111: Sacred Places

As the year turns, we think of renewal. Many find their spiritual center through the traditions of formal religions, while for others, private thoughts and special places provide this spiritual order. In each of these, nature plays some part--oftentimes it is sacred spaces wherein we find the source and strength for the future. The ocean itself is frequently invoked as a metaphor of freedom from life's burdens and for the opportunity for the passage into the future. 

In this episode of WOR, host Peter Neill details a number of sacred places around the globe--on islands, along the shore, on the banks of rivers, lakes and streams, and oftentimes in biodiverse regions--and the allies that these spaces have found in protective movements, enforcements, and international actions. He outlines, too, the relationship to biodiverse regions around the world and the relationship between their sacred nature and their scientific importance, and how conservation justifies their protections and meets the goals of religionists and conservationists alike.

______________________________________________________________________

Peter Neill, Director of the W2O and host of World Ocean Radio, provides coverage of a broad spectrum of ocean issues from science and education to advocacy and exemplary projects. World Ocean Radio, a project of the World Ocean Observatory, is a weekly series of five-minute audio essays available for syndicated use at no cost by community radio stations worldwide.

Source for this episode:
Sacred Natural Sites, Conserving Nature and Culture (Earthscan Oct. 2010)