecheur
Ennedi Desert in Chad
Coral gilia—Lower Mule Mountain,
Utah
Newly opened site, photo Antony Lynch
Burrunju, south east Arnhem Land
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