genus loci | Into the Mythica

The elemental intelligence, also known as the spirit of a place, the localized deva which defines the vibrational tone of a location on our quest. The genus loci of places is directly tied to our sacred quest as it holds certain elemental energies which move us forward on the path, communicating these patterns of information through the arts of divination along the way.

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Each place has a unique quality and energy and it will always be surrounded by local legends and folklore.

Depending on our cultural background, on our own experience and whether we operate from our emotional, physical or mental body we have different ways of noticing the Sense of Space, Spirit of Place and / or Genus Loci.

– Many regard the genus loci as the atmosphere in a specific area. Sometimes we feel comfortable, welcome and accepted and sometimes we get a definite feeling of not being wanted, and may even get a subliminal ‘go away’.

– Or there is sense of something more tangible than just a feeling. We look round and see the rocks, trees, plants, birds and animals who live in the area and understand from their behaviour, how they grow, twist and twine, fly by day or by night, something of the ‘personality’ of the place. It may be lush, verdant, full of energy and activity or it may be a desert where life is hidden in crevices and the land seems empty.

– Then we have the actual presence of a specific being that guards or protects the place. It may be an angel, a deva, a mythological being weaved within stories and legends, or an ancestor that has become more than human. Some with clairvoyance may actually ‘see’ a gnome at the entrance gate or a large numinous white presence watching over the land.

Thus, as humans, we watch and listen, restrict the babbling mind’s thoughts, are ready for whatever magic a place is willing to share. Most of us acknowledge that different places have different effects and there is often a need to respond to whatever it is we are ‘picking up’ on.