Pasaquan – a journey of spiritual imagery

“The devil went down to Georgia, he was lookin’ for a soul to steal
He was in a bind cuz’ he was way behind and he was willin’ to make a deal” . . . . Charlie Daniels Band.

I took a trip down to Georgia. I was soul searching on this trip. This journey was my effort to connect with a couple of the spiritual edifices of that region. I visited the Georgia Stones and the Pasaquan. I enjoyed visiting both places. The Georgia Stones were a rather stoic place. They were stones arranged on top of a hill. There were exposed not only to the elements, but also to the ravages of limited human perception and appreciation. Poignant messages were inscribed upon and around them. Visiting the Pasaquan was like taking spiritual a journey through the mind of a man. This man, Saint Eddie O Martin, had assembled various concepts and images from different spiritual and religious origins. His assemblage was presented in the forms of various murals, castings, totems and mandalas.

If one has any religious or spiritual leanings, that extend beyond the barriers of their particular belief system, they would greatly appreciate what is contained within the bounds of the Pasaquan. Murals are images, which may or may not encompass various themes (i.e. countrysides, seashores, religio-spiritual concepts, etc) that are [typically] painted on a wall. Castings are realistic images various forms (human or animal) that are done in plaster, bronze, pewter or the like. Totems, are typically large, carved representations of deities or spirits that are stack one atop another. Mandalas are diagrams (painted, drawn, inscribed) that represent patterns of energy and often serve as a focal point for the spiritual venues of concentration, contemplation or meditation.

I experienced a sincere sense of reverence for the work work that was displayed within thee walls of the Pasaquan. Saint Eddie O. Martin and other artist undertook the task of depicting concepts and forms that would resonate with visitors and clients and would serve as a focal point for varying stages of concentration. From what I could tell, there were works that referenced Abrahamic faiths, Buddhism, Yoga, Toaism, indigenous religions, etc. I was only able to spend 4 – 5 hours at this site but I could have easily stayed there for the whole day.

What was really enjoyable about being at the site was that there was no ONE religion or spiritual system being promoted over any other one. Being at he site was like being exposed to the idea of how religion and spirituality could co-exist. I observed displays that represented various inspirational sources; all of them were carefully crafted. There was no spot on the grounds that did not contain or display some type of religio-spiritual reference. Walking along the grounds allowed me to reflect upon my spiritual leanings and to more concretely meld them into a cohesive whole.

Whatever one’s particular religio-spiritual leanings might be, it is always good to explore the bounds of the particular belief system. Jesus walked across the water during the tempest to the boat in which the disciples rode. Peter wanted to come to him. Jesus said to Peter, “Come”. However, Peter’s faith, focus, belief was not enough to sustain him on this unfamiliar surface so Jesus bore him up. When we are grounded in what we profess belief in, nothing should be able to alter that belief. Many who express belief in this or that system are loathe to explore other systems. Yet, when the core of a certain belief system is compared to the core of another system, there really is not enough difference between them to be concerned about. My trip to the Pasaquan established my belief that all religio-spiritual paths originate from “The ONE SOURCE”.