Sacred Groves Are More Than Myth

Sacred Groves Are More Than Myth
by Ally Shields

     One of the delights of writing a book is the research. My current project, Search for Fire, the second book in the Guardian Witch Legacy trilogy, is no exception. Much of it takes place in Tuscany, Italy, and an important part centers around a sacred grove. Now I admit I didn't know much about sacred groves until I needed a special setting for my story. I thought they were myths or the creations of fantasy authors. Now, I'm intrigued by their very real history.

    To my amazement, I found that sacred groves are worshiped and protected all over the world.  Bulgaria                                                                   Italy                                                                   Vietnam
    They are spiritual tracts of land surrounding a single tree or several acres of forest, often the sites of ancient temples, early churches, or druid colleges. They have also been what we would call conservation preserves and sanctuaries for nature and all living things, including man.

    While the sacred groves originally sprang from tribal groups—such as pagans and Celtic druids and from obscure villages in far-flung places including India and Africa—the concept persisted and thrived, embraced by the later Greek and Roman civilizations.

   
    Over the centuries these sacred sites have passed through the hands of various spiritual groups and cults. One such site near Lake Nemi, Italy, is Diana's Sacred Grove, noted for its violent ritual of succession. The pretender to the priesthood would break a branch from the sacred oak tree and challenge the presiding priest to a fight to the death. (http://www.theglobaldispatches.com/articles/lake-nemi-the-sacred-grove-of-diana). The remains of Diana's temple have been excavated nearby.

    These spiritual groves exist on every continent, including North America, where they are protected as sacred sites by certain Native American tribes, and a sacred grove is preserved by the Mormon Church in upstate New York (http://www.hillcumorah.org/historic-sites/sacred-grove.php).

    Whether it's one tree or many, a simple forest clearing or ancient ruins, the sacred groves are a unique piece of human culture, tying us to our ancient roots and preserving the best of nature for the future.

    Have you visited one of these sacred sites? Tell us about it in the comments.
                                                                                                                                       Ally (copyright 2018)


NOTE:  To read more on this topic—or for additional photos—check out this Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_grove. Or read this rather technical journal on how ancient customs are working for conservation in the Himalayas: https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijecol/2017/3828609. And check out this listing of 644 sacred groves in the state of Kerala in southern India: http://www.cpreecenvis.nic.in/Database/Kerala_886.aspx. Or just Google it!