Happy Australia Day, Aussies! Yes, it’s that time of year where our friends in the Southern Hemisphere their National Day, and the rest of the world… well, didn’t even know that they’re celebrating (no offence ‘Straya!).
But in spite of many the fun, odd and downright bizarre connotations that we conjure up when thinking about the Land Downunder, there is actually much more to this mysterious land than meets the eye. Australia is actually one of the most spiritual places on the planet, for a number of reasons.
Here are 5 things we bet you didn’t know about Australia’s spiritual side…
1. The World’s Oldest Culture
Australia’s Aboriginal culture is the world’s oldest civilization that still exists today. At the very core of this culture lies spirituality.
Aboriginal spirituality believes there is a strong connection between all living objects; its people, the earth, animals, flora and fauna – everything! They believe each of these things share the same soul, or spirit. It is this sense of connectedness, or one-ness, that still runs through the Aboriginal culture.
The knowledge and teaching of this Indigenous culture have been passed down generations through a series of stories, called Dreamtime. Not only do these stories keep Aboriginal people connected to their spirituality, they also keep them connected to their ancestry.
In modern Aboriginal culture, the same importance is placed on one-ness and community as 50,000 years ago. Many places in Australia have huge significance to the Aboriginal people and as such, are sacred sites; Uluru (or you may know it as Ayers Rock) is among the most famous. These sites have eerily beautiful energy to them, almost inviting you to soak in the history, culture and story of the place as you stand there.
2. Australian Bush flower Essences
These days, essential oils are part and parcel of daily life. Most of us are familiar with what they are and why we’d use them. But something not so well-known is Australia’s version…
Drawing from the sacred practices of Aboriginal culture, flowers from the most sacred parts of the country are collected to create these tinctures that can only be developed in Australia. Many of the flowers found in this part of the world cannot be found anywhere else and it’s this uniqueness that paves the way for these ultra-rare bush remedies.
Check out the Australian Bush Flower Essence Website here.
3. Ley Lines
There are a great deal of ley lines running through Australia including an extremely import line which links Australia to Bali. Bali is known as one of the most spiritual parts of the year so it’s not hard to imagine why this line is of huge spiritual significance to Australia.
In Australia, ley lines are interwoven into Aboriginal culture. In fact, they are called Songlines, and they trace the landscape, showing how culture has shaped and developed it. They explain the laws by which people have lived. They have acted as routes and highways, helping communities navigate the country. And while they are second nature to the Indigenous peoples who use them, their significance remains extremely difficult to be explained by outsiders (like us!).
4. Australian Animal Wisdom
Many Australian animals are completely unique to Australia; kangaroos, emus, koalas, Tasmanian devils to name a few. And it’s perhaps no surprise that these animals resonate with the timeless wisdom of the land and ancient culture of the people.
In the book, ‘Wisdom of Australian Aminals’ Ann Williams-Fitzgerald goes into detail about how each one of these animals embodies certain strengths and challenges which she says are reflected into Australians. As unique animal spirit guides, Australia’s animals have something a little different to teach about our very existence.
5. Clean air and wild outback
Australia’s wide-open spaces and rugged outback leaves a lot of room to experience solitude and embrace a slower, more spiritually connected way of life. In fact, in many outback locations, there’s no phone service, so getting comfortable with your own company is a necessity. But there’s something about the Australian Outback that gives an outdoor adventure a whole new meaning… it’s likely because there’s no ignoring its rich history and significance.
The elements all seem to combine spiritual unity too…
- Air: Tasmania has the world’s cleanest air
- Fire: Annual bushfires can destroy but they also regenerate the bush
- Water: Ocean, rivers, creeks, water holes, billabongs, lakes – Australia lives immersed in water
- Earth: Sand, red dirt, lush rainforest – standing barefoot in a multitude of different eco systems connects you to the earth on an unparalleled level.
