Thin Places

Around this time of year, we hear of the Celtic (or Neo-Celtic) tradition of Thin Places. This concept focuses on sacred moments and places where the veil between this world and the next feels to be thin – moreso than in other places.

This time of year was especially considered thin, as we hear accounts of Samhain, of

Some entrepreneurial companies find ways to monetise on ‘thin places’ – selling artifacts and excursions and books and any number of items or experiences to remind people of their encounter with a ‘thin place’.

I appreciate anyone whose spiritual journey takes them to a place where they feel they are on hallowed ground in a thin place (and I am one of those people that has widely traveled, and recognised the spirituality of location!). But for those who *do* have authentic experiences, they know that it is not limited to one location of geography or one day on the calendar.

A “thin place” experience can happen any time, and anywhere. It is a celebration of when we open our hearts to the presence of God. Perhaps our experience ‘there’ or ‘then’ has been realised because we are more aware of the possibility, we are more conscious of seeking the divine. When we decide that one place or time is special, it becomes special; we make it distinct from just any tuesday when we’re doing laundry, or the friday morning commute to the office.

Yet, we know that God is not limited to when we are waiting; God will be where and when God will be.

So perhaps we can use this time, when folks are comfortable speaking about thin places, to consider the presence of the holy in our lives, and of our own thickening of the veil that hangs between this world and the next.