One's heart is always gladdened to find that an ancient sacred area has been re-claimed for spiritual purposes. The new age learning center, the Omega Institute, in Rhinebeck NY in the Hudson valley (90 miles north of NYC) is one such place.

The Omega institute is a retreat and spiritual learning center. Omega offers a myriad of programs and has consistently drawn high profile people to teach and lecture. According the web site; "Omega has been a pioneer in exploring, teaching, and embracing new ideas, focusing on health and wellness, personal spiritual growth, and self-awareness. We have also had another mission: to create a peaceful oasis in a hurried world."

Yes Omega

When I first read about a large and mysterious rock cairn located in the woods of Omega on the rock piles blog my interest was immediately piqued, not so much because the pile itself was anything mystical, but rather what the pile might be indicative of?

Sacred Stone before the roots of downed tree.

Most rock piles are created by farmers as a place to put stones from fields that they have cleared. Sometimes those stones were taken from the dismantling of Native American ceremonial circles or prayer places. I have also found that stone piles are often subconsciously placed in a location because it is a natural power place; or was once a gathering place, or marks where several Native American trails once intersected. If it was a gathering place, or an intersection point then there would be sacred sites close by since Native Americans would pray and conduct ceremonies along their path of journey. Those spiritual embers linger for a long time, they can also enhance your spiritual experience. (See Ithaca's Spiritual Embers Still Glow)

The Omega Institute's location exists for a reason. Jesus said; "you shall know them by their fruits(mt 17:6); meaning that a person's actions speaks volumes about their character. It is no different for mother earth, only her fruits are what come out of a particular location. In surveying Mother Earth's soul I have consistently found that great people (Harriet Tubman, Fredrick Douglas, Gerritt Smith, and the Peacemaker) or movements like the women's, spiritualism, America's second great awakening, and evangelicalism have emerged from or have been drawn to certain locations. The Omega Institute was drawn to it's location because of the spiritual nature of the land. Omega Institute rests on an old sacred site,for one or possibly more civilizations,and a sweet spot of Mother Earth's soul.

A Great Vibe

Whenever we have a thought we create a thought form, or what Hindu's call a samskara. Our thoughts go out into the world, attach to us and attach to the location where they were generated. I call the physical location where our thoughts attach a geographic samskara(s), or a places vibe. They are the primary reason you will feel good in certain places, a little queasy in others or even downright frightened in places where violence has occurred. It is a key determinate in what I look for in selecting a site. No matter what wonderful natural features a location may have if it is covered with bad thoughts or the remnants of violence that negativity will overwhelm the positive and act like a snare to have you repeat what has transpired there before.

The vibe or geographic samskaras for Omega where positive through out; in other words it has a great feel to it. This is surprising since it gets so much traffic from all the students who pass through carrying their spiritual luggage and samskaras . Also surprising because the general area surrounding it was blanketed with a negative vibe as is most of the world. And surprising because the focus of Omega while on spiritual learning is not on prayer and meditation. I call prayer and meditation the spiritual elbow grease of keeping a place sacred, because it is the best ways to clean and keep a space free of negativity and bad thought forms.

Omega will make you feel good and recharge your batteries.

Experiencing Omega

The Omega property contains numerous sacred sites and fields of consciousness. If you go please be quiet and respectful of others and the grounds. If others are there meditating feel blessed because group meditation dramatically increases your spiritual experience. Bring along a cushion, such a sportsman cushion that you can sit on in the woods. I suggest bringing an offering of tobacco, a flower, a piece of fruit, and leaving it at the edge of the woods. An offering is a way of honoring Mother Earth and showing her respect; it will facilitate your connection.

Linger in these woods. Walk due north between cabins 17 and 18. A stone wall will appear on your right. A few hundred feet in you will find the earthen remains of the roots of a fallen tree. Twenty to thirty feet in front of the dirt pile you will see a large stone. It was a prayer/ceremonial stone. Twenty to thirty feet west of the root pile there was once a ceremonial circle. The trees branches I used to trace it may still be there. Spend some time here.

About 100 feet ahead on your right you will notice the large stone pile I referred to. It has several recently constructed cairns on top of it. Avoid the stone pile. It does not have a good vibe. Nothing awful,just not nice.

Large White pine(in background with numerous trunks) sits on a orignitor from which 5 spirit lines emanate from.

Up ahead and to the left is a little knoll or ridge. Look at the trees. Trees often tell you what is going on with Mother Earth in an area. The large white pine tree sits on an originator--5 spirit lines, or what some people call ley lines, begin from there. Spirit lines carry consciousness. There is sort of an opening with the trees that marks a stacked field of consciousness,2 fields are stacked upon each other making it that much stronger. In the heart of Mother Earth's soul-Rochester, Syracuse, Utica corridor--there are places that have as many as 7 fields stacked upon each other. Two fields here given the distance from Central New York is excellent. Someone had created a spoke from old dead tree branches. Meditate there.

Continue Southeast on the ridge and notice the area of cedars that have created a small circle. About 50 feet before a decaying large tree there is a single field. Nice. Continue down the knoll and you will enter very sweet spot to your right going southwest before the stone wall. What emanates from there is associated with higher planes of existence. You will not notice them, you might not even like the area, but once you develop your sentience of Mother Earth from spending time in fields of consciousness you will love this spot. People say that developing our consciousness should be our highest aspiration, yes in the physical plane. There are also higher planes of existence that we operate in all the time.

Head back in the direction you came from, but stay a couple hundred feet west of the way you came in. Behind cabins 25-27 on the other side of stone wall you will see some pine trees. Again focus on how the trees have naturally created an opening forming a circle of sorts. It is before the wet area with the stone berm. The opening area is a very nice spot that sits on a stacked field of consciousness (2). This would be an excellent place to meditate.

This is a great woods with a lot more opportunities for a soulful connection. Explore and find your own special connection. The stacked fields offer you a better chance to experience and benefit from the consciousness of Mother Earth. Meditating on fields of consciousness can bring many benefits such as raising your consciousness, helping you connect with your higher self, developing your compassion and more. You will also be giving Mother Earth love and support and strengthening her soul. Unless you are sentient you will not immediately sense the consciousness. If you are, it will be in your greater forehead area, what Hindu's call your chidakasha, or mind screen where your individual consciousness resides, that will be stimulated.

Main Sacred Site

The woods is a sharp contrast to the field of energy vortexes that appear to have been the main spiritual center for the previous ancient culture. That sacred area is located on east side of the large field on the Omega grounds. In front of the cabin by the field there are two lines of energy vortexes going north south. The spiritual embers of numerous ceremonial circles and places remain in this area.

Stacked(2) field of consciousness behind cabins 25, 26 and 27.

Energy vortexes push off energy. They are invigorating and good places to spend time at if you are tired, or depleted. They can also give you quite an energy rush and increase your spiritual experience; they will not raise your consciousness as the fields in the woods do. My dogs always get very hyper when we are in area with vortexes and they subsequently alert me about a space. I generally do not like to spend lots of time by energy vortexes because without consciousness to balance it out all you will get is one big energy rush. It is all Shakti (energy)with no Shiva(consciousness). They however are great places to go if you are depleted. I have seen Native American's create what I call natural espresso bars by putting ceremonial circles on energy vortexes (Danby's Forest of Prayers.

West of the field is a hill with a path to climb. There you will find more sacred sites and several fields of consciousness. I found one sacred site on a small stone perch above a power station that marked the intersection of 3 energy lines.

The Other Omega

Omega's Rhinebeck Campus offers many spiritual classes with some very knowledgeable instructors. To see some of those classes go to: Attend Omega

If you go

Make sure to bring water, some food to munch on and a cushion to meditate on. Try not to talk and whisper only when necessary. Show the utmost respect for others and the land. If you see others nonverbally recognize them with a head bow, smile or hand gesture. Be thankful if others are praying and meditating near you. The more the merrier because the effects of group meditation creates a synergy that is far greater than the sum of the individuals.

The Omega Institute is located on 150 Lake Drive, Rhinebeck NY; 877.944.2002, or 845.266.4444. To find out how to get there click on: Directions.

The things that make a site sacred are its connection to Mother Earth and the thoughts and actions that have transpired there. I believe it is ultimately the prayers and meditations, what I call the heavy lifting or spiritual elbow grease, that can make a place truly divine. Please go to Omega and meditate in the woods and add to the love that still permeates the area from long ago.

Peace,
In emailing me make sure to change (at) to @ in the address header: madis senner

Madis Senner

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