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Writer's pictureKristine Anne Harpenau

Stacking Stones

A hörgr (stone altar) was the last thing I expected to find at the end of a 3 hour hike in the Sierra Madres behind my home. I was hot, sweaty, and a bit worn out from the climb. When we stopped to rest and enjoy the vista of Lake Chapala, that’s when I saw the stack of stones sitting atop a much larger rock like an altar. It was like God was inviting me to notice the holy ground on which they were standing.



I don’t know who set the first stone there. Or who balanced the second or the third or the fourth stone, or why. I felt compelled to balance a small stone on top myself.

Like many who followed the trail before me I had finished a hike that was difficult at times. I had been protected from harm while hiking through God’s magnificent creation, in the company of my best friend. That’s why people build altars, to give thanks and to celebrate. To stand in awe of God and remember what God has done.


What markers of God’s presence are you leaving behind on the trail for those who come after you? Is it love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and compassion?



Now my hiking companion and I create little altars at the top of our hike. We stop for a rest break and stack up several stones. Or we sit by the lake and balance stones.

Rock stacking has carried spiritual meaning across cultures for centuries. The act of balancing stones requires full attention to find the perfect connection of the stone’s centre of gravity to it’s foundation. Each rock can signify an intention, or offered up as a prayer. The process is meditative; it heightens mindfulness. Even the simple act of choosing the stones heightens awareness.


You can infuse each stone with a prayer or intention, and when accidents or mother nature tumbles the stones, the prayer has done its work and is released.





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