Janthopoyism
Sacred Travel: Castle Hill
#holythrowback to 2023 when I visited Castle Hill in Kura Tawhiti Conservation Area, Te Waipounamu/South Island, New Zealand.
With a name like Castle Hill, you may expect to find a castle or two on this hill, but no such luck. Instead, there is a significant display of limestone boulders, which apparently resembled a broken-down castle, hence the English title.
Before colonial settlement, this area was known as Kura Tāwhiti (treasure from afar) by the New Zealand indigenous people, the Māori. Trails through these rocks and 500-year-old charcoal drawings indicate that the Waitaha community used them as shelter to break from their long journeys. This land remains sacred to this culture.
The spiritual value of this place extends beyond the native New Zealanders. For example, the nearby Christchurch city built the front of their ChristChurch Cathedral using limestone from these rocks. However, perhaps more unpredictable is this spot’s indirect ties to Buddhism.
We’re talking about the 14th Dalai Lama! Leader of Tibetan Buddhism! His Holiness landed in Christchurch, and it gave him a weird vibe, much to the city’s dismay. He quickly ran away to Castle Hill, where a tremendous wave of enlightenment reportedly hit him. In no uncertain terms, he dubbed the place the “Spiritual Center of the Universe.” Big words from a big man!
Finally, the climactic battle scenes of the 2005 movie The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe were shot here, which has its own religious allegories.
Despite this, 48.6% of Kiwis state that “no religion” is the best religion. Christianity bubbles below at 37.3%, while Buddhism is only 1.1%.
With a name like Castle Hill, you may expect to find a castle or two on this hill, but no such luck. Instead, there is a significant display of limestone boulders, which apparently resembled a broken-down castle, hence the English title.
Before colonial settlement, this area was known as Kura Tāwhiti (treasure from afar) by the New Zealand indigenous people, the Māori. Trails through these rocks and 500-year-old charcoal drawings indicate that the Waitaha community used them as shelter to break from their long journeys. This land remains sacred to this culture.
The spiritual value of this place extends beyond the native New Zealanders. For example, the nearby Christchurch city built the front of their ChristChurch Cathedral using limestone from these rocks. However, perhaps more unpredictable is this spot’s indirect ties to Buddhism.
We’re talking about the 14th Dalai Lama! Leader of Tibetan Buddhism! His Holiness landed in Christchurch, and it gave him a weird vibe, much to the city’s dismay. He quickly ran away to Castle Hill, where a tremendous wave of enlightenment reportedly hit him. In no uncertain terms, he dubbed the place the “Spiritual Center of the Universe.” Big words from a big man!
Finally, the climactic battle scenes of the 2005 movie The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe were shot here, which has its own religious allegories.
Despite this, 48.6% of Kiwis state that “no religion” is the best religion. Christianity bubbles below at 37.3%, while Buddhism is only 1.1%.
Janthopoyism is a spiritual philosophy meets self-improvement program.
We view the Absolute collection of all Universal Energy to be the highest power. You are part of that power. You are an extension of divinity.
The ultimate purpose of this power is to evolve, and we each have a unique part to play in this progression. The details of your role are relayed to you every moment of your life via emotional notifications.
The tricky bit is that human beings have developed a communication barrier between themselves and this instruction.
This barrier is called "the brain".
But never fear! By utilising some very simple practices, you can open the flow of exchange, granting you access to the ether of infinite ideas, the infallible path of your guided destiny, and the recollection of your holiness.
Which is basically a wanky way of saying that your life is about to get a whole bunch better.
Join the movement before it becomes too mainstream.
We view the Absolute collection of all Universal Energy to be the highest power. You are part of that power. You are an extension of divinity.
The ultimate purpose of this power is to evolve, and we each have a unique part to play in this progression. The details of your role are relayed to you every moment of your life via emotional notifications.
The tricky bit is that human beings have developed a communication barrier between themselves and this instruction.
This barrier is called "the brain".
But never fear! By utilising some very simple practices, you can open the flow of exchange, granting you access to the ether of infinite ideas, the infallible path of your guided destiny, and the recollection of your holiness.
Which is basically a wanky way of saying that your life is about to get a whole bunch better.
Join the movement before it becomes too mainstream.
