Local Wanders

Since 1998, the Spirit in Nature Interfaith Path Sanctuary has been a place where various faith groups walk, pray and promote environmental conservation. The trail is located off of Route 125 on Goshen Road in Ripton, Vt. It spans 80 acres of land and is the ideal environment for solitude and spiritual reflection.

The idea of the organization sprouted during the College’s 1990 symposium, entitled “Spirit and Nature,” led by the Professor Emeritus of Religion Dr. Steven Rockefeller. It highlighted the importance of nature in all faith groups, promoted interfaith environmentalism and the Dalai Lama spoke, as well. Spirit in Nature was founded by Paul Bortz, a retired Unitarian-Universalist minister, who strove to unite faith groups around a common cause: that of caring for the earth.

This idea of interconnectedness among faiths was incorporated into the trails’ design. Nine paths, each of which represent a particular faith group, are connected. These groups are Unitarian-Universalism, Christianity, Baha’i, the Society of Friends, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Pagan Sacred Earth. There is also an interfaith peace path, which skirts the perimeter of the trails. Along each trail, there are wooden signs posted on trees and each has a quotation.

Members of each represented faith group that live in the Middlebury area were given the chance to be directly involved in the planning of this project.

“We looked for people from different faith groups in the area and we asked them to walk [the trails] and find where they would like to have their path,” said Carol Spooner, the president of Spirit in Nature.

The Interfaith Peace Path is the longest trail, 1.5 miles. The trail is connected to a labyrinth, a peaceful site for prayer and reflection.

Most of the trails connect to the “sacred circle,” a circular patch of land with no trees. The area is reminiscent of the Neolithic stone circles, which are scattered around the British Isles and Ireland.

“In the sacred circle there are benches and a place to have a fire,” said Spooner. “Several events have taken place there.”

There are currently seven other Spirit in Nature sites in the United States including the Cuvilly Art and Earth Center in Ipswich, Mass. and the SpIN Path Meditation Path at Skidmore College in Saratoga, NY. The ninth site will open this spring in Westport, Mass.
In addition to creating a sanctuary, Spirit in Nature is also an active model for promoting environmentalism in Addison County. Every year, the organization presents the Eco-Spirit Award to a member of the community who it believes has actively promoted certain environmental goals on either a local or a global level. Past winners were College Professor Emeritus John Elder and Associate Professor of Religion Rebecca Gould.

As winter approaches, the Spirit in Nature sanctuary is one way to explore the Vermont landscape. The trails encourage snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, and are an excellent alternative to the Robert Frost Interpretative Trail, which has been closed since 2008. Donations are appreciated and the paths are open year round from dawn to dusk.
If you would like to get involved with the organization’s initiatives, please visit the Spirit in Nature table at the Midd Action Fair or subscribe to its biannual e-newsletter. Visit http://www.spiritinnature.com for additional information.