There are more than 30 prehistoric sites and over 3,000 ancient standing stones near the city of Carnac in the northwest of France, and because Mother’s Day is May 14, now is an especially good time to think about sacred places devoted to the Great Goddess.

Many scholars agree that our ancestors worshipped the Great Goddess during the Neolithic Age, when grand temples such as Avebury and Stonehenge were built. The shift toward a male deity didn’t begin to take hold in Europe until around 4500 bce. In France it is very likely that Goddess worship continued through at least 2500 bce. A staggering number of ancient standing stones stones can be found scattered across the moors and fields in a 15-mile stretch along the south coast of Brittany. When the Romans invaded Gaul they carved images of their deities on some of the stones. Centuries later, Christian crosses were added to the ancient site. Today, visitors can still feel magical power in the mysterious stones. Although the original purpose of these megaliths has been lost in time, local traditions associate them with the moon and the seasons. Bonfires were lit nearby on Midsummer Eve, and sheep and cattle were herded among the stones for protection and to ensure fertility. Even today it is said that couples who are cannot have children are advised to dance among the stones. If you should be fortunate enough to find yourself wandering among beautiful carved stones in South Brittany, I hope you will take a moment to honor the Goddess. She remains alive today, identified as Mother Nature and Mother Earth. Her spirit is the endless cycle of birth, death and renewal, and she is a force as eternal as the changing seasons.

Robert Scheer writes about spiritual travel to Mother Earth's sacred places. Tel: 604-431-2917 Fax: 604-431-2918, mailto:powertrips@canada.com http://www.cedarcottage.com/powertrips