Weirs Beach

Lake Winni...Winnipe..What?

It's a mouthful of a name, but a pretty well known body of water if you're somewhat familiar with the Northeast or the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. Winnipesaukee is the largest lake in the state, at approximately 21 miles long and anywhere from 1 to 9 miles across. That makes the shoreline about 288 miles long. It has at least 258 islands and takes over an hour to drive around the entire basin. 

        My family stays at Weirs Beach in Laconia on Lake Winnipesaukee. The Weirs has the largest public beach and a long board walk full of arcades and cheap places to get pizza. When I was younger, this was the best place in the world. My favorite thing to do was walk down from our apartment after dinner with my father and get a Hart's slush (like an italian ice) and then walk down the boardwalk to sit by the water. At dusk, there's no better place to be than on the water. Taking day trips to Gilford for the 3 mile hike up Gunstock Mountain is one of my favorite things to do. Right next to Laconia is Meredith, home to the Mills Falls Marketplace, my favorite little collection of boutiques for shopping. The MS Mount Washington is the flagship vessel of the lake and offers scenic cruises around the beautiful lake. 

Gunstock Mountain

       So why is Lake Winniwhatever my sacred place? I've been coming to Lake Winnipesaukee every August for the last 19 years. Even before I was born my family (which then consisted of just my parents and my older sister) began this summer vacation tradition. I really began to appreciate how special the area is to me roughly when I was in middle school. The significance my favorite place falls directly into the first and most familiar kind of sacred lands discussed in God is Red. Its a place "to which we attribute sanctity because the location is a site where, within our own history, something of great importance has taken place." (p.275) Lake Winnepesaukee is sacred because its part of my history. So many of my most significant childhood memories have taken place in there in New Hampshire. I look forward to going to the Lake every single August. I love the drive there, the clear Lakes Region air, the pleasantness of retreating from my own town to somewhere else. I have grown up to love this area and everything it has to offer exorbitantly. 

As years go on I notice more and more changing about the area I grew up loving. A few years ago, there was a terrible storm that wiped out half the boardwalk at the Weirs and the railway that ran next to it. It was rebuilt, but isn't the same worn, tired wood that I remember walking on with sand covered bare feet. A lot of the same arcades and restaurants are there but many have been replaced over the years. While the area has changed a great deal, it still possesses the same charm that made me fall in love with it as a child. 

The One Place I Will Always Call My Own

 

When i hear the phrase "sacred land", I automatically think of my grandparents house in Virginia on the Chesapeake Bay. When i was 6 i drove down to Virginia with my father and two uncles to help my grandfather build this house. My grandfather had owned a company that built houses for years but wanted to build a house with his 3 sons. Once the house was finished i went on vacation there for two weeks every summer with my brother. It wasn't just any ordinary place to go, it was family land and it was our own little piece of paradise. It was a house that would be kept in the family for generations to come.

This piece of land is located in a small country town called Deltaville, Virginia. Deltaville is the stereotypical small country town with a population of around 1200 people and farm after farm. The nearest supermarket is over a half an hour away and cell service is scarce. This town defines what it means to be in "the middle of no where" and that is the best part. It is the perfect place to escape to and block out modern society. It really allows you to enjoy the beauty of the ocean and beach, and enjoy the company of family. Some of the best quality memories i have with my brother growing up took place on these vacations solely because we were forced to spend time together. If we were to get bored we would find something to do TOGETHER and always make the best out of it. Ocean tubing is one of the things we enjoyed doing together the most. It is always a constant competition of who can stay on the longest.

Another thing my brother and I really love to do together is search for shark teeth on the beach. We did research on the teeth we found and learned out they are millions of years old even dating back to prehistoric times. We even found a tooth that we later identified as a meglodon shark tooth. These sharks are extinct now and have teeth up to 7 inches long. These sharks were the biggest sharks to have ever lived weighing up to 50 tons and extending to lengths of 60 feet. Finding these teeth on the beach is pretty hard with how well they blend in but for some reason my brother and i were always very good at it. These are some of the teeth we found.

This is a place i will always be able to call my own. No one knows this place better than my family and no one ever will. This piece of land has its own secret fishing spots, sand bars, and shark teeth that no one else will ever know about. What makes this land so sacred is the fact that it was created within the family, and will always remain family land. Most of all it is a place that my family and I have left our mark on. We have shared memories and laughs here, and it will always be a place to call home.

This is very similar to the ideas explained in chapter 16 of "God is Red". This chapter explains all about the Native American lands and the reservations that the government kept in place for them. The Native Americans have left their marks on these areas as well having survived off of them for 100's of years. This differs from my sacred place however because these lands are all the Indians know. My sacred place is considered another home, but i know life elsewhere. These Indians have been on these lands of all of time and they don't know what its like to live anywhere else. They were there far before anyone else discovered this continent and they should not have been required to move or give up any of their land. They left their mark on their land just as others have left theirs on their own sacred place.The difference between the two is that a sacred place is a place to go to where you can always feel welcome, the native Americans sacred place is their permanent home.

A Place Where Dreams Come True

            While I do not believe in the “sacred lands” belief that Native Americans hold, if there was a place that I had to choose that best resembles this belief it would have to be Disney World. My family and I have gone on trips there every year since I was three years old, and they had been going long before I was even around. It is a place where the worries of the outside world are silenced, and every individual that steps into the park is transformed into the quintessential child looking for fun and excitement at every turn. 

            When attempting to categorize this land, I believe it is like the first, and most common, types of sacred land Native Americans believe in. This type of land is defined as a sanctified land, where an event in some time throughout history occurred and is of profound importance. I wouldn’t necessarily say that a profound event occurred there, however the effect I feel when I do go is profound. I can go there and just be me, not having to worry about how others perceive me or how I need to be around others.

            I think a time at Disney World that is relatable to that of Americans digging up sacred lands would be when they changed one of the theatres at Disney World. When I was young Hollywood Studios (known as MGM Studios back then) had a theater where they would put on a miraculous performance of the Hunchback of Notre Dame, which is one of my favorite Disney movies. 

 However, they closed it down and some years later opened up Lights, Motors, Action in its place. I was infuriated when it first occurred, seeing my favorite show replaced with some good for nothing stunt show. These corporate officers ripped up something that had intrinsic value to me and replaced with a show they believed would boost profits. Unbelievable. 

The Seer Reflects In The Mind Which Is Your Mirror

The yoga unit of Professor Salazar's ethics class really changed my perspective on many things in my life. The topic of Purusha was crucial in this perspective change, and really captured my attention. Purusha is the soul, the self,  and the state of consciousness. During this unit i read a quote by Swami Satchinanda in sutra four of, "The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali". In this quote Swami Satchinanda says, "The seer, or true you, reflects in the mind which is your mirror. Normally, you can't see the true self because your mind is colored. If the mind is dirty you will say I am dirty. If it is all shining and polished you will say I am beautiful".To me his is saying that people are sometimes afraid to be themselves based off of what others will think of them, or the stereotypes they have encountered in society. In my opinion Purusha is being true to yourself regardless of whether that image is acceptable to others.

 

This relates to my experience with the way i approached yoga. In the beginning i was opposed to the idea of ever doing yoga. My pre-judgement told me that it was a very feminine practice, and it wasn't something i would enjoy with such an jock-ish background. As i began to experience the different yoga poses and participate in the class' weekly challenges i found that yoga was actually a great way to loosen my muscles after working out and a great way to relax my mind from the stress i was feeling with schoolwork. Yoga allowed me to take a break from my schoolwork and totally clear my mind of everything. Once i was done focusing on my muscles and my breathing i was then able to refocus my mind and make rational decisions on how to accomplish the work i had to get done.

People now days are so concerned with the judgment of others or the “color” clouding their minds, that they are afraid to dig deep and reveal the true person they are. In my case i was so concerned with my friends seeing me doing yoga and what they would think of me that i was afraid to try something out of my comfort zone. The stereotypical feminism associated with yoga also popped into my head and "colored" my judgement on the subject. I was so focused on what other people and society thought of yoga that i instantly rejected the idea of ever enjoying it. This goes hand in hand with another one of Swami Satchinanda's quotes which says, "The true you is always the same, but you appear to be distorted or mixed up with the mind. By making the mind clean and pure, you feel you have gone back or you appear to have gone back to your original state”. This says that the true you never changes, but you appear “distorted” to yourself based off of others judgment. In my case i appeared distorted to myself because i was doing an activity that wasn't considered typical for males as opposed to females. This prejudgement really clouded my mind and at first prevented me from completely giving yoga a chance.

 

In my opinion it is up every individual to “make the mind clean and pure” or clear the mind of color (prejudgments), before engaging in a new activity or meeting someone for the first time. These stereotypes and prejudgments could be completely wrong and totally prevent you from enjoying this new activity or making a new friend. This unit has taught me to never pre-judge anything until you have given the activity your all. You can never truly judge someone or an activity until you have first cleared your mind of judgement and really participated with that person or activity. Prejudgement clouds this world and creates different opinions amongst everyone which poison great new experiences before they have even begun.

My Everlasting Place of Serenity and Sanctity

My Sacred Place

My sacred place unlike most is not one that is tangible. It is not one that can be found on a map. It is a place that can be anywhere I choose. It can be found in my past, it is in my present, and will be found in my future. It is my everlasting place of serenity and sanctity. My sacred place is being in the presence of God. At any point in time, I can be in the presence of God; whether it be in my room, church, on a train, anywhere. As can be seen in the picture above, when I am in my sacred place, I am in the hands of my creator and there is a sense of peace and safety all around me. When I am in my sacred place, I forget all my worries, whether it be school, work, friends, bills, and focus on the present moment. And in that present moment, I get joy unspeakable; it is a feeling that is indescribable. In my sacred place, I cannot be bothered or disturbed because in that present moment, it is just me and my Father; my creator; the King of kings; the Lord of lords; the Alpha and Omega; the Beginning and the End; the one and only GOD. 

You may wonder why my the presence of God is my sacred place. Why I did not choose a childhood playground or even my house. Well, in the presence of God, great and miraculous things always happen and I feel pure and complete and no one else can come in; that is what makes it so sacred. This in a way is in accordance with the  Native American view of scared lands. According to Native Americans, "The first and most familiar kind of sacred lands are places to which we [Native Americans] attribute sanctity because the location is a site where, within our [Native Americans] own history, something of great importance has taken place." (God is Red, pg. 275). However, their sacred lands are actual places that can be located on the map and those places are related to the pain and suffering of their people. These two aspects of their sacred lands differ from that of my sacred land. But it is so sad that the Western world does not respect the sacred lands of Native Americans due to their selfish gains, ignorance, and superiority complex. Truth is, everyone has a sacred place; and if someone tries to desecrate our sacred place, we would be upset. And for this very reason, the presence of God is dear to me and I would hate for it to ever be stripped away from me. That is why Americans should stop debasing the Native American sacred lands because they would be outraged if it the tables were to turn. 

 

The Serenity of Plymouth

White Horse Beach, Plymouth, MA

The sound of the waves, the smell of the salt air, the feeling of the warm sand.  The view of the endless ocean and the flow of the waves seem to carry away all my worries and bring me into a place of deep calm and serenity for me. This is my most sacred place because it brings out this inner peace inside of me and because of a long family history at this place.
The beach in this picture is one that I have visited every year since my birth and is one that my family has visited for over 50 years. My family is also descendant of the first baby born on the new land after the Mayflower landed in Plymouth so this place is even more special. My family has been tied to Plymouth for many years and I feel a deep connection to the land and this beach.

Plymouth Plantation

Since my family has such a deep rooted history with Plymouth and this beach, I can relate to the Native Americans in the way that they feel towards their sacred lands. The Native Americans viewed their land as "places to which we attribute sanctity" (Deloria 275). They treasure their sacred and vow to protect it wholeheartedly. They feel upset when something or someone destroys what is most sacred to them. I can understand how the Native Americans feel when they describe how much they care for their sacred land and how much importance it has to them. Even though others may not be able to see the value, it doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. Just like I want my beach to be treasured, the Native Americans want their sacred land to be treasured. If people can think of their most sacred place before destroying native soil, they may be more sympathetic to the feelings of the Native Americans and learn to treasure all nature as if it were their own sacred space.

Everyone Has Their Sacred Land

Ever since I was a child, my family would get together to spend the Sundays at our farm. This tradition was there even before I was born and was created by my grandfather as a way not only to unite the family, but having us on one of his favorite places in the world. I grew up learning how to love that place and spending all my week looking foward to the Sunday we would pack the car and leave the apartment to spend the day at the farm. This place is definetly my sacred place.
My  family is spread throughout Brazil but a large part of it live in the city  I grew up at and every Sunday we would wake up early, stop by a local business to get food and drive about 25 minutes to the farm. It is a beautiful place and we have a house in the middle of the property where my father, uncle and grandfather would cook the barbecue while me my siblings and cousins would play by the pool being watched by my mother, aunt and grandmother. In the afternoon we would go by the lake and tell stories, go see the animals and, my favorite part of the day, would be late afternoon when we would take the horses for a ride.

My cousin and I playing at the farm's pool

Because of the opportunity I had of having that place as a sacred place I understand the Native American relatuionship with their land and how important it is for them. In God is Red, page 274 Vine Deloria Jr wrote "When informed of the meaning of this decision. most people have shown great sympathy for the traditional religous people. At the same time, they have had a great difficulty understanding why it is so important that these ceremonies be held, that they be conducted only at certain locations, and that they be held i secrecy and privacy." This passage made me think about my situation with my family as well. Since we grew up it has been about six or seven years that we moved from having our Sundays not at the farm but at my aunts house and today it has lost all the magic of it. We go to her house on Sundays, eat and right after we leave. The moment together, all the things I looked foward as a child are not there anymore and that makes me think about how the land does matter when it comes to activities like this, and how it is not different for the Native Americans and their sacred land.

Native American Cerimony on a sacred land

The Great Outdoors

I would generalize my "sacred land" as being anywhere outdoors, particularly hiking or kayaking. I love getting away from the hustle and bustle of life. It does not matter where outdoors it is, as long as it is relatively secluded from our modern world. I have found that I enjoy doing this because being out in nature makes everything simple. There are no electronic devices to suck you in or work/school stress, its just you and the great outdoors.

Ever since I was a kid I loved being outside. Our family would go tent camping several times a year as our family vacation and my sister and I loved it. As we got older, we tended to complain about the lack of civilization involved with camping. However, at my current age I understand how great it is to truly get away.

The idea of a sacred land to me is a place that is to be respected and absorbed, similar to the view of the Native Americans. A sacred land is to be treasured. I let go of all my material belongings when I am either hiking or fishing because it does not matter. My sacred land is sacred to me because it takes away the future and leaves me at the present.

Identity and the Sacred Land

Ever since I was a little kid, nature has spoken to me in a way that most things cannot.  I could sit out in the forest for hours just listening to the sounds of the birds, looking at the different colors and movements of the trees and smelling the pine drip from the bark nearest me.  In nature, there is a sense of peace and calmness.  You can free yourself of your worries and meditate on your surroundings with no worry in the world.  It's almost as if for that moment, you forget about everything and just focus on the present.  There used to be a vine deep in the forest in my back yard.  I would be able to sit there for hours and just observe everything around me.  I had a strong sense of tranquility while observing nature.  I believe everyone needs a "sacred spot" in order to find their inner peace.  Without it, our inner calmness can be compromised.  The Native American's were directly affected by this as their sacred lands were stripped from them with no way to fight back.  Without these lands, there culture, beliefs and identity were destroyed.  "Every society needs these kinds of sacred places because they help to instill a sense of social cohesion in the people and remind them of the passage of generations that have brought them to the present.  A society that cannot remember and honor its past is in peril of losing its soul" (Deloria Jr, 276).  Your sacred land creates a sense of belonging in you.  Without it, you feel as though you have nothing.  The Native Americans had been performing rituals on these lands for hundreds if not thousands of years and in the blink of an eye, they were gone.  Their identity as a culture and society has been destroyed.  Without these lands, how can they practice the rituals and cultural ceremonies that there ancestors did years before them?  A sacred land should be something that is yours and only yours.  A place that you retreat to when in need.  Without this fallback, I can see how the Native Americans are struggling.  Without their land, there is no identity.