A Tragic Event has occurred, with the Greatest of Silver-Linings.
On September 17th, 2024, just days before "International Day of Peace", "Canada's National Truth & Reconciliation Day", "Monthly World Peace Day" and "The Creator of the Shrines Birthday", on a Full Moon Eclipse, and in the early morning and pouring rain, the City of Lethbridge suddenly destroyed and removed both World Peace Shrines, and all Without even Notifying the Public.
On October 1st, 2024, we launched a Petition for Uniting Lethbridge around the rebuilding of a New World Peace Shrine.
This time, we will truly build it together, from scratch, and it will be Greater than Ever!
~ If We Build It - They Will Come ~
To Learn more, click the below images:
(Click above image to Learn More)
~ The Mirror ~
~
"Our Map Home"
~~~
Key Characteristics
&
Functions of the Shrine:
~ BIG MEDICINE TEACHINGS & A Galactic Olive-Branch
~ A Gift, a Blessing, and a Peace Offering,
for the Peoples of Lethbridge (Sikóóhkotok or Black Rock)
the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksikaitsitapi), and the World.
~ A Sacred Gathering Space, on Sacred Land.
~ A Sacred Pilgrimage
~ A Healing Sanctuary & Technology.
(Physically, Psychologically, Societally & Spiritually)
~ A Prayer, Blessing, Sharing and Council Circle.
~ An Invitation to Unity,
for Creatively Nurturing a Local & Planetary Culture of Peace & Love
(From "Time = Money", to "Time = Art")
~ A Living Library of World Wisdom Teachings.
~ Truth & Reconciliation & Self-Actualization Technology.
~ Prayer & Blessing Amplification Technology.
~ Earth Acupuncture, Acupressure & Geomancy
~ A Nurturing, and Celebrating of All that is World Peace.
~ A Reminder of All that is Sacred.
~ An Elaborate Trick, to get everyone to walk Barefoot on the Land. 😉
~ A Mirror, which Reflects Y-Our Divinity.
~ The Tip of the Iceberg. 😉
~ A Launch-Pad & Landing-Pad.
~ A Star/Treasure Map, to World Peace & Heaven on Earth.
~ A Star-Gate into the Ancient-Future-Now.
~ The Transformative Art of Immersive Symbolism
~ The Archetypal Hero's Journey
~ A Finger, pointing to God/Love, through your Heart. ❤️
(Quit looking at the finger.) 😉
~ All Are Welcome & Honoured.
~ Kottakinoona Awaahkapiiyaawa
(Bringing Our Spirits Home)
~ Akaisamitohkanao’pa
(An Eternal Gathering Place)
~~~ {{{ ❤️ }}} ~~~
~~~ {{{ ❤️ }}} ~~~
Among many things, EACH of the 1000 stones which make up the Spiral represents:
~ 100 people, representing all 100,000 Lethbridge citizens.
~ 40,000 people, representing all 40 million Canadians.
~ 8 million people, representing all 8 billion Humans on Earth.
~ 1 Trillion sentient Beings on Earth.
~ One could also imagine that all the stones represent all of ones ancestors,
spirit animals, guardian angels, and even ones "past/future" incarnations.
~ All the saints, prophets, avatars, etc,
* Imagine, everyone and every being, present, as you walk the Sacred Spiral.
They/we are all holding space for you, in Honour of your Precious Soul, and your Legendary Journey.
* Feel free to share your photography, experiences and reflections, prayers, and blessings in the comments, for inspiring all. Thank you for approaching this space with an Open Heart & Mind, and for speaking in whispers as much as possible, as if you were in a Temple, a Library, or... the Greatest Party for World Peace on Earth, as it is in Heaven. ;)
~~~ {{{ ❤️ }}} ~~~
The World Peace SKY Shrine:
- Location discovered & first stones laid around - April 1st, 2020
- "Completed " around - June 1st, 2020
{{{ 💓 }}}
The World Peace EARTH Shrine:
- Location discovered & First stone laid - June 1st, 2023
- First stone's laid - June 4th, 2023
- "Completed" around - September 1st, 2023
This World Peace Shrine is composed of Three Major Components:
1. The Sacred Spiral - (The Way & The Journey - The Sacred Pilgrimage)
2. The Sacred Circle - (The Central Medicine Wheel - Prayer/Council/Sharing Circle)
3. Our Co-creation:
The Amplification of our Collective Peace Prayers, Blessings, Offerings, and our World Wisdom Teachings.
~~~ {{{ ❤️ }}} ~~~
The Spiral is in many ways similar to what is known as a Labyrinth,
only the Spiral is not as confusing, and trickster like.
😉 ❤️
What is a Labyrinth?
~ A Labyrinth is a meandering path, often uni-cursal, with a singular path leading to a center.
~ Labyrinths are an ancient archetype dating back 4,000 years or more, used symbolically, as a walking meditation, choreographed dance, or site of rituals and ceremony, among other things. Labyrinths are tools for personal, psychological and spiritual transformation, also thought to enhance and balance out left & right brain activity.
~ Labyrinths evoke metaphor, sacred geometry, spiritual pilgrimage, religious practice, mindfulness, environmental art, and community building.
~ Labyrinths are used as a spiritual space to look inwards, release, heal, and set intentions.
~ The Spiral, is the Original Labyrinth ~
The Phoenix/Phaistos Disc
~ A 4,000 Year Old Enigmatic Artifact discovered in Crete, Greece, in 1908, during the excavation of the Minoan palace of Phaistos)
"The Ancient Computer Disc"
Labyrinth WikipediaTheseus: A culture hero of Greece. |
|
Man In The Maze - Wikipedia |
The Old Man River & Napi:
The World Peace Shrine is located on the "Old Man River".
The Oldman River basin is the traditional territory of the Piikani Nation of the Blackfoot Confederacy. The Oldman River is named after Napi, the Old Man, who is the creator of the Earth and all its living inhabitants. The Old Man’s Playing Ground, a place of great cultural significance where Piikani people gathered to play games, is located along the headwaters of the Oldman River. ~ Source
"Napi is a trickster helper. All First Nations have what we call "A Trickster". In some places its Ableegumooch (Mi'kmaq Trickster Animal), in some its Sitconski (Assiniboine Trickster), and for others it could be Raven (Northwest Coast Tribes). Where we live it's "The Old Man, It's Napi (Blackfoot Trickster God). He's powerful and he's foolish; very foolish, just like humans. Although Napi represents our human side, he tells us how Not to be. The Blackfoot trickster is a shape-shifter."
~ Carl Brave Rock
The Cree Peoples know him as Wesakechak (also spelled Wisakedjak); the benevolent culture hero, sometimes referred to as a “transformer” by folklorists.
I'itoi in the cosmology of the O'odham peoples of Arizona, the creator and God who resides in a cave below the peak of Baboquivari Mountain, a sacred place within the territory of the Tohono O'odham Nation.
Sources:
~ Native American Tricksters of Myth and Legend from Various Tribes
~ Native Culture Hero's
~ World Culture Hero's
~ The Story of Napi: Story as told by Carl Brave Rock
Hopi Tapu - Mother & Child
(Click for more information)
~~~ {{{ ❤️ }}} ~~~
Sacred Symbolism & Geometry:
What does the Spiral Symbolize?!
"The Spiral is a highly complex and powerful symbol. It is ancient and used in almost every culture, from British, European and Scandinavian to Egyptian, Indian and Indigenous traditions. It is the great creative force, representing growth and expansion. It denotes fertility and the dynamic aspect of all things. It is associated with the web of life. It symbolizes the realms of existence, the various modalities of being and the wanderings of the Soul in manifestation. In Maori tradition it represents the masculine principle and is phallic, though it is usually symbolic of the feminine. The spiral is connected with the navel centre as the centre and power of life. It represents the path from external materialism and egoism to internal awareness and authenticity. Ultimately, the spiral represents the awareness of the self and the expansion of awareness outwards. It is a highly recognized symbol of the spiritual journey."
Aboriginal Art Design:
"The spiral design emerged out of the ‘meeting place’ symbol used by Aboriginal Australians for thousands of years.
Aboriginal symbols have multiple meanings and tell complex stories. Just as our symptoms do.
This ‘meeting place’ symbol spoke to me because in counselling and psychotherapy, we will meet each other in relationship.
It is this relationship which is essential for healing old wounds. As we journey through therapy, we will meet and (re) connect with your authentic self, the deeper essence of who each of us truly are!
Aboriginal spirituality originates from the Dreaming. The Dreaming refers to the creation of humans, language, culture, the land, the sea and the cosmos. Over time – the Ancestors grew tired – their bodies died but their spiritual essence remained in the landscape, the heavens and the waters. The Ancestors life giving and life powers still exist to this day at important sites around Australia." ~ Source
Nazca Lines - Peru (305 by 190 ft) (Videos 1 + 2) |
Crop Circle (Near Wiltshire & Stonehenge, England - 2001) (900m Diameter + 409 circles) |
Healing Wetiko:
"Wetiko could be described as the "Virus" of Selfishness. A word that Native Americans use to designate an evil person who never worries about the well-being of others. According to Native Americans, Wetiko is an evil spirit that invades human minds. It’s a “virus” of selfishness. A physic pathogen forcing the victim to feed their insatiable needs as if they were starving. It makes humanity become its own worst enemy…
This interesting yet unsettling view comes from a piece of literature we think everyone should read. Paul Lévy is an admirer of Carl Jung’s legacy and a regular columnist for “The Guardian”. He wrote a literary piece titled “Dispelling Wetiko” that deserves some reflection. Levy says that we live in an era where most psychosocial phenomena proves the existence of a “virus” of selfishness." ~ Source
"Wetiko are evil man-eating giants of Cree mythology. Wetikos play the roles of monsters and bogeymen in some legends; in others, Cree people who commit sins (especially selfishness, gluttony, or cannibalism) are turned into a Wetiko as punishment. The appearance of a Wetiko is huge, monstrous, and made of or coated in ice. In some Cree stories, looking directly at a Wetiko will leave a person paralyzed and helpless against it. Wetiko's heart is said to be made of ice, and the monster can only be permanently killed if its heart is completely melted." ~ Source
Symbolism of the Snake / Serpent / Dragon:
"The serpent, or snake, is one of the oldest and most widespread mythological symbols. The word is derived from Latin serpens, a crawling animal or snake. Snakes have been associated with some of the oldest rituals known to humankind and represent dual expression of good and evil.
In some cultures, snakes were fertility symbols. For example, the Hopi people of North America viewed snakes as symbols of healing, transformation, and fertility, performed an annual snake dance to celebrate the union of Snake Youth (a Sky spirit) and Snake Girl (an Underworld spirit) and to renew the fertility of Nature. During the dance, live snakes were handled, and at the end of the dance the snakes were released into the fields to guarantee good crops. "The snake dance is a prayer to the spirits of the clouds, the thunder and the lightning, that the rain may fall on the growing crops." To the Hopi, snakes symbolized the umbilical cord, joining all humans to Mother Earth. The Great Goddess often had snakes as her familiars—sometimes twining around her sacred staff, as in ancient Crete, and they were worshiped as guardians of her mysteries of birth and regeneration." ~ Source
"Although not entirely a snake, the plumed serpent, Quetzalcoatl, in Mesoamerican culture, particularly Mayan and Aztec, held a multitude of roles as a deity. He was viewed as a twin entity which embodied that of god and man and equally man and serpent, yet was closely associated with fertility. In ancient Aztec mythology, Quetzalcoatl was the son of the fertility earth goddess, Cihuacoatl, and cloud serpent and hunting god, Maxicoat. His roles took the form of everything from bringer of morning winds and bright daylight for healthy crops, to a sea god capable of bringing on great floods. As shown in the images there are images of the sky serpent with its tail in its mouth, it is believed to be a reverence to the sun, for which Quetzalcoatl was also closely linked." ~ Source
"The Rainbow Serpent or Rainbow Snake is a common deity often seen as the creator God, known by numerous names in different Australian Aboriginal languages by the many different Aboriginal peoples. It is a common motif in the art and religion of many Aboriginal Australian peoples. Much like the archetypal mother goddess, the Rainbow Serpent creates land and diversity for the Aboriginal people, but when disturbed can bring great chaos.
There are many names and stories associated with the serpent, all of which communicate the significance and power of this being within Aboriginal mythology, which includes the worldview commonly referred to as The Dreaming. The serpent is viewed as a giver of life through its association with water, but can be a destructive force if angry. The Rainbow Serpent is one of the most common and well-known Aboriginal stories and is of great importance to Aboriginal society.
Not all of the myths in this family describe the ancestral being as a snake. Of those that do, not all of them draw a connection with a rainbow. However, a link with water or rain is typical. When the rainbow is seen in the sky, it is said to be the Rainbow Serpent moving from one waterhole to another, and this divine concept explained why some waterholes never dried up when drought struck."
~ Source
“Everything has a spirit to the aborigines who believe the air, rocks, trees, language,
law and culture and art all come from the Creator."
"Regarding the rainbow, this rainbow is the Covenant of God and the Testament of the Merciful One. The lights of the Kingdom and the heavenly illumination emanated from this rainbow. This rainbow is the sign of the removal of the wrath of God from all the people and the sign of prosperity, tranquility, universal peace, the oneness of humanity, and the unity of the world of man.
The Rainbow Serpent has been used to define the nature of human existence for at least 4000–6000 years; it has become a symbol of the creative and destructive power of nature.
The Rainbow Serpent image acts to bring together and unite neighbouring or more diverse groups of Aboriginal people by emphasizing their common origins, shared heritage, and there being an aspect of rainbow-ness in all of us.
Restricted ceremonies like Kunabibi reaffirm this. So do the [Aboriginal] creation stories themselves. In this sense, the Rainbow Serpent can be considered a symbol of integration and, ultimately, peace. … Perhaps the Rainbow Serpent emerged not only to define and describe the nature of a changing universe, along with the position of humans within it, but also to bring people together, to unite them behind a shared symbol, experience and common cause. The fact that rock art depictions of Rainbow Serpents are found at hundreds of prominent, accessible locations near or at camp sites throughout Arnhem Land [the five regions of the Northern Territory of Australia] reinforces this interpretation. Its presence there would have acted as a constant reminder of similarity between humans, rather than difference, as well as of intimate relationship to particular landscapes and other creatures.” ~ Source
Rainbows in Mythology ~~~ Rainbows in Culture
2024 - The Year of the Wood Dragon
"The Wood Dragon is one of the 60 combinations of the 12 animal signs and the five elements in the Chinese zodiac. It occurs once every 60 years, and the last time it happened was in 1964.
The Wood Dragon is a creative, visionary and charismatic leader who can inspire others with their ideas and enthusiasm. They are also adventurous, ambitious and confident, always seeking new challenges and opportunities. They have a strong sense of justice and morality, and they are not afraid to stand up for what they believe in. 💪
However, the Wood Dragon can also be stubborn, arrogant and impatient, sometimes acting impulsively or recklessly without considering the consequences. They may also have a tendency to dominate or intimidate others, especially if they feel threatened or challenged. They need to learn to be more flexible, humble and cooperative, and to listen to different opinions and perspectives." ~ Source
"In Chinese culture, the Dragon holds a significant place as an auspicious and extraordinary creature, unparalleled in talent and excellence. It symbolizes power, nobility, honor, luck, and success. 2024 is forecasted to bring about opportunities, changes, and challenges.
If you're seeking a shift in your current lives, this year might offer a favorable chance." ~ Source
"The Wood Dragon is a mythical creature often associated with imperial power and can adapt and transform energy, making it the perfect zodiac sign to lead us into Period 9. The Dragon energy is immensely powerful, yet elegant and graceful; it carries a frequency rather than a vibration.
2024 is a Wood Dragon year; imagine a sacred oak that grounds itself, rooting firmly and growing tall, reaching for the heavens. The Wood element is associated with springtime, symbolizing growth and new beginnings. Just as the sacred oak needs nourishment and care, with the correct elemental balances, to thrive, this year invites us to reach our goals by nurturing ourselves from within.
The Dragon is prone to change, and the Wood element signifies expansion and renewal. This will be a dynamic year to enter an inner metamorphosis for your mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical aspects." ~ Source
2024 Dragon Insights:
~ Master Steven Chen - (Chinese Astrology & Feng-Shui Master )
~ Amanda Sophia - (Feng-Shui Master and Celtic Priestess)
~~~ {{{ ❤️ }}} ~~~
What does a Circle symbolize?!
"Circles are not just geometrical symbols but are also what makes life possible. The sun is a circle, and so is the moon, and even more importantly, so is the cycle of life. Circles are also an intricate part of nature; time occurs in repetitive cycles in the form of days, months, and years, and seasons of the year occur in repetitive cycles of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. It’s, therefore, no wonder that the astronomer-physicist Chet Raymo says that all beginnings wear their endings.
According to the Oxford dictionary, a circle is a plane figure, round in shape whose boundary, also known as a circumference, is equidistant from the center. As Pythagoras, the ancient Greek philosopher, and mathematician, puts it, circles are the most creative form. He goes ahead to name them “monad,” which means “a single unit” because circles lack a beginning and an end, nor do they have sides or corners.
Being one of the oldest geometric symbols, the circle has earned itself a name and respect in both education and culture. It’s a universal sign, with almost all cultures revering it as a sacred symbol. The circle represents limitless things, among them eternity, unity, monotheism, infinity, and wholeness."
Click HERE & HERE to learn more.
~~~ {{{ ❤️ }}} ~~~
"A Jain temple ceiling and a water cymatics photograph"
~~~ {{{ ❤️ }}} ~~~
"4000 Year Old Extraordinary Circular Labyrinthine Structure from the Minoan Era,
Formed by 8 Stone Rings, Discovered in Crete
The Medicine Stone
~ Lethbridge, Alberta
Many years ago a Native hunter saw a figure descend a coulee and sit down at the foot of it. The hunter thought it was a Medicine Pipe Man so he crossed the river, searched, but found only a granite stone. That night as he slept near the stone, a person appeared in his dream and said, “My son, I am the rock you saw. I want you and your children to come to offer me peace offerings at all times.” The people of the Blackfoot Confederacy called the stone Mi’k(l)atowa’si, translated as “that which has become red-holy”. Others called it ‘The Painted Rock’ as the stone was coated with reddish-brown soil to emulate the red blanket of the holy Medicine Pipe Man.
At the 35th Anniversary Founders’ Day celebration, Blackfoot Elder, Bruce Wolfchild gave the name of Medicine Rock to the University in connection to a legend about the disappearance of a mysterious rock on nearby land. Bruce Wolfchild explained that the Blackfoot people believe the rock has moved to the University of Lethbridge campus and that the campus represents a place to become wise and solid like the rock, and a place to heal.
Medicine Rock - The story of our Blackfoot name
This is the story of "Medicine Rock", the name given to The University of Lethbridge by Blackfoot Elder, Bruce Wolf Child, at the 35th Anniversary Founders' Day celebration.
In the olden days, a group of Blackfoot people were travelling across the river and saw a red rock. A young boy was watching the rock when he saw it turn into an old man. The boy told the Elders what he had seen and they told him to run over and look. But when the boy reached the rock, he saw that it was just a rock. That night, the rock came to the boy in a dream and told him, "The rock that you saw is me. I am the rock".
Years later, the people from the tribe told others about the rock. Everyone came looking for it, but it was nowhere to be found. The rock had disappeared. Now, we know where the rock has gone. It has moved across the river. The rock is here --it is The University of Lethbridge. Anyone who comes to study here can be wise and solid like the rock.
That is why The University of Lethbridge has been named "Medicine Rock". ~ Source
~ Canada's Stonehenge ~
Known by archaeologists as a medicine wheel dated to 3200 BCE (5200 years ago)
"Most people are familiar with Medicine Wheels, either from popular culture or books such as “Canada’s Stonehenge” by Gordon Freeman. Many people might not know that while they are found all over the Northern Plains in Montana, Wyoming, and Saskatchewan, they are most numerous in southern Alberta. There are currently 57 documented medicine wheels in Alberta." ~ Source
"An academic maverick is challenging conventional wisdom on Canada’s prehistory by claiming an archeological site in southern Alberta is really a vast, open-air sun temple with a precise 5,000-year-old calendar predating England’s Stonehenge and Egypt’s pyramids." ~ Source
Sources:
1. Iniskim Umaapi: Is this Canada's 'Stonehenge'? - (BBC)
2. Is Southern Alberta Home to Canada’s Stonehenge? - (Alberta Views)
~~~ {{{ ❤️ }}} ~~~
To Visit the Shrine, click HERE for directions.
One can anticipate the shrine experience to require a minimum of 1.5 hours.
30 minutes to get there. 30 minutes to walk the Shrine. 30 minutes to get back.
Upon arriving to the Shrine, you can experience it in one flow, with the following directions:
Long Story Short:
- Clockwise, beginning left of the main entrance, on the outer circumference of the shrine. :)
- Upon arriving at the center, share a prayer of gratitude, and or a blessing, in silence or verbally.
- Exit the same way you entered, counter-clockwise.
- Follow the path towards the river to complete the journey, as the Shrines Origin Story.
Short Story Long:
- First, begin with a Gratitude Prayer to the Great Spirit that dwells within all, for this life you live, and for this breath you have.
- Walk over to the entrance, just left of the main "Inner Entrance" of the Spiral. This side entrance circles the Outer Circumference of the Shrine, allowing you the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the space, and to be guided, in preparation for beginning your journey to the Prayer Circle. You will find various words, and art along the way, which is designed to help tune, focus, and bring peace to your mind. Everything is meant to help you cultivate peace, and clarity, so that you may generate the greatest of Prayers and Blessings, for loved ones, as well as for y-our local, and planetary community.
- As a joke, I often say that this entire shrine could be one big elaborate trick, to get people to simply take off their shoes, so as to walk barefoot on the land. :) Walking the Shrine barefoot is not mandatory, but it is highly recommended, for maximizing ones experience. (links on benefits of "Earthing" & "Grounding", coming soon)
- As you make your way around the Outer Circumference of the Shrine, Clockwise, you will wrap back into the main Entrance, between the Two Pillars.
- Before you enter, everyone is invited to pick up a pine-cone from the basket to the left of the left pillar. Do so with your Left hand, which is the "Receiving Hand". This will allow you to receive Pine-cone Teachings, which will help you in generating the best of prayers, blessings, peace, and clarity.
- As you make your way through the Sacred Spiral, find the slowest pace you can, while inhaling and exhaling from your nose as best you can.
- When you arrive at the center Sacred Circle, feel free to walk in clock-wise circles as many times as you like, and or sit for as long as you feel. When you feel you are ready to offer your prayer, and blessings, (Both are highly recommended. see why, here), hold the Pinecone in both hands for a minute, as you process the receiving part of your prayer and blessing, with the offering/giving part.
- Then, with your left right hand, offer the Pinecone anywhere in the Central Sacred Circle.
- You may then choose if you would like to stay in the circle, and meet, or share with others who are there, or simply sit for as long as you wish.
- Now, you may begin your counter-clockwise journey around the Central Sacred Circle, and back out from where you came, which includes around the outer circumference of the Shrine.
- Upon exiting, you may choose to read, and or sign the guest book.
(Click here for the virtual Guest Book)
On behalf of your Loved Ones, and y-our Local & Planetary Community, thank you so much, for your visit, prayers, and blessings.
What you see at the Shrine, represents 1% completion, as an invitation for our local and global community to co-create the rest, in thought, word, prayer, blessing and deed.
*If you wish to to support this initiative, and learn more about what we see in the Future Now, click here, (Coming Soon), to read about the various initiatives which are being proposed for community endorsement and co-creation.
Blessings,
Michael
{{{ 💓 }}}
May All Beings Know Peace
"The labyrinth can be used as a metaphor for how you live your life.
What can you learn about yourself as you walk it?
It can be looked on as a symbolic "hero's journey," or a journey to a place of peace inside.
The center can represent to your consciousness perhaps your heart, your Self, or your true beingness."
"To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour"
{{{ 💓 }}}
Fun Facts:
~ At 1,350 meters (1.35km), the Lethbridge World Peace Earth Shrine is the Largest Spiral and Walking "Labyrinth" in the World. (This is because the Shrine actually starts at the car-park. See Photos in directions tab.)
Second largest Spiral in the world is the famous "Spiral Jetty", build in 1970, and is 1/3rd the size.
Third largest spiral in the world is the famous Nazca Monkey, said to have been created between 200 and 600 AD.
~ Wild Asparagus was the key to the Shrines Location initial discovery. 😉
~ It took over 1000 hours to complete within the course of 5 months.
~ There are over 35 Tons (35,000kg) of rocks, which equates to the weight of 3 Adult African Elephants.
~ All of the stones were brought from Greece, through commercial flights,
costing over $350,000 in extra luggage fees, at $10/kg.... Just Kidding ☺️
~ 95% of all the materials come from the island.
The remaining 5% are the logs which came from around Henderson Lake.
~ 99% of the Shrine was built by one person, and could not have been completed without the 1%.
(Thank you all who encouraged me in the process, with kindness, encouragement, and sisterly/brotherly love. You know who you are.)
~ Over 30 hours were required to make the entire shrine "Bear-Foot Friendly".
~ The equipment used to build the shrine consisted of a single tree branch/stick, and only after the 3rd month was a trolley finally purchased, as the first major financial investment, for moving the stones and logs which would have been impossible to move otherwise, as just one person.
~ The "Throne of Unconditional Love" was inspired by the Throne at the Knossos Palace of Crete,
which is considered to be the first Throne of Europe.
~ The Shrines "Home Tree", is a Russian Olive Tree, roughly estimated to be 33 years old.
(Click link to read about the amazing medicinal properties of this "Invasive" Medicine Tree.)
~ It takes exactly 2024 steps to walk from the parking lot, all the way to the center of the Shrine.
~ An estimated 5000+ souls visited the Shrine by Christmas of 2023.
~ One of the main intentions is that all 100,000 citizens of Lethbridge will eventually visit and connect with the shrine, and feel inspired, appreciated, and a greater sense of peace, healing, belonging, upliftment, company, guidance, meaning, purpose, friendship, brotherhood, sisterhood, and so much more.
~ All along the Shrine are Words "Writing with stone", meant as a guided meditation, so as to help inspire the words meaning within us. The words are as follows:
(All Caps = Largest Stones)
- OKI - (Welcome in Blackfoot)
- WORLD PEACE SHRINE & SANCTUARY
- WELCOME
- Courage
- Humility
- Gratitude
- Kindness
- Grace
- Simplicity
- Balance
- Harmony
- I AM
- Here & Now
- Hope
- Home-Tree
- Synchronicity
- Honor
- COMMUNITY
- Legacy
- Tears
- Joy
- Gaia
- Christ
- Soul
- Love
- Trumpet
- Holy
- Mystery
- Faith
- Infinity
- Wisdom
- Divinity
- TRUTH
- EMPATHY
- UNITY
- Humanity United
- Heaven On Earth
- Free At Last
Further Reading: