I saw a comment about ‘the thin place’ recently. It was a bit sarcastic and questioned what was a thin place. This has prompted me to explain more about this expression. First, let me say that the thin place has absolutely nothing to do with a persons physical weight.
A thin place is a spiritual expression that dates back centuries and seems to originate from experiences at Iona Scotland. A 6th century Irish monk, St Columba established a monastery at Iona Scotland and had remarked on how it felt like the space between Heaven and Earth was thin there. Many have felt this while visiting this area of Scotland.
That is what “a thin place” means, a place where the space between the physical and spiritual worlds thins and access between the two is easier. It is in these ‘thin places”that many have reported spiritual experiences.
Iona Scotland is one of these special places, but the world has so many more, Easter Island, Stonehenge, Manchu Pichu, the pyramids, many churches and temples around the world, and some geographical areas as well.
What does this have to do with me and why would I use this expression in one of my classes?
Many of us are searching for meaning in our lives, or maybe meaning of our lives. These places call to us as a possibility of somewhere that we might find some of those answers.
What I propose is that, even though these places can provide that type of environment, I believe that we can create thin places where ever we are and meditation, can be one of the avenues to achieving a personal thin place.