Mt. Shasta

Desecration of Panther Spring, Our Genesis Place

The spring in Mt. Shasta’s Panther Meadows is where we first bubbled into the world at the time of creation. But now it’s threatened by spiritual tourism and over development that is using too much groundwater.

This short film from 2007 shows what happens when a sacred place isn’t treated with respect: Our sacred spring ran dry for the first time in our history.

We come from Mount Shasta, and our sacred spring that runnels through Panther Meadows is our genesis place. It is truly a sacred place, and unfortunately many outsiders, who don’t understand how to behave there, are drawn to it.

Many people who visit the meadows, sometimes in large groups, not only inflict harm to its extremely delicate ecosystem, but also desecrate our spring by depositing crystals, gemstones and even ashes into its headwaters.

Some might do this innocently, in a misguided attempt at reverence or to provide some peace for their deceased relatives, and we hope we can help educate those people.

As the indigenous people from the mountain and the caretakers of the meadows, we are the people who know how to behave there and how to interact with the spring. Depositing materials and ashes in the spring only causes damage, and the spring can’t’ take it.

We would prefer if traffic to the meadow and the mountain was drastically reduced, but if you feel you must visit these place, here are the following guidelines to show proper the respect and reverence:

Do not deposit anything in the spring whether it be crystals, ashes or anything else. We cannot heal sacred lands; sacred lands heal us.

Do not built anything in the meadows or leave anything behind. It’s perfect as the Creator made it. You can’t improve it.

Do not visit the meadows in large groups, especially those led by New Age gurus who likely will charge you expensive fees for the tour. We find the use of sacred places for commercial gain to be reprehensible and unacceptable.

Do not bring other indigenous-inspired religious items such as medicine wheels or crystals to the spring. Those items may be meant to be used in other places that are homes to other indigenous peoples. But they do not belong on Mt. Shasta.

If visiting the meadow, be sure to stay on the stepping stones. The trampling of the grass can damage the small tunnels dug by voles and other creatures that allows the spring to bubble throughout the meadow.

If you see representatives of our tribe, usually Mark and Luisa, heed their instructions.

If the meadow is sacred to you, do not hesitate to pass along these instructions to others. Our hands are full, and we need assistance spreading the message.

Mt. Shasta is effectively our church. We would not go into a stranger’s cathedral, light the sacred fire and start a ceremony. We ask that you provide us the same respect.

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