Atheists & believers of all stripes: what's your "spiritual" oasis, temple, holy place, place of worship, etc?

Question

It could be the sanctuary of your parish church. It could be a place you visited once on vacation but you feel you must get back and experience that awe again. It could be a place of solitude. It could be you favorite easy chair.

Regardless of belief, where is a place that refreshes your mind and your heart?

For me, there is a park in Boston called the Arboretum. 265 acres beautifully landscaped with exotic plants and trees from all over the world. It's city property but maintained by Harvard. It is so beutiful because one minute your in the city, the next your lost in the woods. You can be in utter silence or you can see the most beautiful view of Boston's skyline. I can go there for hours and read and think, and it is always a re-energizing exercise.

Feel free to be specific as you want.

Answer 1

There's a big old stone lodge from the WPA era in a state park a few hours from here . . . it's built from huge hewn stone blocks in the Arts & Crafts style, with a six-foot wide fireplace and an enormous wrought iron chandelier. There's a commercial grade kitchen, and a bbq pit, and a wide, stone-walled veranda overlooking a lake.

The whole place is off down its own private lane in the park, surrounded by trees and forest and trails and the lake. About once a year, Texas heathens band together and rent it for weekend . . . and it becomes, for that weekend, a pretty fair version of the ancient Mead Halls our ancestors knew.

Any time spent in the natural world, out of the city, is spiritually renewing for me, but those weekends, forging bonds of heathen community, feasting and drinking and talking, holding our sacred rites together . . . that's what it's all about.

Answer 2

Las Vegas for me, hands down. Magnificent man-made monoliths, filet mignon available at 4 AM, and all 7 sins practically available on tap. What can I say, I'm a Satanist who loves "Sin City".

I can and do appreciate the simple beauty of the Arboretum though. I didn't realize it was that huge. In my teen years, my sanctuary was a special place in the woods next to some railroad tracks and a river. I'd go down there on summer days with my friends and a boombox. We'd get into long philosophical conversations too, which just added to the esotercism we mentally associated with the place. I'd probably find them laughable today, but hey, you have to start your thinking somewhere.

Answer 3

What are Pagans?>>> Pagan is a category that many religions fall under. It's not one religion; it's many different religions with many different beliefs. Basically all they have in common is they're not Abrahamic faiths (Jewish, Christian or Muslim). Are they involved in witchcraft?>>> some are many aren't. some don't even believe in it. Can some actually create spells?>> not the kind of fiction, no. To a Pagan magic is very subtle and rooted in nature and psychology. Where are their place of worship?>> wherever they want. How in tune with nature are they?>>> depends on the Pagan. There are city Pagans. Not every Pagan is a tree-hugging environmentalist green-living hippie. Are they against christianity or any other religions?>> Depends on the Pagan. Few people really base their religion just on being against another one, though. And when they say 'this god/goddess has chosen me more than I chose them What does that mean??>>> Just like Christians believe their God calls them, some Pagans believe their Gods call them.

Answer 4

I have none.

I once visited a park in another state (I was too young to notice WHICH state) during a road trip and it was the greenest, most beautiful and fragrant place I've ever been to. There were flowers on the ground and flowers blooming in the trees and little benches along a stone path. I wish I could remember where it was and that I could get my parents to remember. Ah well. It's a nice memery!

Answer 5

When I need to clear my mind and get away from it all I have a nice long soak in my jacuzzi.. I find the sound of the bubbles and jets works similar to white noise, the heat relaxes my muscles, once my body is relaxed my brain follows..

I am Atheist so it's not a religious experience it is a complete physical and mental reboot so to speak.. 30mins to an hour in the jacuzzi makes me feel rejuvenated and ready to face my husband and 3 kids again...

My 17 yr old son put it best when he said "The jacuzzi is Mom's virus scan, defrag and reboot."

Answer 6

I'm atheist, so I've no place of worship, but I feel at ease when I'm in the ocean. Though I really shouldn't, all dressed up like a seal, sitting on a surfboard shaped like a big fish. I'm really just playing the odds. One of these days...CHOMP! I'll be dinner for a Great White. Until then, yeah, I love being in the ocean.

Answer 7

Salisbury Cathedral

Answer 8

U2 concerts.

I'm an atheist, but the way Baptists and Pentecostals have described their church experiences sounds the same as the way I feel at U2 concerts. It is the time when I feel what believers describe as "spiritual". Metaphorically, I can feel the energy of the crowd as one entity. I buy hook, line, and sinker "preacher" Bono's message of hope and compassion. I feel love of humanity. I don't know what chemicals are being released in my brain, but there is a unique euphoria that occurs several times at these concerts. And certain emotional songs touch me in visible ways that I am typically not comfortable expressing in my day to day life.

U2 concerts instill in me feelings of redemption, reinvigoration, hope, euphoria, admiration, fellowship, humanity, compassion, humbleness, respect, acceptance, love and many other indescribable feelings. To me, U2 is as close to "church" as I've ever gotten.

Corny? Perhaps. But I can testify to the fact that atheists are not "spiritually dead".

Answer 9

Mine is a little "secret" spot on the Little Gunpowder River in Harford County, Maryland.
I just rode by your oasis on Tuesday evening in a cab (had a meeting in Walford).. it IS gorgeous!

Answer 10

any place where there is beautiful nature in which i can be alone in. i love the forest, especially when the light breaks through ever so slightly just so its not dim, or perhaps that meadow you find in the middle of the forest, thats a true oasis.