Remembering Our Ancestors. Honoring Mother Nature.
I recently traveled to Portugal with some of my dearest friends. These are women who have each played instrumental roles in my own process of self-discovery, so the opportunity to get away, pause, and soak in a new culture with them was an absolute gift.
During our trip, we decided to visit three megalithic sites found on the outskirts of Evora, Portugal. Sometimes referred to as “Stonehenge Portugal,” these formations took my breath away.
Unlike Stonehenge (and many other ancient stone formations), we were free to walk among the stones, touching them even. We visited:
Almendres Cromlech: the most famous of the three formations, these stones are 2,000 years older than Stonehenge and form a circle of approximately 100 stones.
Almendres Menhir: one single, soaring monolith. Our guide described it as an egg-shaped structure, but I beg to differ.
Anta Grande do Zambujeiro: my favorite of the three. This dolmen (or tomb) was likely used for ritual sacrifices, though more than anything, it reminds me of a womb. At over 20 ft high, it is the tallest dolmen in the world. As I climbed to the top and looked down at the scenery below me, I was in total awe of the accomplishments of humankind and the beauty of nature.
What a wonderful way to celebrate the Spring Equinox! I found myself reflecting on our ancestors from over 5,000 years ago, who left reminders to us that we must honor Mother Nature and her abundance.
We like to think of ourselves as an advanced civilization, but are we really? War, environmental devastation, corporate greed. When did we lose sight of the importance of community?
And yet, our “primitive” ancestors were so connected with one another and with their surroundings.
The experience certainly challenged me to remember the gifts of those who came before me and explore how I can further learn from the wisdom of my ancestors.
I’ll leave you with these curious questions:
What can we learn from our ancestors about the true meaning of advancement?
How do we reverse our thinking and live in concert with Mother Nature and her abundance?
