Recently, I found myself standing on the edge of a cliff wearing all white on the small island of Ibiza, Spain mesmerized by the view in front of me of Es Vedra, the impressive rock formation jutting out of the water. I found myself pulled to this spot and not understanding why. This rock is the reason I am here, the backdrop to a wedding I am photographing, and the reason the bride and groom chose this place full of magic and mystery. The truth is that this rock has a powerful magnetic field second only to the Bermuda Triangle. Hold a compass up anywhere near it and the needle with go crazy. No one knows why this is, but it is the reason Es Vedra is an energy center to which is attributed many myths and legends. Legend has it that it is the tip to the lost sunken city of Atlantis. The Ancient Feniciers are said to have gathered stones from Atlantis to build their fortification of Ibiza city, or perhaps according to one local legend the stones were used as material for the Pyramids in Egypt. Atlantis has attracted artists and mystics throughout the years due to its magnetic pull.
On an energetic level, Es Vedra plays an important role in creating the high vibration that exists on Ibiza. The natural beauty of the island with its stunning small beaches and magnificent sunsets combined with this high vibration attracts millions of tourists, partiers, hundreds of artists, writers, and masters in dance, yoga, shamanism, and all manner of healing a consciousness studies. Whether you realize it or not, when you arrive in Ibiza you are usually there for some sort of energy release and the island can be a place of inspiration, blissful activity and stunning synchronicity.
At the wedding there was a local tarot card reader who started explaining to me that Es Vedra is one of the many energy vortexes on the planet. I know, to some this may sound hokey, but there is a lot of scientific proof to these vortexes of magnetic energy across our planet. Usually they are found near volcanoes, monolithic rock formations, and the poles, places where the Earth’s ley lines or magnetic lines are found to criss cross or gather their energy. But what I found to be odd was as I researched where these other locations were, I found that I have been to many of them without ever realizing it.
All of these places have been revered for thousands of years and ancient civilizations often built their megalithic sacred monuments in areas they considered “Earth’s Highest Energy Vortexes” or “Earth Chakras”. Structures like Stonehenge, the Pyramids of Egypt and Mayan, Aztec, and Incan monuments along with many temples, churches and pilgrimage sites are found in all of these powerful energetic spots. The idea of the “vortex” actually appears in all ancient civilizations. In fact, vortex literally means swirling spiral energy.
I was first introduced to this idea of a vortex while in Peru trying to find the infamous Nasca lines that were drawn in the desert. I met a shaman who sat with me for a while. I went to shake his hand and he told me that we westerners had lost the ability to connect with other people. He had a point, as I realized my obsessive need to be trying to document this moment with my cell phone that was still clutched in my other hand as I held his. I put my phone down, and he took my other hand. My left hand in his left hand and my right hand in his right hand, so that our arms formed a figure 8 or an infinity symbol. He told me that this was how ancient Quechua people used to greet each other, creating an infinite circuit of energy between the two people; truly being connected unlike a traditional handshake. He showed me how our hands created spirals like yin and yang, again blending our energy. How did these two ancient cultures that never knew each believe in the same thing?
Later, when I went to Machu Picchu I was drawn to this spiral necklace that was made out of a rare green stone called Serpentine that can only be found there. On the back of the necklace were seven stones that correspond with the seven chakras. I was told this symbol meant Pachamama, or mother earth and I bought it. This symbol of the spiral keeps on recurring in my life and travels and I always seem to be drawn to it at the end of a quest. I found this symbol in the Buddhist teachings of yin and yang while travelling in Asia, I found it in the ancient aqueducts in the Nasca desert, I found it again in crop circles in the UK, in the swirls of the Northern Lights in the Arctic circle, in cave drawings by native Americans found on ruins in North America. I also found it in the giant Ammonite fossil that I found in Montana and now sits in my living room and you can see it in the energy of swirling galaxies like our own milky way. I didn't realize that this same symbol connects us all in the energy of our planet in the form of a vortex.
All ancient cultures of the world understood this and no matter what they called it, it was just the spiral of energy that is not only within all of us, but the world around us. We are all beings that are powered by impulses and electrical charges made mostly of water and it only makes sense that swirls of magnetic energy, like the island of Es Vedra or volcanoes, or the Northern Lights will affect our very beings and literally draw us to them. Its not magic or witchery, its actually science and whether you believe in it or not, there are unseen forces that surround us everywhere on this planet. In a world where we can be so disconnected by technology, its a nice thought to think that there are places that exist, vortexes, that can give us renewed energy, disrupt our magnetic energy, and let us tap into the power grid of our planet.
Just like the human body that has chakras or areas of swirled energy, so does our planet. So I decided to research which places on Earth are considered the most powerful and each continent and the poles have them.
Earth’s Chakras
There are many ways to wake up. And there are many things to wake up to. There are millions are points in our minds and bodies that can awaken. Science is revealing more about them on a biochemical level.
On a spiritual level, however, there is ancient wisdom, with deep tradition, that considers 7 central points or portals of awakening -- chakras. Many believe that these chakras mirror those of Earth. There are 7 physical places in our bodies and on our planet that are believed to be higher energy centers and that they are interconnected by a “rainbow serpent” of energy. They are places of exceptional beauty, where one cannot help but be moved.
Whether it is only geology and weather, whether or not you subscribe to the spiritual construct of chakras, you will likely appreciate the beautiful views we are offering today. And whether or not you’ve ever been to any of them, they are places well worthy of a visit now.
1. ROOT CHAKRA: MOUNT SHASTA, CALIFORNIA
Mt. Shasta is located at the southern end of the Cascade Range, which runs like a dragon from northern California, through Oregon, and through Washington to the Canadian border. There are many powerful mountains in this range, with Mt. Shasta and Mount Rainier – overlooking Seattle – the best known.
Shasta is the most primal of the earth chakras. It is at the “base” of the world energy system. Here, the raw precursors of biological life are released into global circulation and development. Mt. Shasta regulates the universal life force prior to its integration into individual life forms and species. The energy of Shasta, as the first chakra, is like a geyser – a great uprush of life energy, or prana, without shape or structure.
There's a lot of legend and mysticism surrounding Mount Shasta. The first inhabitants recorded date back as far as 7,000 years ago but it is thought to be inhabited long before that. Many believe this area to be part of old Lemuria, which is an ancient civilization older than Atlantis that was filled with superior human-like people that still live within the mountain in a series of elaborate caves. When Lemuria was on the verge of collapse, it is said that the elders petitioned inner Earth civilizations to help create a city underground for the inhabitants and Mt Shasta is one of the entrances.
According to legend, JC Brown was British prospector who discovered a lost underground city beneath Mt. Shasta in 1904. Brown had been hired by The Lord Cowdray Mining Company of England to prospect for gold, and discovered a cave which sloped downward for 11 miles. In the cave, he found an underground village filled with gold, shields, and mummies, some being up to 10 feet tall.
Thirty years later, he told his story to John C. Root who proceeded to gather an exploration team in. 80 people joined the team, but on the day the team was to set out, Brown did not show up. Brown was not heard from again.
2. SACRAL CHAKRA: LAKE TITICACA, BOLIVIA & PERU
The 2nd Chakra on this planet is located at Lake Titicaca. To be more specific it's centre is located on the Island of the Sun where the Titicaca Stone is found. The lake itself is located in the high plateau of Collao in the Southern highlands of Peru, in the border with Bolivia.
These territories were inhabited by cultures before the Incas, especially by the Tiahuanaco (100 - 700 AD), later, when this kingdom was destroyed, its people went to the North and then, its descendents founded the Inca kingdom. Finally, the Incas conquered these territories and considered the lake as a sacred place.
In the 1970’s with Jacques Cousteau and then again in 2000, an international archaeological expedition discovered an ancient temple submerged in the depths of Lake Titicaca dating back before human history as we know it began. The huge structure is nearly twice the size of a soccer field (660 feet long), and was found by following a submerged road that begins near Copacabana. The temple is estimated to be between 1,000 and 1,500 years old. The Bolivian government has pledged to provide funds for further study of the ruins, and the eventual plan is to bring the temple to the surface. However, locals are fearful about the effects that such disrespect of the sacred lake might bring.
3. SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA: ULURU & KATA TJUTA, AUSTRALIA
Two massive rock structures in central Australia, Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (The Olgas), in Australia’s Northern Territory, are the centers of the Earth’s solar plexus chakra.
They are said to represent the emotional solar plexus, considered the “umbilical cord” supplying energy to all living things.
Uluru, formerly known as Ayers Rock, is the more famous of the two. This large red monolith is, along with the Sydney Opera House, an icon of the smallest continent. Katatjuta, also called The Olgas, is equally impressive. Rather than one monolith, this site consists of a large number of massive red stones.The global function of this chakra is to maintain the vitality of the Earth, and all living species.
In the ancient creation legends of the Aborigines, “Dreamtime”, there is a story about a great ritual which has yet to be completed at Uluru. This ritual was meant to complete the great plan of the earth spirit. When the ritual is complete, then perfection will spread throughout the world, and death will disappear from all species. This event is symbolized by a great pole, or cosmic umbilical cord, which is destined to unite the Sun with the Earth – heaven with earth. It is predicted that this cord begins to function in 2020 AD, at the time of the rare Saturn-Pluto conjunction.
4. HEART CHAKRA: GLASTONBURY & SHAFTESBURY, ENGLAND
Glastonbury, Somerset and Shaftesbury, Dorset define the centre of the world’s heart chakra. In order for the force of greater life to be directed to maximum effect, the Grail of Immortality must be permeated by the Wand of the True Will. Glastonbury is the home of the Holy Grail; and Shaftesbury is the high place of the Sacred Spear of Purpose. When the earth energies of Glastonbury unite with those of Shaftesbury, then the Rainbow Serpent ley artery is able to deliver the immortalizing frequencies of the Holy Grail to all beings worldwide.
It was said during Medieval times that if the Abbot of Glastonbury married the Abbess of Shaftesbury, then their children would be wealthier than the King of England. This is an alchemical riddle. If you unite the archetypes of the two areas, then love is united with will in a way that is revolutionary. For those who study the Cabala, this alchemical formula unites Binah (Grail) with Chokmah (Wand). The Grail, directed by the Will of the Earth spirit, has the power to dissolve all boundaries between nations. If the heart of the Earth expands to its full circle, then – throughout the world – pain, suffering, and physical death among all species will fade from experience and memory.
The most famous legend of Glastonbury tells the story of Joseph of Arimathea and the Holy Grail. After the Resurrection of Jesus, Joseph shifted the archetype of Everlasting Life – the Grail – from Jerusalem to Glastonbury.
5. THROAT CHAKRA: GREAT PYRAMID OF GIZA & MT. SINAI, EGYPT, MT. OF OLIVES, JERUSALEM, ISRAEL
The 5th chakra is the throat chakra and is popularly believed to be the Great Pyramid of Giza and Mount Sinai in Egypt. They are said to be the Voice of our planet, the throat chakra, governing our communication of thoughts and feelings. It is how we express our inner creativity. The nearby Middle East is also often sited as the chakra location, usually the Mount of Olives or Mount Sinai.
The Great Pyramid of Giza, also called the Pyramid of Khufu and the Pyramid of Cheops, is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza Necropolis. Originally, the Great Pyramid was covered by casing stones that formed a smooth outer surface; what is seen today is the underlying core structure. Some of the casing stones that once covered the structure can still be seen around the base. At its heart are two rooms known as the King's Chamber and the Queen's Chamber.
The Great Pyramid is thirty times larger than the Empire State Building, the Pyramid's features are so large they can be seen from the Moon. Its base covers 13.6 acres, each side being greater than five acres in area. A highway lane eight feet wide and four inches thick could be built from San Francisco to New York and put inside the Great Pyramid. The oldest structure in existence, having been started over 4,600 years ago, it is the sole remnant of the Seven Wonders of the World.
6. THIRD EYE CHAKRA: THE AEON ACTIVATION CENTER
The third eye chakra moves westwards 1/12 of the way around the planet at the dawn of every new age. Sources locate the chakra in two different places, one shows it stacked with the heart chakra at Glastonbury and Shaftesbury in England, where you will find crop circles. Another shows it at Kuh-e Malek Siah, at the triple border of Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. One, of course, is easier to visit than the other right now.
The 6th Chakra is located on the human body between the eyes. This is why it's also called the "Third Eye Chakra". The 6th chakra's energy resonates with clear thinking and clear vision. Nurturing this center allows us to integrate our intelligence with our intuition and end our fear of knowing the truth. This energy center is also connected to your focus, to your will, personal power, and ambition.
7. CROWN CHAKRA: KAILASH, TIBET
The crown chakra is believed to enable our connection to our Higher Power -- a gateway to the Divine. Located high in the mountains of Tibet, Mount Kailash is at the “crown” of Earth -- in a perfect position to communicate with the entire Universe and all its inhabitants. Kailash is the most sacred mountain in the Himalayas, and is Located in Tibet rising to to 22,028 feet in one of the highest and most rugged parts of the Himalayas.
There are two lakes are situated at the base of the mountain. The higher lake, Manasarovar, is round like the sun, and a lower lake, Rakshastal is the shape of the crescent moon. It is forbidden to even climb the mountain and there are no known reports of it ever happening despite the efforts of many. The indigenous people believe it to be so sacred that an attempt to climb the mountain would be considered a slight to the immortals and would inevitably result in death.
Mt Kailash is the center for the annual Scorpio full moon event, in April or May. For the Earth, and for all immortals, this moon marks the new year, in terms of global evolution. It's is important to for a spiritual visitor to this mountain to give attention to this annual full moon. There is a 90 minute period leading up to the exact culmination time of the Scorpio full moon. It is at this time that a person can find clarity in their life. The design and details of one's own work can be clarified through this event.
8. POLAR VORTEXES IN THE NORTH AND SOUTH POLES
The Saami people, the native reindeer herders who live in Lapland (which is the name for the area north of the Arctic Circle in Northern Finland, Sweden, and Norway) traditionally believed that the lights were the energies of the souls of the departed. Even to the native Saami people who have grown up for centuries seeing these “magical” lights, known as the Northern lights or the Aurora Borealis, they have remained a mysterious enigma or elusive phantom.
Imagine the Earth as a giant, spherical, spinning magnet. Our core is one giant electromagnet that creates the polarity of the North and South poles. We literally have a protective force field around our planet with magnetic field lines that lead to the poles. It’s like those magnetic lines are the strings of an instrument and when plucked, the vibrations travel and collect at the poles.
Then we have our sun, which is a giant sphere of burning gas and energy that has huge explosions all of the time, ejecting super charged radioactive particles called solar flares shooting out towards our Earth. This event is called a solar storm and our electromagnetic force field protects us from these storms all of the time, but sometimes they can knock out power and interfere with GPS and radio communications. This sounds negative, but this “interference” is what we are searching for.
The Northern Lights are just the solar particles hitting our magnetic field and causing a disturbance. These electrons and protons flow along the Earth's magnetic field lines, the “strings” I mentioned earlier, and collect in energy vortexes at the poles. This is why you have to travel north of the Arctic circle or to Antarctica to be able to have a better chance of seeing them.
What I learned while standing in front of Es Vedra at sunrise, was that its power was real. It drew me in and made me pensive and connect and wonder again about the hidden mysteries of our planet. It made me realize that a force greater than myself may be pulling at me to discover the world and find these areas of energy. Maybe it isn’t just chance that has me traveling to these mystical places. Perhaps my wanderlust is really a greater desire to connect with this planet and to other people and the past.
While in Spain someone asked me to list all of the best moments of my life and I had never stopped to think about that question before. But as I started naming them I realized every single one of them was tied to an indescribable surreal experience that had to do with a connection to nature or the Earth; laying in the snow under the swirling Northern Lights, being surrounded by thousands of storks at sunset on the Amazon river, hiking and sitting at the top of Machu Picchu and being speechless, witnessing a water spout form out the ocean from my dive boat in Aruba, standing on the edge of an active volcano in Guatemala, scuba diving and touching animals and sharks in the deep unknown, flying in a stunt plane over the desert, falling in love, the list is endless and keeps on growing as I live.
The common denominator in all of this is new experiences and creating connections to our earth and experiencing it's power. I never realized that before now; that there was a greater purpose to my wanderlust and quest to see this entire planet in person and through my lens. That I want to feel connected to it all. Ancient civilizations understood this so much better than we do today. What we need more than ever now in our world is to connect with each other. Take moments to travel, pause, reflect, and write. Listen more than talk, dance freely, get off your phone, go out into nature, love without fear, take the time to talk to people around you, and tap back into the beautiful power of the universal energy around us.
To follow along on Laura Grier’s Adventures around the world, follow her on Instagram @LauraGrierTravel