Cairns

Cairns are a way of marking sacred space.  A pile of rocks - one one top of the other - sets a place off from other places.  It lets you know that something special is going to or has happened in this place.

Jacob set up a pile of stones after he realized that he had met God in the place of his dream.  He dreamed that a ladder stretched from heaven to earth and that angels ascended and descended on that ladder.  When he awoke it became clear to him that he had been visited by God.  Up went the marker.

Piling heaps of rocks up to mark off where we have had encounters with God is visually helpful.  It can remind us that there will always be times of encounter with God.  It can also call us into a place of listening and waiting on God for a new and ever present encounter.  Cairns mark off where encounters have occurred and remind us to put ourselves to the task of renewing regular contact with our Father above.

Having a small pile of stones in your prayer space within your home or chapel can also remind you of the ancient art of cairn-building.  It puts us in context with an uncountable number of brothers and sisters throughout time who have piled stones to show that God met them in their simple places, in their strivings, and in their hearts.

Ciao!

TJM+