Landscapes of the Sacred #2

December 6, 2018

In the section of Landscapes of the Sacred entitled, "The Mountain that was God," it is discussed how Mount Rainer in Washington state was once called "Tahoma" by the Native Americans. Tahoma, which means "the mountain that was God," can give those who hike its trails a feeling of pilgrimage and connection to the sacred, as the mountain can feel to come alive for those who fully immerse themselves in each and every moment on the mountain. This made me think about how mountains have always had a connection to the sacred, going as far back as the Old Testament, where Moses received the Ten Commandments and contact with the Lord atop mount Sinai. Mountains have always had a distinct connection with the sacred and for Native American cultures to also feel this, without connection to the Christian faith that had made the connection more widely known, shows the truly awe inspiring connection mountains and nature can instill between a person and a greater power.

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