Green mounds, murdering ancestors and the ages of man

Some objects fill our landscape, but we just don’t see them. Growing up in Northern Ireland these mounds were everywhere. 

I can remember seeing them through the car window and wondering what they were and why were they there. I think I even asked a few questions, but no one gave me a satisfactory answer. One elderly relative put a finger to her mouth, in a hushing motion, and then whispered that these mounds belonged to the fairy folk. This answer did not seem right to me, however, I just accepted their mysterious presence and peculiar abundance in Northern Ireland. 

This year, I suddenly decided I wanted to know what these are and why we have so many. It was prompted by the fact I had to take my car to a garage to get it fixed, and as it was Easter, almost every other garage in the town was shut, so I had to go out into the country to a garage in the middle of nowhere. While I waited beside the garage there was a rath. I had to wait almost 30 minutes, it was the only thing to look at, and I was reminded of seeing things like this through car windows for decades, and not knowing what they were.

They are certainly distinctive, and once you’ve seen one, you can recognise others. I started to do a bit of research into these raths.  Scotland has them too, but nowhere near the numbers that we have here in Northern Ireland. In fact, one of the first papers I read was comparing the raths that are found in Northwest Scotland to Northeast Scotland. Apparently northwest Scotland from Cape Wrath to Argyle and the Hebrides has only five Raths, whereas northeast Scotland from Cathness to the Firth of Fourth has over 38!  These raths in Scotland have a pickish Celtic origin and in the regions where this race lived, there was an abundant number of such mounds to be found. The Picts were first mentioned in 297 AD, when a Roman writer spoke of the “Picts and Irish [Scots] attacking” Hadrian's Wall. The name, thought to be from the Latin picti, “painted”, was one of an ancient people who lived in what is now eastern and north-eastern Scotland, from Caithness to Fife. Their name may refer to their custom of body painting or possibly tattooing. 

However, in Ireland, raths are found in far more abundance with an estimated number between 45,000 to 60,000 and represent the most common form of ancient monument. In fact, between 70-80% of all raths in the island of Ireland are found in Northern Ireland. No wonder I was always seeing them during my childhood! Dating from the early Christian period (500-1100AD), they are circular earthworks defined by a deep ditch and internal bank, enclosing an area of twenty to forty meters in diameter. There has been little archaeological excavation of these mounds but some have been shown to have the remains of houses and other structures.  The name rath is thought to be from the Irish ráth or ráith meaning of uncertain origin.

The Irish tend to be a superstitious race and these monuments were regarded as the homes of the sídhe (fairies), earning them the title "fairy forts” just as my elderly relative had whispered. Fortunately, superstitious fear of retribution from the fairy folk dissuaded most country people from damaging these mounds and, as a consequence, protected many from destruction but not all.  Another example of such superstition, found in N. Ireland, was leaving a hawthorn tree in the middle of a field, despite the difficulties of ploughing around it.  

 

Farmers just did not want to anger the little folk and bring bad fortune on themselves by pulling out the hawthorn tree.  Another recently proposed explanation is that hawthorns emit a peculiar scent to attract insects rather like the smell of gangrene and decomposing bodies.  In those early times when people were more exposed to this disease and often sat with dying and the dead this smell must have seemed like the smell of death. 

It is probable that raths built between 500-1100 AD were the residences of minor chieftains and served to protect their homes from cattle rustlers or other attackers.  Being raised up on a height gave you a better opportunity to see who might be on the way to cause you problems.  In Malta, the oldest capital city (Mdini) is found inland on a raised mound where its inhabitants would have had a panoramic view of the entire coastline on all sides, very useful in those days of sea-born attackers. 

Fear of others is a powerful motivator to protect your home, family and lifestock. In the Sci-Fi series Firefly, savage and cannibalistic Reavers, were the scary villains of the story.  Terrifying bloodthirsty attackers whose horror was hinted at throughout the early episodes but not seen. When the Reavers eventually turned up in a much later episode it was even more frightening as they had a horrifying reputation.  On a personal note, a relative of mine used a DNA test to discover more about our ancestors and discovered that our family is descended from the Scottish Reivers. These were a group of cattle rustlers, often guilty of feuding, murder, arson and pillaging on the border between Scotland and England in the 14th – 17th century.  How come others invariably find they are related to royalty or famous folk while mine turn out to be rogues?  Both names Reaver and Reiver come from the Old English ‘bereafian’ which means "to take by violence, seize, or rob" and it is where we get the present-day term of bereaved. Not a great discovery to find such blood runs in our veins!

The terms used to describe these mounds can vary: fort, rath, grave mound, earthen ramparts, cairn, mottes, ring forts and cashels. Raths are usually monuments of the early Christian period 500-1200AD and are large flat-topped grass-grown mounds.  Mottes were flat-topped mounds erected by anglo Normans in the late 12th or early 13th century as the bases of strongly defended dwellings of timber (and later stone) castles or dwellings.

Cashels were usually larger than raths and had a circular stone structure used for defence

With a diameter of 80-200ft.

Despite the large number of such mounds, not all have survived. There are only two Ballymurphy raths on the slope of the Belfast Hills when it is known that there used to be twenty on these hills. Unfortunately many have been demolished before even archeological excavations could be done.  Another rath, elsewhere, was destroyed by the intrusion of a rubbish tip that gradually spread over it.  No weapons have been found in raths or cashels but have been found in ring forts.  But often the divisions between these types of mounds blur.  The Mound of Down (Rathmullan) has been excavated and a report suggests that it has been many things over the centuries, 

“First, a rath was built on the site at some point in the Early Christian period; secondly, the main enclosure was constructed; and finally, shortly after the arrival of John de Courcy in Ulster in 1177 AD construction of a motte upon the site of the earlier rath was begun and then abandoned before it could be completed.”

This has probably happened elsewhere and mounds were reused over the millennium.  How many forts, cathedrals, and castles will have started life as a simple rath?  

The Stone Age (10000 BC – 3300 BC) was followed by the Bronze Age (3300 BC-1200 BC) followed by the Iron Age (1200 BC-550 BC), the Roman period (43 AD –410 AD) and the Early Medieval period (410 AD – 1066 AD) etc so little wonder people chose to build upon earlier more ancient constructs.  It is then more surprising to stumble across a feature in Northern Ireland in pristine condition that is so old it makes all the mounds mentioned earlier almost modern in comparison. Mountsandel Wood is the earliest known settlement of man in Ireland dating to between 7600 and 7900 BC.  

Flint tools were found here, indicating that Stone Age hunters camped here to fish salmon in the natural weir.  Archaeologists believe that Stonehenge was constructed in several phases from around 3100 BC to 1600 BC and 3200 BC is the approximate date when the earliest pyramids of Egypt were built. This Mountsandel Settlement was already over four millenniums old when these were all being constructed. However, the Stone Age period has even earlier and more intricate constructions that make Mountsandel seem both primitive and modern in comparison.  Göbekli Tepe in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey was inhabited from 9500 BC to at least 8000 BC now that is impressive!

This piece started with simple green mounds I saw through the car window as a child and the mystery they represented. It continues with a run through the ages of mankind and a quick detour into my own murderous family ancestors from Scotland. It ended with a temple constructed in Turkey over 11000 years ago.  Strange the paths a mind takes when freewheeling.

Giant by name and giant by nature

We often look back and think of the ancient structures at Stonehenge (3000 BC to 2000 BC) and wonder about the people who made this impressive spot. We are blown away by their inventiveness, just how did they move those large stones (7.3 metres tall and weighing as much as two tons), and wonder why they did it.  We know the stones were mined quite far away and had to be transported long distances so no wonder we are impressed.  

But almost 6000 years earlier than Stonehenge, Gobekli Tepe in South Eastern Anatolia (Turkey) is a Neolithic archaeological site with 17 pillars inscribed with herds of gazelle and other figures of wild animals. This site makes Stonehenge fairly modern by comparison. This is one of the world’s oldest permanent human settlements and is linked to that interesting period when humanity first transitioned from being hunters and gatherers to having an agricultural lifestyle.  Whereas Stonehenge was probably originally designed as a cemetery, Gobekli Tepe is thought to have originated as the world’s first temple and was quite sophisticated, with grinding stones and mortar and pestles etc. Dating from 9500 to 8000 BCE this is certainly an impressive place.

Amidst all the ancient history of such places, there are also stories that seemed to have survived over the millennia in many parts of the world.  Giants in various shapes and sizes have long been the stuff of legend.  Americans dug up skeletons of giants all over their continent in the late 19th century and early 20th century, and their heights were said to range from 7ft to 20 ft tall.   When these were debunked in 1934 by a leading scientist in the Smithsonian Institution (dinosaur bones were included in these finds), many fanatics convinced of their “truth” turned on this institution. Indeed, Smithsonian archaeologists were accused of destroying giant bones in order to cover up their existence.  

Just in case you thought this confusion was a result of early ignorance of scientific investigation this particular story was revived as recently as 2014. An internet story began circulating that claimed the Smithsonian Institution had custody of giant skeletons but they destroyed "thousands of giant skeletons" in the early 20th century.  Reuters and the Associated Press were this time able to expose the falsity of this.  It is depressing that nonsense reappears like a bad smell again and again.  Do we really have to waste valuable research time and money having to dispel crazy myths over and over again?  You think of education as a progressive process always advancing and illuminating humanity but it appears that miseducation is even more prevalent these days!  Will education deteriorate until it simply consists of just removing erroneous information gleaned? 

Two of my three sons shared a bedroom and my youngest son had his head filled with everything his older brother could think to tell him. For instance, that the universe was formed by a monkey and a vending machine in one long complicated tale that his brother retold so many times my youngest knew it by heart.  I feared my youngest son’s first few years of schooling would just entail unlearning all that his mischievous brother had instilled.  Back to the giant legend and to both ancient discoveries and old manuscripts.

Chinese ancient manuscripts speak of legendary figures of great height with deep-set blue or green eyes, long noses with full beards and red or blond hair.  Strangely much later, Pliny the Elder (23-79AD) mentioned a report from a Ceylonese ambassador to the Roman Emperor Claudius of a people in north-west China who exceeded the normal height, had flaxen hair with blue eyes and who made an uncouth sort of noise when talking.  It all sounds like nonsense but then the Tarim Mummies were discovered and these tall red-haired, Caucasian-looking people were found with felt and woven clothing and seemed very tall. They are called Tarim because that is the region in present-day Xinjiang, China (surprise, surprise - North West China!) where they were found.  They existed in this region from 1800 BC to the first centuries BC and are believed to descend from Indo-European language speakers who migrated into the Russian steppes around 3300 BC (no wonder their language was foreign sounding to those in China). 

One such mummy, known as the Cherchen Man, was an adult male who is believed to have died around 1000 BC and was aged around fifty years at the time of his death. He was tall and his hair was "reddish brown flecked with grey, framing high cheekbones", he had an aquiline "long nose, full lips and a ginger beard", and was wearing "a red twill tunic" and leggings with a pattern resembling tartan. 

Obviously, news of this group had travelled far and wide hence the ancient Chinese and Pliny references.  Height variation is not new, after all, ancient hunter gathers had an average height of 5 ft 9 inches but when an agricultural lifestyle was adopted the average height of a man had fallen to just 5 ft 3 inches by 3000 BC.  In comparison to those average heights, these guys must have seemed like giants!

Our species has been on the move over the millennium and with the aid of modern science we have a better notion of how and when that took place.  It is fascinating to see this movement on a map.

Looking at this movement over the millennium it is no wonder the human race is of many hues, sizes and dimensions. We know that pygmy tribes have an average height of 4 ft 11 inches and we accept that this variation is found in tribes.  So perhaps there were tribes of tall people too? After all exceptionally tall people turn up in unexpected places. Here are a few captured on camera. 

Battista (or Baptiste) Hugo and Antoine Hugo were born 11 years apart in the late 1880s. The brothers were born in Vinadio, a village in the Italian mountains. Baptiste reached a height of 7ft 6.5 inches. Antoine was somewhat smaller at just under 7 ft 5ins.

The Imperial Durbar in Delhi in January 1903 was designed to celebrate the ascension of Edward VI and Alexandra of Denmark as the Emperor and Empress of India. In attendance at the Durbar, were the Rulers from all the big and small states that made up India.  The Maharaja of Kashmir brought along his giant bodyguards who literally stood heads and shoulders above everyone there.  They were twin brothers of which the taller one was 7 ft 9 inches and the shorter one 7 ft 4 ins tall. Called the Giants of Kashmir they were in service of the Maharaja as elite riflemen and his personal bodyguards.

Martine Van Buren Bates (1837-1919), called the Kentucky giant, was 7 ft 9 inches tall and he is photographed below with his wife who was even taller at 7 ft 11 inches.  

Mind you being this tall could bring its own problems.  Martin was one of the few of this height who survived into his 80s.  Health problems can arise due to extreme height and vice versa, health problems can cause extreme height.  There is a disease that triggers excessive growth due to a tumour on the pituitary gland. Gigantism is a very rare condition that happens when a child or adolescent has high levels of growth hormone (GH) in their body, which causes them to grow very tall. Many children with gigantism (29%) have a genetic mutation that causes the pituitary tumour to form. Given this is inherited, nowadays genetic screening of patients with GH excess is recommended to avoid the excessive growth associated with this condition.  In contrast, nowadays to treat short stature, growth hormone can be supplied to children to trigger growth.  It is horrifying to discover that in the 1950s and 60s estrogen treatment was given to some girls to stunt their natural growth.  It was thought if they were tall it would impact their future ability to marry!  

The evidence is clear not only do giants exist now but they have also existed in the past. Here is a table of giants and I have only selected those over 7 ft 5 inches and got no further than India in the alphabet of countries so apologies to those I have left out. Note too, how many died at quite a young age.  Being tall is obviously a challenge to our physical systems.

The next question is, could there have been tribes of giants?  Well, given the genetic components both in terms of simple inherited height and also gigantism it is conceivable that an isolated tribal community could have boosted their height considerably relative to others.  The average height of a man from Netherlands is 6 ft, among the tallest in the world, and their diet which is rich in milk and meat seems to have helped.  The Trapp family in Esko, Minnesota, USA, consisting of mum Krissy (6 ft 3 inches), dad Scott (6 ft 8 inches), children Savanna (6 ft 8 inches), Molly (6 ft 6 ins), and Adam (6 ft 8 inches) demonstrate that clearly having tall parents helps boost height 

Imagine, if instead of having three children the Trapp family had 12.  After all, when I go back to my own family two generations on both sides 12 was a fairly common family size.  Then, suddenly the idea of a tribe of giants seems not just a possibility but a distinct probability.

Interestingly I read this study, which has relevance to where I am from, Northern Ireland.

“An international team of scientists led by Prof. Márta Korbonits from Queen Mary University, London, reported key findings regarding pituitary tumours of genetic origin. The study, published in the journal Human Mutation and covered by the BBC and The Times, identified an increased number of patients with acromegaly and gigantism in the Mid Ulster region of Ireland and demonstrates how a change in the gene called AIP was inherited from one single person, the "common ancestor", who lived approximately 2,500 years ago….These findings may explain the known historical accounts of Irish giants originating from the area and, in a way, justifies the numerous local legends involving giants.”

I am not at all sure I agree with that last statement. After all, giants have been mentioned in cultures all over the world so did they all suffer from this disease?  Before modern medicine, gigantism meant you died fairly young so I am not sure that is an evolutionary gain. I don’t want to make a big thing out of this but the tall the short of it is, physical size is just one aspect of being human.  By far the biggest is the person you are inside and the quality of that will determine your own legend and legacy.  Those we remember throughout history were rarely the tallest but they contributed massively to our civilisation.

A hero is born among a hundred, a wise man is found among a thousand, but an accomplished one might not be found even among a hundred thousand men.

Plato

Sacred spaces, resonant frequencies, ancient habits

The story began when we were visiting a lovely couple in Malta. The wife was from Isfahan, in Iran and told me an interesting story about the Menar Jonban towers.  Apparently, these famous towers, in Isfahan were built in the 14^th century and are known as the shaking minarets.  If you ascend the spiral staircase inside the tower you can by pressing on the wall with your hand cause the structure to swing to and fro.  This shaking is clearly visible and it sets up a resonance which causes the second tower in the building some distance away to begin swaying as well.  It sounded weird but the couple went on to say that the famous Skeikh who constructed the towers also designed Zarrin Kamar which is known as one of Iran’s greatest canal systems.  This Skeikh they told me also designed an amazing public bathroom that was said to be heated by a single candle.  He warned everyone not to open the enclosure where the candle was placed as the system would then not work anymore.  The couple told me that during subsequent refurbishments the enclosure was opened and indeed the whole system never worked again.  Apparently, even one of the ancient shaking towers in the city was taken down during the 20^th century so scientists could work out its mechanism.  It too was impossible to rebuild. 

My curiosity was piqued and I did some amateur research into these constructions and the Skeikh after the visit.  Sure enough, the Skeikh was a real character called Baha’al-din al Amali (18 Feb 1547-1^st Sept 1621).  He was an Arab Shia Islamic scholar, philosopher, architect, mathematician, astronomer and poet.  I really love the way people in those days did not study one particular field and nothing else.  Today, I am strangely depressed when professionals tell me they study Juniperus virginiana (a particular form of the juniper bush), or the antimony-Gallium phosphide interface, or the side effects of Botox injections in baby chicken’s optic nerves.  Compared to the Skeikh they seem genuinely unimpressive! 

The Skeikh was one of the earliest astronomers in the Islamic world to suggest that the earth moved around the sun and not vice-versa as previously dedicated believed.  He wrote many books including poetry and one curiously entitled ‘a treatise on the problems of Moon and Mercury’.  Obviously, a clever chap!  Unfortunately, my research seemed to indicate that the Menar Jonban Towers was actually built in the 14^th century a good hundred years before his birth. Disappointedly, his famous bathroom was also perhaps not his.  In fact, there is no confirming evidence that he made the canals system either.  It could be that he made additions to these structures and so perhaps all is not lost.   We can date another Shaking tower in Imanshahr to around 1280-1316 so it is impressive to think technology was that creative in those times.  

The Sheikh's bathroom was excavated in 1969 and the heating system examined.  Unfortunately, it could not be repaired but certain interesting facts were discovered.  

Underground clay pipes were discovered leading into neighbouring houses’ toilet wells so it was postulated that the Skeihk knew about biogas and that methane from the cesspools was probably used as the flammable gas fueling the candle.  A recent researcher has constructed and won awards designing a boiler tank with a similar design to that of the Sheikh.  The boiler is made of gold which makes it a much better conductor than copper etc.  No wonder the Skeikh had made a mystery of his design.  Had the populace known, the public bath’s boiler was made of gold there is a good chance it would not have survived as long as it did!

Another modern research group has studied the intricate designs of the shaking minarets in Isfahan and published an academic paper on this showing the resonance frequency of the Menar Jonban Towers and dimensions of the structures and the linking wooden beam between the towers that contribute to the vibrations being conveyed so effectively.  The tower would vibrate 10cms in amplitude which is considerable given the simple construction materials used.  The Towers have bells which ring out when shaking to make the resonance more obvious.  Another similar old shaking Towers existed in Ahmedabad, India but during the British Raj era, one of the Towers was dismantled so they could investigate how the shaking worked.  

It again proved impossible to rebuild so this Shaking Tower has now only one left.  I am not sure why this pattern of wanton destruction of something so old and unique is so troubling and disturbing.  Surely, it is time we learnt some respect and leave beautiful old things alone instead of destroying them in our eagerness to know more or make money?

Mind you, resonance is a strong effect.  Most of us are familiar with the opera singer being able to shatter a glass at a distance using sound with the frequency of their singing note being exactly the same as the natural frequency of the glass.  Another even more modern example of natural resonance happened to a suspension bridge when the wind gusted at its natural frequency of oscillation and the footage is spectacular.  This is no minor phenomenon a lot of energy can be conveyed when resonance is involved.

A fascinating new field of research is entitled archaeoacoustics is emerging which examines the acoustics of archaeological sites and artifacts.  Ancient structures are examined to see their resonance frequencies and there is a remarkable consistency in the chosen frequency of these spaces.  The resonant frequencies tend to be well within the adult male voice range (77 Hz-482 Hz) which suggests that some form of human chanting was enhanced by the cavity resonance for ritual purposes.  Interestingly women’s voices fall outside this range (137 Hz -634 Hz) so it has been suggested by some that women priestesses might have used drums to achieve the same result of resonance. 

site	location	age	Resonant frequency
Wayland’s Smithy	Berkshire UK	3500 BC	95-112 Hz
Chun Quoit	Cornwall uk	3500 BC	113 Hz
Cairn L Carnbane	Loughcrew, Ireland	3500 BC	110 Hz
Newgrange	Co Meath, Ireland	3500 BC	103-117 Hz
Hal-Saflieni Hypogeum	Malta	3500 BC	70-114 Hz
Celtic hypogeum	Cividale del Friuli, Italy	?	101-103 Hz

It is fascinating to find these consistencies in frequency and other studies have shown that not only did these ancient structures have resonant acoustic properties that contributed to their functional purposes but EFGs showed that subjects exposed to these frequency ranges seem to involve a switching from activity in the left side of the prefrontal cortex brain to right-sided dominance at 110 Hz.  “These results suggested that acoustic properties of these ancient structures may influence human brain function”. Some studies mentioned volunteers likening the feelings to meditation with comments like relaxing, vision-inducing, amazing being used to describe sensations encountered.  This was only a small study and so one has to be guarded about speculations such as these.  But the fact that academic peer-reviewed papers are beginning to examine these phenomena suggests there may well be something here needing investigating.

It must have appeared mystical, especially hundreds of years ago to be able to ascend a minaret and by the mere pressure of your hands start the tower shaking to and fro dramatically. To have been able to set up a vibration that shook the tall structure made of hard rock was impressive enough. But, the resonance you set in motion caused a second nearby tower to also vibrate at its natural frequency. This impressive phenomenon must have truly seemed divine and mystical in nature. The symbolism is clear. You by your hand alone and your actions can create spiritual energies that shake the very buildings and cause them to resonate with your endeavours.

To the devout the message is clear. Prayers set up a vibration, especially when chanted, that move the hearts of all that hear it.  Your spiritual endeavours will result in loving deeds, acts of service and kindness. Others will begin to resonate with the same spiritual frequency and be caught up its powerful waves. They will be urged into complimentary devotions and actions by its energy.

The call to prayer was ever designed to trigger not just devotion towards God but acts of kindness and love to family, neighbours, community and even to the stranger. Without this spiritual aspect, the mere shaking of the towers and even the regular chanting can become ritualistic meaningless charades. 

As with most endeavours, it is not until we are fully engaged in spiritual growth and exhibit humility, compassion and service that life moves from a cheap sideshow into a spiritual life well lived. Of what use is an individual’s spiritual progress if it does not cause a responding resonance in the community in which they live?  An awakening to possibilities and a growing sensitivity to the needs of those around you. Without that real resonance within the heart being expressed in widening circles around you, religious life can become a meaningless ritual. You gloat over the ‘sinners’ you perceive around you. Gleeful at their loss and ignorance. Triumphant in your own pride and imaginary elevated status.

There is a reason that when in despair we turn to prayer and God. An awareness of being in the valley of darkness makes us seek out high places to draw closer to the light and illumination. A consciousness of being lost in a bottomless chasm makes us seek heights to gain direction and perspective. Self-satisfaction and pride were ever a downward private path to dark places. Perversely, suffering and tests can help generate the climbing skills needed.

“Cleanliness is next to godliness”, It is said. So many spiritual practices involve the use of water to prepare ourselves for devotions. Ancient bathhouses such as that mentioned in Isfahan show that the very worst part of us, excrement which we regard as foul and filthy, can feed the flame that heats the water that is used to cleanse ourselves. Such preparation of the physical body has a spiritual consequence. That magical transmutation of taking our own shit and making something uplifting and rejuvenating is surely the real alchemy.

So, to the spaces that our ancestors created over the millennium to commune with the divine had a peculiar frequency designed to resonate in environmental spaces. To conjure up creativity, inspiration and hope. That frequency, between 95 and 120 Hz, set up a resonance we are designed to respond to. Strange that men’s voices can reach those frequencies but women cannot. There are some ancient musical instruments that function well in this range such as the timpani drums, 

Tibetan bowls, the Australian digeridoo all resonate at frequencies that we have been hardwired to respond to. Much as our feet set up a beat and movement almost of their own accord in response.

Here too there is a spiritual significance. Our brains were designed over the millennium to respond to this particular short range of frequencies by changing the side of our brain which is dominant.  What if spiritual life and its shared sacred spaces were designed to set up a resonance that lifts your heart, creates hope and inspiration?   What if the constant noise of today’s world blocks out those clear healing vibrations? What, if we are bombarded with frequencies that deplete our mental abilities instead of triggering spiritual progression? Instead, these days we can find ourselves in a solitary cell, plugged into a mobile/laptop, perpetually entertained, distracted from neighbours, friends, loved ones and even yourself.  Traditional cultures can remind us of the community cohesion simple beats can bring to many hearts.

When you hear these pure frequencies, you are reminded that this life was never meant to be a solitary pursuit. There is a shared joy to be on the path of service. To feel your heart filled with peace and love. To be so charged with spirituality that each day, every hour is an opportunity to express that love to each soul you encounter.  Community worship was never meant to be a talking shop, a designer walkway, a place to show your wealth or importance, or an arena to swell with pride at one’s own sanctimoniousness.

It was ever a sacred place to be strengthened together to undertake that internal journey of ourselves that requires both humility and self-sacrifice. Not until we can honestly address our own failings with hope and heart can we begin to offer a precious gift to the wider community.

To recognize we are all on the same journey is important. Perhaps our final measure will rest not on how high we climbed, nor our sins or how much we suffered but on who we encouraged, helped, inspired or forgave along the way.

PS In researching this article I came across in the account of Skeikh Baha’al -din al Amili a reference to a Baha’i scholar named Abdul Hamid Ishraq Khavari who wrote that the Sheikh had adopted the pen name Baha after being inspired by the words of the fifth and sixth Iman’s who had indicated that the greatest name of God, found in a specific prayer and mentioned four times was Baha. My husband as a young teenager in Iran remembers seeing Abdul Hamid Ishraq Khavari in gatherings in Tehran.  How strange are the coincidences that happen in life!  They continually surprise and bewilder.

As a Baha’i myself, I’d like to point out that the Bahai Houses of Worship are places open the public and are exclusively reserved for worship for all, regardless of religion or any other distinction. If you get a chance, do visit these special spaces as they are rather unique.

1.     No musical instruments are used only human voices

2.     No sermons

3.     No clergy

4.     No ritualistic ceremonial practices

5.     No pictures, statues or images

6.     No altars and no pulpits

7.     No collections of money during services

8.     These Houses of Worship are anticipated to have auxiliary structures including schools, hospitals, homes for the elderly, hostels and other social and humanitarian institutions around them

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