Feelin’ It, and Other Assorted Questions

Do you feel it?

    Ancient sites hold mystique almost intrinsically, and often you are asked if you feel ‘it’, a concept never truly described. Some say it is a sense of contentedness, some may feel closer to whatever deity they worship, but yet others may feel nothing special at all in the same place. For all, however, any feeling they receive is often linked to religion, what we have been studying in class.

The records for past Olympics, the first of which was held there in the Panathenic Stadium

    From the top edge of the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, just across a small street from the College Year in Athens headquarters (our host program), you can see the stars, and a moon high in the sky, not low on the horizon as viewed from our PLU vantage. Constellations; Gemini, Orion, Cassiopeia, and others all visible from our home here in Greece. Humans have followed the stars for ages, using them as guides for navigation and as representations of godly things. Many stars carry with them the weight of human myth that has attached itself to their glowing form. If you sit and relax into your viewing, it is easy to imagine what ancient people did.

    In Ancient Greek mythology, Queen Cassiopeia claimed that her and her daughter were more gorgeous that the Nereids, the children of Poseidon. Infuriated, he sent the sea monster Cetus to terrorize the coast of Cassiopeia’s lands. She then consulted an oracle, who stated that she must sacrifice her daughter to appease the wrath of the god. Cassiopeia’s daughter Andromeda was then chained to a rock to await her death. To her aid came Perseus, who killed the beast and took Andromeda to be his wife. However, Poseidon was unhappy that Cassiopeia had escaped unpunished. He tied her to a chair high in the heavens, so that she would hang upside down from it for half the time, now a permanent fixture of twinkling lights.

Artist’s render of Cassiopeia’s constellation

    Stories like the one of Cassiopeia can be rather morbid, yet the tales of heroes astoud and awe even older individuals. After all, ancient myths are still used in storytelling today (Lord of the Rings is a personal favorite of our professor). To some, those stories and conversations are what create the ‘it’ feeling. In our modern setting, we may encounter these stories only a few times in our life and it may be difficult to connect with them.

I wonder what ‘it’ might have felt like to those who grew up in those myths and witnessed what was happening. What might the woman working as the Pythia at Delphi have considered in her mind? Did she have a place outside the temple she loved to go, similar to the bench I found aptly placed on an edge above the main sanctum? Did the pungent yellow flowers draw her eye? And, did she know that her prophecy may have been simply caused by odors from the crevasse in the earth upon which her pedestal was placed? For the athletes at the Panathenaic Stadium, so close to my home away from home, did they consider who might be walking in their footsteps centuries into the future? Millenia? Were they performing only for the gods, or was a part of them appreciating the sport or the music simply for what it is? And for all those in the ancient world, did they know they were speaking a language that would be replaced so easily, or that their houses and stores would crumble and fall in the blink of an eye?

My classmate Danielle – unwittingly a frame of reference for the Temple of Apollo

I have one final question.

Can you feel it?

What It Means

Often it is hard to define what makes a place special. Sometimes we just know, the place has an energy to it that you can feel. Whether that be a warmth, a chill, a breeze, a sound, a smell. Or something that is know, but can’t be detected. Anything that sets the place apart. We as humans find meaning in spaces for various different reasons. Perhaps it is home. Maybe it has history. Whatever the reason may be we enjoy inhabiting that space. A place that brings us serenity. For me I find this in nature. Back home in the Pacific Northwest it is easy to find places to retreat to nature. Both local and far away. The tranquility of nature promotes quiet reflection and nurtures the human experience. Getting away from the sounds and smells of everyday life and breathing in something rarely found. Listening to the birds chirping and the wind rustling the trees. Smelling the pine and the babbling Brook. It takes me away from ordinary life and allows me to experience calm. Being in Greece I have found this experience a number of times, but none were as impactful as that which I felt today at Delphi. It was a gorgeous sunny day with a light breeze. I found a nice bench overlooking the deep valley, next to the Temple of Athena. I sat in the warmth of the sun, listened to the birds and the wind. I breathed in deep. I found home. People spoke of the energy that Delphi has, an innate sense of belonging that the ruins have. I believe that, much like at home, it is the setting that gives it that feeling. High in the mountains, overlooking a breathtaking landscape. No noise. It is surreal. You truly feel like you are in a sacred place. An idea that transcends national boundaries. A sacred space, a home, may be wherever you feel a peace that you would otherwise never know.

View of the Valley and Ruins from Delphi

And the Crowd Goes Wild!

Ever since I was a little girl, I was always involved in sports. I participated in sports ranging from ballet to soccer (which I absolutely despised), then finally settling on gymnastics and cheerleading in high school. Currently, I continue my love for athletics by participating in cheerleading at Pacific Lutheran University. During football season, cheering at the stadium always excites me. With every flip that I do or stunt that I help to toss up in the air, I hear the crowd yell back enthusiastically. There seems to always be such a powerful aura whenever my teammates and I excitingly step out into Sparks Stadium, prepared to face the cold and the opponents. This sensation is always present; it never dulls or fades with time. I shared this exact feeling when I stepped inside the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens for the first time during a class visit. Walking up those great marble steps, I began to take in the breathtaking view, marveling at the beauty and the athletic nature of the stadium. To many, this stadium is considered a sacred space.

The highest view at the Panathenaic Stadium, which is quite a climb up!

This historical, yet superior stadium revived the Olympic games back in the late 1800’s, and now is a prominent feature that anyone can take enjoyment in, including myself. This was once a space where leading athletes alike would compete from all over the world. Additionally, Greeks would connect with their gods through athletics, making sports extremely valuable to their community. Though nothing can compare to the beautiful architecture of the Panathenatic Stadium, I experienced the same and powerful sensation as I did back in Puyallup at Sparks Stadium where I cheer. Prior to taking this religion course, I was unable to describe such a feeling; however, when discussing the topic of sacred spaces, I soon learned that what I was experiencing was the ontological theory on how to define the feeling(s) when present on these particular sights. This theory incorporates this prevailing sensation that is felt. The individual cannot describe it, rather its’ dominating presence speaks for itself. Olympians back then probably experienced analogous feelings before competing in their event. I can’t imagine how it must have felt to feel the winds of Athens sweep around your face as the crowd yells louder with each stride.

  I am not a stranger to stadiums, but as I stepped into this arena, my body felt like it had been transformed, knowing that Olympians have competed here. Obviously, there is a drastic difference on the appearance between both stadiums mentioned, but the feelings that they provoke in me are nonetheless similar. I know that when I return home and start football season in the fall, I’ll think of the moment where I once stood (and flipped as seen in the video below) in the historical Olympic Stadium.

My attempt at showcasing my skills during our class visit (thank you Keely for the support).

Jumping for joy at the stadium. Thank you Danielle for the amazing picture!

Stairs, Sports, and Sacred Space

Just a 5 minute walk from my apartment sits a 2,500-year-old monument.  This stunning site with all-marble architecture has hosted three Olympics and can hold 50,000 fans.  The history and beauty of the Panathenaic Stadium truly make it a sacred space.

The view of the Pantheon from the Panathenaic Stadium

Last week, my classmates and I had the amazing opportunity of touring the stadium.  I was in awe of the amount of stories that are held here.  As I sat where the dignitaries used to sit, I felt overcome with the beauty and immensity of the structure around me.  I imagined the steep rows upon rows of seating filled with the many audience members that would come to watch the athletic feats performed there.

Dr. Finitsis and the RELI213 Class of 2019 touring the stadium

The walls of a room on the inside of the stadium are covered with the posters and torches of all of the Olympic games, starting from 1896 to present day.  Seeing how this ritual has been continued throughout time shows the immense importance of how sports and art create unity, both in Ancient Greece and current day.  The purpose of the modern Olympic Games is similar to the ancient Olympics: to promote peace and togetherness through athleticism.

Statue at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, Greece.

Statue at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, Greece.

In the Bronze Age (3500-1200 BCE), the people of Greece communicated with the gods through rituals such as this.  Sports were an incredibly important part of society. Seeing how much of an impact this had on Greek culture made me realize that there is a similar mindset in the U.S. today.

The marble steps of the Panathenaic Stadium 

For instance, football is a popular sport which many people watch with their families every week as a type of ritual. For many American families, watching football is a fun, recreational time where people can experience something together and cheer on a team.  I believe that this concept is an important part of our culture and reflects similar important values held in Greece.  Sports and art have always been a way of unifying people and have an important role both in ancient Greece and in modern day U.S.

For the remaining two days our class has left in Athens before we make our way to other beautiful destinations in Greece, I plan to soak in the beauty of the Panathenaic stadium each time I walk by.