4 Corners Creates Axis Mundi.

Brian McDonald

Recently I was reading chapter three in our text, Landscapes of the Sacred. The specific section that I was very intrigued with was the section regarding the sacred area of multiple American Indian tribes more commonly referred to as the intersection of the four sacred mountains. This area located in the four corners of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona contains the most sacred place to the Navajo Indian tribe among others. Located at the center, or the axis mundi, of the four mountains is the mythical mountain of Huerfano which is understood as the center of the earth and is said to be seen only by the eyes of the spirit. Navajo hero’s sometimes have the difficult task of ascending all of the four sacred mountains that outline the perimeter of the Navajo world. Once atop one of the sacred mountains, the Navajo hero will collect soil samples for a mountain soil bundle that the tribe uses. The tribe considers this soil to have great power, and will apply the soil to multiple body parts during prayer to heal the body of its ailments. Perhaps the most interesting part of the passage though is discussing how the Navajo hero sees beyond the obvious physical landscape of the area, and recognizes the transcendence that exists within, above, and underneath the physical layout. The passage goes on to tell how ancient civilizations of Egypt and Babylon built on the Nile, Tigris, and Euphrates we all seen to be modeled after sacred cities on cosmic rivers, hidden to the naked eye. And that similarly when a Navajo shaman looks out onto the landscape he sees two worlds.

This passage really blew me away. To start the sacred landscape that has four mountains that lie on an axis that intersect at a fifth sacred mountain is really a sign that this is no coincidence. This sacred landscape, as the passage would suggest, was set up during the very beginning of creation as a sacred landscape. Also the use of the sacred soil to heal is quite interesting. While the mystical powers of this specific soil could be doubted, the fact that it is actually successful is fact. Perhaps an answer to those who doubt can be found in faith. It might be true that the soil itself has no such power, but through the use of ritual and faith it has healing power. After all the mind is the most powerful item the body has, and if the mind believes the soil has healing power than it can heal. The artifact of faith perhaps could be the most powerful healing power there is. Even if the soil holds no power, though faith and belief, the soil has as much healing power as modern medicine.

(Landscapes of the Sacred)