describe mountains in writing

Often, this means that access to the sacred mountain is restricted. Enter your email address to receive notifications of new posts by email. Grayson, James H.1996 Female Mountain Spirits in Korea: A Neglected Tradition. I want to think like that, write like that. And that happens when the writer really knows exactly what he’s looking at, how it feels and smells, all the details that express the uniqueness as well the intimacy to be universal. In Hindu religion, Mount Kailash also plays an important role in Rama's journey in the ancient Sanskrit epic, Ramayana. Trumpeter 1995. Shasta Mountain was first revered by the Native American tribe, the Wintu. This connection with the mountain as a sacred space is paramount. These succinct descriptions, relating to the reader’s sense of touch, smell, taste, or sight, will make the object come alive. What a collection you’ve amassed. While people generally hold to these female deities for protection or to perpetuate life, one of their most important functions is to protect the dead. Thank you! Learn how your comment data is processed. The history of ancestors could be told by simply pointing at specific mountains and remembering the stories that were passed down throughout the generations. I like “The Tree Where Man Was Born.”. That Valleys, groves, hills, and fields, Mount Othrys is a mountain in Central Greece, which is believed to be the home of the Titans during the ten-year war with the Gods of Mount Olympus. Tremendous effort would be taken as the sacrificial victims would be paraded alive throughout the cities, with multiple festivals and feasts taking place. Each mountain/peak is representative of a color, direction, and correlates with a cultural light phenomenon dealing with the cosmic scheme of the rising and of the setting sun. Sacred mountains are central to certain religions and are the subjects of many legends. Some refer to her as the “Great Mother” or “Mother of the Mountain”. The history of Korea is in turn protecting its own future. [1] Many religions have traditions centered on sacred mountains, which either are or were considered holy (such as Mount Olympus in Greek mythology) or are related to famous events (like Mount Sinai in Judaism and descendant religions). When one observes the sacred mountain of the Sacramento Valley in the United States, it becomes clear that methods and opinions stretch over a vastly differing body of protesters. Shasta's glory had expanded to multiple regions of the world, communities of differing religions making their pilgrimage up to the summits of this glorious mountain. I love nature. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. To write a report, you'll research several topics, examining its geography, history, and present-day culture and economics. Thanks for visiting. Even the pathways’ existence leads to erosion, and further slow degradation of the mountain. They are many and varied, so I’ll just touch on each. Additionally, sacred mountains can be seen as the source of something vital. I have a lot of respect for the likes of Peter Matthiessen, who can so beautifully describe nature. Cybele was the goddess of caverns and mountains. Buddhists hold that Mount Kailash is the home of Samvara, a guardian deity, and a representation of the Buddha. Writers grab me with great outdoor descriptions. [11] Examples of this would be the Hindu belief that Mount Kailas is the final resting place for the Here’s the whole list: https://worddreams.wordpress.com/category/descriptors/, very creative..loved this post..thanks for sharing and I really like your writing style Jacqui. Really useful and inspiring terms! ( Log Out /  Describe its sensory details, like color, texture, or taste. Mount Ida is the highest mountain on the island of Crete is the sacred mountain of the Titaness Rhea, also known as the mother of the Greek Gods. For example, the Navajo consider mountains to be sacred. For example, a large amount of forest has been preserved due to its proximity to Mount Kōya-san. Dillehay, Tom D. 1995 Mounds of social death: Araucanian funeraruries and political succession. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Mount Athos, located in Greece, is also referred to as the Holy Mountain. The myth states that Roman architect Dinocrates had wanted to carve Alexander the Great's figure onto the top of the mountain in tribute to him. It is neither a surprise nor a coincidence that their honored dead were placed on the highest peaks of the mountains to express the shared connection between the sacred mountain, the gods, and the dead. Hawaiian Legends of Volcanoes By W.D. Lamphere, Louise. Keep it up!!!! Describe: I am going to DESCRIBE a sunset! [6], In Japan, Mount Kōya-san is the home to one of the holiest Buddhist monastery complexes in the country. It was also considered the site of the War of the Titans (Titanomachy) where Zeus and his siblings defeated the Titans. Several Shinto temples flank its base, which all pay homage to the mountain. Mabbett, I.W. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. I wonder how some of these writers come up with this stuff. With the advent of new technology and desires to turn this mountain into a skiing lodge, angry voices from all over the world rose up with variants of demands on why and how we should preserve this beautiful mountain. It’s so creative, and it’s great that it’s here to help give me some inspiration! Sacred mountains are central to certain religions and are the subjects of many legends. The kora consists of a 32-mile path that circles the mountain, which typically takes five days with little food and water. Sunset is the time of day when our sky meets the outer space solar winds. Saint Catherine's Monastery is located at the foot of Sinai. 1969. Bon Po teaches that Mount Kailash is the home of a wind goddess. I need some pop and pizzazz. This bounded view of sacred mountains changed drastically during the 1800s. See also 1000+ Ways to Describe Snow Part 2. Annual fire festivals are held there in her honor. From the excerpts of his writings I have read, I agree that his prose is indeed rich with beautiful detail, and I plan to buy a copy of his Snow Leopard in the future. Buddhists believe that Mount Kailash has supernatural powers that are able to clean the sins of a lifetime of any person. No matter how many times I read it, I’m still blown away… “In the late summer of that year, we lived in a house in a village that looked across the river and the plain to the mountains. I did the same as you–waited until the two children were launched to ignite my love of reading and writing. Maybe I have it. [14] The mountains' roles as places of revelation and transformation often serve to attract tourists as much as they do religious pilgrims. It was founded by a saint, Kukai, who is also known as Kobo Dashi and is regarded as a famous wandering mystic; his teachings are infamous throughout Japan and he is credited with being an important figure in shaping early Japanese culture. Approximately a million pilgrims visit Mount Kōya-san a year; these pilgrims have included both royals and commoners who wish to pay their respects to Kobo Dashi. Almost every day different religious practices such as nude bathing, camping out with magic crystals, yoga, and many “quasi-Christian” groups such as the I AM march their ways up to the tips of this mountain. Symbolic Elements in Navajo Ritual. I love reading authors who can really describe what they see. Seeing how others describe landscapes and dogs and emotions helps me tap my well of words. But without modifiers, “the Great Wall” would simply be “the Wall.” We need adverbs and adjectives in order to be descriptive in our writing. Parallelism can be as simple as choosing grammatically similar elements when writing a list, as in "First do X, second do Y, third do Z." ( Log Out /  I’m 15 and lately I’ve been having difficulty describing some scenes in the stories I write. There would be no other place that would be sufficient or acceptable enough for the gods to accept these gifts. Love this. Indian cosmology believes that the sun, moon, and stars all revolve around Mount Meru. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! It is well known by scholars that the Inca sensed a deep reservoir of spirituality along the mountain range. The description of the naked rocks piercing seemingly piercing the skies is amazing! T. Dillehay Ed. I have a massive list of wonderful descriptors I go to when I’m stuck. Great collection, Jacqui. Mount Ida in Turkey is also represented in many of the stories of Greek author Homer such as Iliad and Odyssey. ( Log Out /  Pingback: Most Commented Posts | WordDreams... Pingback: Most Commented Posts « Jacqui Murray. And finally in the north is the Hesperus Peak of the La Plata Mountains which is given the color black and belongs to the light phenomenon of the "Darkness Woman" representing the nighttime.[10]. Today’s post is the first of two about ways to incorporate snow in creative writing. Various icons, prayer flags, and other symbols of the four religions that believe Kailash is sacred mark the way. souls of the dead, as well as the large cemetery placed on Mount Kōya-san. And we will all the pleasures prove, This could result in climbing being banned from a sacred mountain completely (as in the case of Mount Kailash) or for secular society to give the mountain a wide berth. When I’m describing a landscape, I find I either repeat myself (definite no-no) or my words are bland and boring. They never fail me. The mountain was dedicated to Cybele, the Phrygian (modern-day Turkey) version of Earth Mother. — Suzanne Joshi. These events include birthdays, holidays, monthly celebrations, and important dates in history. For example, Bruno Messerli and Jack Ives write, “The Armenian people regard Mount Ararat, a volcano in eastern Turkey believed to be the site of Noah's Ark in the Bible, to be a symbol of their natural and cultural identity”. Mountains. Now, I’m in full bloom. As in other instances in Māori mythology, the mountain is anthropomorphised in various stories. The Navajo possess a strong belief system in regards to the natural-supernatural world and have a belief that objects have a supernatural quality. ( Log Out /  What a visual picture, hunh? Folklore suggests the mountain rose up from the ground piercing the heavens giving it the moniker "navel of the universe".[8]. A contribution to the literature of the American Renaissance, Moby-Dick … It is believed that he was shown the sacred place to build the monastery by a forest god; this site is now the location of a large cemetery that is flanked by 120 esoteric Buddhist temples. Change ). According to some Hindu tradition, Mount Kailash is the home of the deity Shiva. January Writing Prompts. The ponhyangsansin is a guardian spirit that is protecting an important clan grave site in the village. This collection of ‘descriptors’ is perfect for you, Victoria. These are some of my favorite phrases. Look for her next prehistoric fiction, Laws of Nature, Summer 2021. This founding document, originally comprising seven articles, delineates the national frame of government.Its first three articles embody the doctrine of the separation of powers, whereby the federal government is divided into three branches: the legislative, consisting of the bicameral … In Tombs for the Living: Andean Mortuary Practices. Feds say no, despite detractors", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sacred_mountains&oldid=1008256495, Wikipedia articles with style issues from November 2015, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 22 February 2021, at 11:11. [9] Today, the monastery is home to a group of Greek Orthodox monks, as well as a large collection of Byzantine art, illuminated manuscripts, icons, and books; the collection of icons in particular has been proclaimed one of the oldest in the world. For many, the most symbolic aspect of a mountain is the peak because it is believed that it is closest to heaven or other religious worlds. Followers of Jainism believe that Kailash is the site where the founder of Jainism reached enlightenment. These would take place during great times of distress, during times of famine, violent periods of war, and even during times of political shift. 2005. Beautiful examples! Thanks, Tahira. It has great historical connections with religion and classical mythology. Rather, this also adds to its position as a sacred place, especially considering the sacred position of the Ganges river in Indian culture. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Parler (Opens in new window), View Jacqui.Murray1’s profile on Facebook, View JacquiMurrayWriter’s profile on Instagram, View AskaTechTeacher’s profile on Pinterest. I think what really makes a description stand out is the ability of the writer to make the reader feel familiar with the place, as though they’ve been there before. Mountains that are considered home to deities are also central to prayers for the blessings from the gods reputed to live there. It is also believed to be the cave where Greek God Zeus was born and raised. That is so tricky, too. There were others contesting to the meanings, adding new rituals and modifying old ones. Each mountain goddess has an equally interesting story that is tied to their accounts of war against Japan, and the historical legacy of their emperors. This prompts people to protect streams from pollution that are from sacred mountains, for example. They were all subject to the same landscape and village history, which were bound together by their cultural significance. Alexander the Great's Mountain. However, in some cases, the financial revenue is overlooked and sacred mountains are conserved first due to their role in the community. You’re the perfect age to start writing. Use them for inspiration. While they are not in fact worshiping the land itself, the gods associated with this worship are united to the land. How about a thick verdant forest, dappled with sun? Moby-Dick; or, The Whale is an 1851 novel by American writer Herman Melville.The book is the sailor Ishmael's narrative of the obsessive quest of Ahab, captain of the whaling ship Pequod, for revenge on Moby Dick, the giant white sperm whale that on the ship's previous voyage bit off Ahab's leg at the knee. Reblogged this on The Well-Rounded Writer. It’s incredibly long, snaking its stony way across the mountains and valleys of Asia, with beautiful towers standing tall every couple of hundred feet. The Fuki-ko sect maintains that the mountain is a holy being, and the home to the goddess Sengen-sama. Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy, the Man vs. Asian Folklore Studies 55: 19–134. It was there that the pagan practitioners converted from paganism to Christianity. I could write a whole book about that feeling. There are four peaks, which are believed to have supernatural aspects. Westervelt, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Aetherius Society webpage on holy mountains, "Should Mount Rainier be renamed? The tablets form the covenant, which is a central cornerstone of Jewish faith. Next in the south is Mount Taylor, which is associated with the color blue and the "Horizontal Blue Man" referring to the daytime. She is the author of Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy midshipman.  She is webmaster for five blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice book reviewer, a columnist for Examiner.com, and a weekly contributor to Write Anything and Technology in Education. The worship of ancestors and the mountains were largely inseparable. Nature saga, and the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers. I am 60 years old, have read a lot of books, used to write when I was in my teen years.I have plenty of time now, after bringing up my family on my own, recently discovered that spark still there, and this blog is icing on the cake, well done!! People also travel to these mountains to ask for fertility. 281–314 Dumbarton Oaks Washington, DC. Huntsinger, Lynn and Maria Fernandez -Martinez 2000 Spiritual Pilgrims at Mount Shasta California. In some cases, parallelism involves the exact repetition of words, but all that is required to fit the definition of parallelism is the repetition of … Sacred mountains can also provide an important piece of a culture's identity. The majority of the prompts are related to the various events on our January Events Calendar. Don’t you love those dusty cowboys at the top of the post? Here are a few examples: I pulled the black hood over my saturated form as I saunter in the soft rain, small pellets of water spitting on my hands as the remainder of the drops quench the scattered puddles decorating the asphalt. World Archaeology 36:103–122. The words hills and valleys are particularly beautiful to my eyes, reminds me of those wonderful opening lines from Marlowe’s poem “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love”: “Come live with me and be my love, For me, landscape is as much about atavistic reactions as what I see. For the tribespeople, Mount Taranaki has a deep spiritual significance and is seen as a life force. These are all from books I’ve read–how great authors describe whatever the topic is.

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