Statement from the Wyoming Interfaith Network

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THE SPIRITUAL VALUE OF TIMELESS SPACE​

WHERE THE WORK OF CREATION IS AT OUR "FINGERTIPS"​

THE RED DESERT​

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The Wyoming Interfaith Network is privileged to join with Native elders of numerous tribes who believe that protection of the Red Desert is honoring their spiritual heritage. As spiritual people, we agree that space is sacred when we see that the structure of an atom is the same as the solar system, when we feel the energy of the cosmos in the invisible power of the wind, and when we hear the Voice of the Holy One in the silence of the stars.

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We consider the Red Desert to be a sacred place for all, like the Grand Canyon, which needs to tell the story of created forces still at work in our world, but it is at risk to human impositions.

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We treasure the significant intangible values gained by spending time in this sacred place found right in our own backyard.

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1. The great beauty of the spaces opens our sensitivity to the majesty and unity of creation. The vastness of the sand dunes, the reach of canyon walls, the fragile interplay of species awakens us to the beauty of Life itself as it thrives in the Red Desert.

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2. An accumulation of history preserves the importance of place to the human story. The strata in the mountains gives witness to 50 million years of time. Migration routes speak of journeys of life before humans found the way. The desert itself was formed from a valley that was "born" in the up-lift of mountains before we even measured time.

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3. A personal experience is sacred because it causes an individual to gain a deeper sense of connection to all that is. The Red Desert is vast yet fragile, inhabited yet empty, silent yet full of sound. This is a place that we trust and need to offer serenity to the living soul.

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* This statement was prepared by Wyoming Interfaith Network's On Sacred Ground Team. Formed in 2007 by a conjoining of theologians from diverse religions and scientists with differing expertise, the On Sacred Ground Team focuses on doing what it can, right where we live, to conserve the land and honor the web of life.​​​​