Ganondagan Town of Peace
One of the many places of Prayer in Upstate NY.
Ganondagan (ga•NON•da•gan) State Historic Site in the town of Victor, 30 miles southeast of Rochester, NY sits on a hill where a once vibrant Native American community of the Seneca people stood. While the village where thousands lived is long gone, the spirit remains. That is, what makes Ganondagan so unique is its resonating spirit.
The Seneca’s were keepers of the western gate for the Haudenosaunee (also known as the Iroquois and five nations.) Ganondagan is called a Town of Peace after the Peacemaker, a prophet that united the Haudenosaunee and brought peace. The Peacemaker gave the Haudenosaunee the Great Law of Peace that would later serve as a basis for the USA constitution.
The site consists of 300 primarily wooded acres with several hiking trails. There is a visitor’s center with educational information and a video about Ganondagan. A replica of a bark longhouse allows visitors to experience first hand how life once was. There is also a garden conducive to meditation.
A strong sense of the positive and peace permeates the air. There are highly charges spots where one can feel the hair on the arms stand on end. What makes this even more unique is that the Seneca village that once stood there was wiped out over 300 years ago in 1687 by the New French over the fur trade. The fact that such positive energy still exists is a testament to the residents of Ganondagan who lived by “the right mind.”
Where to pray/mediate There are numerous sacred sites and fields of consciousness located throughout. Here are some suggestions on where to pray, communion with creator or raise your consciousness:
Garden—A circular garden near the bark house sits on a field of conscious and is the jewel of the area. Spend some time there and you will soon realize that others have already begun to pray there. The bench is a great place to meditate; or bring a cushion and sit amongst the flowers. The sectioning of the garden creates a natural maze conducive to a contemplative walk.
Trails—The trails that descend from the hilltop behind the bark longhouse offer an excellent opportunity for a contemplative walk. Make sure to wear some boots as spots can be a little soggy. Make sure not to tire yourself out and remember you will be ascending a hill when returning. Both of us, while far from tired, felt we pushed it a bit much and lost some of our connection. Yogi’s that teach prana yama will tell you that exercise is good, but too much and you begin to burn up prana (chi, life force.)
Hilltop—The hilltop is the most charged area at Ganondagan and it is evident that many good minded people once lived there. There is a “charged” Spirit line (line of consciousness) that transverses the hilltop, the path to bark house closely follows its path of travel. There are a series of energy vortexes next to the spirit line that help create the charged felling.
The best place to feel this is about 40 to 80 feet from the statue and signs going towards the parking lot (imagine following the path on a straight line).
Places on it will literally make your hair stand up. Amen!
A Positive Vibe— Because the Ganondagan community took their devotion and spiritual practices to heart, they built upon the sacredness of the space. Their prayers and good thoughts have helped enhance the spiritual air of the place. Their good intentions have helped create a positive geographic samskara that covers the whole site. We are constantly creating samskaras through our thoughts and actions that we may carry forward as karmas into a future life. Similarly people create geographic samskaras with their thoughts at deeds at a particular location. When people pray/meditate/ceremony at the same place over time those thought forms coalesce to create a samskara that facilitates and encourages prayer. This is the reason we are advised to meditate in the same place. It makes the place more conducive to divine love and communication with creator. We walked most of the place and found that the whole area was blanketed with positive samskaras--very unique in our modern age.
As noted, there are several Spirit lines and even a charged Spirit line on the hilltop. Not all of the Spirit line is charged. Mother earth energy in the form of a water dome (a feature many assoicate with sacred sites), can be found on the hilltop in the field.For more information go to: Ganondagan Home Page
Ganondagan is located near the intersection of State Road 444 and Boughton Hill Road in Victor, NY. For directions go to: Directions to Ganondagan
Hope you have a chance to visit Ganondagan and add to the love that exists there.
God Bless and Praise Allah,
Madis Senner