Sanctification of Landscape
Have you noticed that being on some landscapes feels good? I have just returned from a sabbatical in Santa Barbara, CA. My mom trained me to appreciate parks, so for me, travel mainly includes spending time in parks. On this trip, I spent time in two of my favorites Trust for Public Land (http://tpl.org) projects – Carpinteria Bluffs and Ellwood Mesa with its Butterfly Preserve.
These two places are basically bluff top meadows overlooking the Pacific. What’s not to like? But these places are special. Adjacent properties don’t have the same warm embracing energy, the juju isn’t as good. The plant and bird life is virtually identical. What is it that makes TPL land feel so good?
I say, “It’s sanctification and ownership.”
Sanctification is the process of setting something apart. Apart from what, you ask? Well, apart from the mundane. Apart from the commercial. Apart despoilment.
Sanctified to what – to the sacred, the holy, to that which feeds the soul. Obviously, these two properties do all that. Just look at people’s faces.
Another favorite TPL project lies in the midst of a major urban setting – The Olympic Sculpture Park in Seattle.
This gem was plucked from the hands of developers. More interesting perhaps is its restoration from a horribly toxic site to a winner of environmental awards for its accomplishments. But so what? This speaks to the mystery, but that’s not it. How has it become a place that feeds your soul?
A kind of alchemy works to transform a mundane place into a sanctuary. The other ingredient is ownership. This park is owned by the Seattle Art Museum, all well and good for them. But it’s MY park. My park. As are the two in Santa Barbara. They are mine.
And hundreds of others feel just the same. We each own it as individuals and care for it. Love it. Sure, I am willing to entertain the notion of a ‘we’ owning it, but if everyone else disappeared I would still hold them in my heart as mine. I would still steward them.
TPL does a remarkable job of creating this kind of ownership and this kind of sanctification. I honor TPL and give thanks for this sanctification. You can find TPL project in your home state here. http://tpl.org
Live outside the USA, I am sure you have similar kinds of magic, right?
Blessings,
William
P.S. Visiting magic places is one of my most profound ways to Get Wealthy First. Tell your friends about http://GetWealthyFirst.com and pass this newsletter on to them.
