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SEVENTH EDITION
Experiencing the World’s Religions TRADITION, CHALLENGE, AND CHANGE
Michael Molloy
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EXPERIENCING THE WORLD’S RELIGIONS: TRADITION, CHALLENGE, AND CHANGE, SEVENTH EDITION Published by McGraw-Hill Education, 2 Penn Plaza, New York, NY 10121. Copyright © 2018 by McGraw-
Hill Education. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. Previous editions © 2013, 2010, and 2008. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education, including, but not limited to, in any network or other electronic storage or transmission, or broadcast for distance learning. Some ancillaries, including electronic and print components, may not be available to customers outside the United States. This book is printed on acid-free paper. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 LCR 21 20 19 18 17
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
ISBN 978-0-07811921-7 MHID 0-07-8119219
Brand Manager: Jamie Laferrera Product Developer: Erika Lo Marketing Manager: Nancy Baudean Content Project Manager: Ryan Warczynski Lead Content Project Manager: Jodi Banowetz Senior Buyer: Susan K. Culbertson Content Licensing Specialist: Lori Slattery Cover Image: © Doug Sherman/Geofile Compositor: Aptara , Inc.®
Names: Molloy, Michael, 1942-author. Title: Experiencing the world’s religions : tradition, challenge, and change     / Michael Molloy. Description: SEVENTH EDITION. | Dubuque, IA : McGraw-Hill Education, 2018. Identifiers: LCCN 2017024745| ISBN 9780078119217 (alk. paper) | ISBN 0078119219 (alk. paper) Subjects: LCSH: Religions—Textbooks. Classification: LCC BL80.3 .M65 2018 | DDC 200—dc23 LC record available at     https://lccn.loc.gov/2017024745
mheducation.com/highered
The Internet addresses listed in the text were accurate at the time of publication. The inclusion of a website does not indicate an endorsement by the authors or McGraw-Hill Education, and McGraw- Hill Education does not guarantee the accuracy of the information presented at these sites.
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For John and Kathy Dracup and their family, with admiration
and thanks.
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Contents
1 Understanding Religion  3 Preface  xvi
FIRST ENCOUNTER  3 What Is Religion?  4
Key Characteristics of Religion  5
2 Indigenous Religions  33
The Sacred  7 Religious Symbolism  8 Speculations on the Sources of Religions  10
Patterns among Religions  14
First Pattern: Views of the World and Life  14 Second Pattern: Focus of Beliefs and Practices  16 Third Pattern: Views of Male and Female  17
Multidisciplinary Approaches to the Study of Religion  20
The Study of Religion  22 Recent Theories  23
Key Critical Issues  24 Why Study the Major Religions of the World?  26 The Journey  28 Reading: Discovering Mystery  29
FIRST ENCOUNTER  33 Discovering Indigenous Religions  35
Past Obstacles to the Appreciation of Indigenous Religions  36 The Modern Recovery of Indigenous Religions  36
Studying Indigenous Religions: Learning from Patterns  38
Human Relationships with the Natural World  39 Sacred Time and Sacred Space  42
Page viiiRespect for Origins, Gods, and Ancestors  42 Sacred Practices in Indigenous Religions  47
Life-Cycle Ceremonies  47 Taboo and Sacrifice  51 Shamanism, Trance, and Spiritual Powers  55 Artifacts and Artistic Expression in Indigenous Religions  59
3 Hinduism  73
Personal Experience: Meeting Maori People  61 Indigenous Religions Today  63 Reading: The Importance of Dreams  67
FIRST ENCOUNTER  73 The Origins of Hinduism  75
The Earliest Stage of Indian Religion  76 The Religion of the Vedic Period  78 The Vedas  79
The Upanishads and the Axis Age  80
4 Buddhism  119
The Origin of the Upanishads  80 Important Concepts of the Upanishads  81
Living Spiritually in the Everyday World  85
The Bhagavad Gita  85 The Caste System  87 The Stages of Life  88 The Goals of Life  89 The Yogas  89
Devotional Hinduism  92
The Trimurti: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva  94 Worship of the Divine Feminine: Devi  97 The Guru as Object of Devotion  99 Devotion to Animals  101 Other Forms of Religious Devotion  102
A Visit to the Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine Temple  103 Hinduism and the Arts  104 Hinduism: Modern Challenges  105
Mohandas Gandhi  107 Contemporary Issues  109 Hindu Influence beyond India  112
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Reading: Ramakrishna and the Experience of God  114
FIRST ENCOUNTER  119 The Beginnings of Buddhism: The Life of the Buddha  120 The Basic Teachings of Buddhism  125
The Three Marks of Reality  126 The Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path  128
The Influence of Indian Thought on Early Buddhist Teachings  130
Ahimsa: “Do No Harm† 131 The Soul and Karma  131 Nirvana  132
The Early Development of Buddhism  132 Theravada Buddhism: The Way of the Elders  135
Theravada Teachings and Literature  139 Theravada Art and Architecture  139
Mahayana Buddhism: The “Big Vehicle† 141
New Ideals: Compassion and the Bodhisattva  141 Mahayana Thought and Worldview  142 Mahayana Literature  145
5 Jainism and Sikhism  175
The Spread of Mahayana in East Asia  146 Some Major Schools of Mahayana  149
Vajrayana Buddhism: The “Diamond Vehicle† 157
Origins, Practice, and Literature of Tibetan Buddhism  157 Ritual and the Arts  160
Personal Experience: New Year’s Day at Wat Saket  162 Buddhism and the Modern World  165 Reading: Approaching the End  170
FIRST ENCOUNTER  175 Shared Origins  176 Jainism  177 Background  177 Mahavira and the Origins of Jainism  178 Worldview  180
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Jain Ethics  181 The Development of Jainism and Its Branches  183
Digambaras  184 Shvetambaras  184
6 Daoism and Confucianism  199
Sthanakavasis  184 Terapanthis  185
Jain Practices  185 Jain Scriptures  186 Jain Art and Architecture  186 Sikhism  187 Background  187 Nanak and the Origins of Sikhism  188 The Worldview and Teachings of Nanak  188 The Development of Sikhism  189 Sikh Scriptures  191 Sikhism and the Modern World  192 Personal Experience: A Visit to the Golden Temple  193 Reading: The Eternal Law  195
FIRST ENCOUNTER  199 Basic Elements of Traditional Chinese Beliefs  200
Daoism  203 The Origins of Daoism  203
Laozi (Lao Tzu)  204 The Daodejing  204 Zhuangzi (Chuang Tzu)  208
Basic Early Teachings  208 Daoism and the Quest for Longevity  210 The Development of Daoism  210 Daoism and the Arts  213 Daoism and the Modern World  217
7 Shinto  245
Confucianism  218 The Dao in Confucianism  218
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The Life of Confucius  219 Living According to Confucian Values  220
The Five Great Relationships  222 The Confucian Virtues  224
Confucian Literature  227 The Development of Confucianism  229
Schools of Philosophy  229 The Development of Confucianism as a Religious System  231
Confucianism and the Arts  233 Personal Experience: Qing Ming, a Ceremony in Spring  235 Confucianism and the Modern World  237 Reading: On Cloud-like Wandering  240
8 Judaism  271
FIRST ENCOUNTER  245 The Origins of Shinto  246 The Historical Development of Shinto  249
Accommodation with Buddhism and Confucianism  249 Shinto and Japanese National Identity  251
Essentials of Shinto Belief  252 Shinto Religious Practice  254
Worship at Shrines  254 Celebration of the New Year  256 Observances of the Seasons and Nature  257 Other Practices  258
Personal Experience: An Unexpected Shrine  259 Shinto and the Arts  260
Architecture  260 Music and Dance  261
Shinto Offshoots: The New Religions  262 Shinto and the Modern World  265 Reading: Loving the Whole Earth  266
FIRST ENCOUNTER  271 An Overview of Jewish History  272
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The Hebrew Bible  275 Biblical History  277
In the Beginning: Stories of Origins  277 The World of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs  279 Moses and the Law  282 The Judges and Kings  286 Exile and Captivity  289 Return to Jerusalem and the Second Temple  289
Cultural Conflict during the Second Temple Era  290
The Seleucid Period  290 Responses to Outside Influences  291
9 Christianity  319
The Development of Rabbinical Judaism  292
The Canon of Scripture and the Talmud  293 Islam and Medieval Judaism  294 The Kabbalah  294 Christianity and Medieval Judaism  295
Questioning and Reform  296 Judaism and the Modern World  297
Hitler and the Holocaust  298 Creation of the State of Israel  299
Personal Experience: A Visit to Masada  300 Jewish Belief  301 Religious Practice  301
The Jewish Sabbath  302 Holy Days  303 Jewish Dietary Practices  305 Other Religious Practices  305
Divisions within Contemporary Judaism  307
Culturally Based Divisions  307 Observance-Based Divisions  309
Jewish Identity and the Future of Judaism  312 Reading: What It Means to Be Fully Alive  314
FIRST ENCOUNTER  319 The Life and Teachings of Jesus  321
Jesus in the New Testament Gospels  325 Page xiiiThe Two Great Commandments  328
Early Christian Beliefs and History  328
Paul and Pauline Christianity  329 The New Testament: Its Structure and Artistry  332 The Christian Canon  336
The Early Spread of Christianity  338 Influences on Christianity at the End of the Roman Empire  342
Augustine  343 Benedict and the Monastic Ideal  343
The Eastern Orthodox Church  345
Early Development  345 Monasticism in the Eastern Church  346 Eastern Orthodox Beliefs  347
Personal Experience: Mar Saba Monastery  349
10 Islam  389
Christianity in the Middle Ages  351
Christian Mysticism  351 The Crusades, the Inquisition, and Christian Control  353 The Late Middle Ages  354
The Protestant Reformation  355
Martin Luther  356 Forms of Protestantism  357
The Development of Christianity Following the Protestant Reformation  361
The Catholic Reformation (Counter Reformation)  361 The International Spread of Christianity  362 Nontraditional Christianity  365
Christian Practice  369
Sacraments and Other Rituals  369 The Christian Year  371 Devotion to Mary  373
Christianity and the Arts  375
Architecture  375 Art  377 Music  378
Christianity Faces the Modern World  380
The Challenges of Science and Secularism  380 Contemporary Influences and Developments  381
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Reading: How Saint Francis Made Brother Masseo Twirl Around  384
FIRST ENCOUNTER  389 The Life and Teachings of Muhammad  391 Essentials of Islam  395
The Five Pillars of Islam  397 Additional Islamic Religious Practices  403 Scripture: The Qur’an  406
The Historical Development of Islam  408
Expansion and Consolidation  409 The Shiite and Sunni Division within Islam  411
Sufism: Islamic Mysticism  416
Sufi Beliefs  417 Al-Ghazali and Sufi Brotherhoods  420 Sufi Practice and Poetry  421
Personal Experience: Visit to a Mosque  423 Islamic Law and Philosophy  424
11 Alternative Paths  449
Islamic Law and Legal Institutions  424 Islamic Philosophy and Theology  425
Islam and the Arts  427
Architecture  427 Fine Art  429
Islam and the Modern World  432
Islam and Contemporary Life  433 Islam and the Roles of Women  433 The Challenge of Secularism  435 A Range of Solutions  436 Islam in the West and Beyond  438
Reading: The Merciful  444
FIRST ENCOUNTER  449 Origins of New Religions  450 Contemporary Paganism: Wicca and Druidism  451
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Religions of the Yoruba Tradition: SanterÃa, Voodoo, and Candomblé  456 Theosophy  459 Scientology  462 Falun Gong  464 Cao Dai  465 Rastafarianism  467 Baha’i  470 New Religious Movements: A Special Role  474 Personal Experience: Celebrating the Goddess  475 Reading: The Goal of Scientology  478
12 The Modern Search  483
FIRST ENCOUNTER  483 Modern Influences on the Future of Religion  485
The New World Order  486 Multiculturalism and Interfaith Dialogue  487 Women’s Rights Movements  488 Reassessment of Human Sexuality  490 Science and Technology  491 Science and Ethical Issues  492 Secularism  494 Environmental Challenges  495
The Recurring Challenges of Change  497 Environmentalism: A Religious Phenomenon?  500 Eclectic Spirituality  503
Interrelatedness  504
DIGITAL EDIT ION
Reverence and Respect  506 Contemplative Practices  507
Personal Experience: Supper Together  509 Reading: Learning from a Tree  511
Answer Key  A-1 Notes  N-1 Index  I-1
Page xvi
Preface
The cover of this book continues the theme of water. Water flows and changes form. Water makes snow and ice. Water makes rivers and waterfalls. Water brings life.
Religions speak in symbols—fire, cloud, hills and high places, darkness and light, incense, candles, colors. Religions, though, perhaps love water best. Buddhists use water for blessing. Hindus purify themselves in rivers. Christians undergo baptism in water as a rite of initiation. Followers of Islam and Shinto cleanse themselves with water before prayer. Water means change, purification, and new beginnings.
Because water can signify so much to us, it is the major symbol of this book. By studying many religions, we also hope to be cleansed and brought to new life.
This book was written for my students. Keeping their needs in mind, I have tried to provide what is essential and to present it in clear language. I want to talk about doctrine and practice. Yet I also hope to show some of those things that have captivated me: religious music, art, and architecture. I want to show my respect for all religious traditions, both in a scholarly and an approachable way. Finally, I hope to invite students not only to read about religions, but also to experience them firsthand. It is like the difference between reading maps of a country and then actually traveling on its roads and seeing its sights. Experience brings the prize.
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Boxed Features
CONFLICT IN RELIGION
CONTEMPORARY ISSUES
RITUALS AND CELEBRATIONS
Religious Blends 24 Kamikaze Pilots and Shinto 252 Sunni versus Shiite: Why the Conflict? 439 Jihad and the Modern World 443 Religions, Sacred Texts, and Violence 496
Halloween: “Just Good Fun†or Folk Religion? 65 The Green Movement: A New Global Indigenous Religion? 66 The Chipko Movement 110 Pema Chödrön 166 Environmental Buddhism 168 The Confucius Institute 238 Eco-Judaism 312 Martin Luther King Jr. 365 Creation Care 383 Islamic Ecology 441 “Cults,†“Sects,†and “New Religious Movements†451 Ecology and the New Religious Movements 462 Humanism: A New Religion? 473 Humor and Religion 474 Religion and Pop Culture 504
RITUALS AND CELEBRATIONS
DEEPER INSIGHTS
Travel and Pilgrimage 27 The Vision Quest 51 Hindu Meditation: More Than Emptying the Mind 91 Hindu Celebrations 102 Buddhist Festivals 148 Buddhist Meditation 164 The Mass 379 The Islamic Religious Calendar: Festivals and Holy Days 404 The Contemporary Pagan Year 453
Multiple Images of the Female 18 Do Religions Oppose Science? 25 Australian Aboriginal Religion 40 Religion of the Pueblo Peoples 43 The Igbo: An Indigenous Religion in Transition 50 Traditional Hawaiian Religion 53 Traditional Maori Religion 56 Isaac Tens Becomes a Shaman 57 Buddhism in Thailand 138 Buddhism and Japanese Arts 154 Jains and a Holy Death 182 The Five “K’s†of the Sikh Khalsa 191 The Seasons of Life 207 The Chinese Garden—Bridge to the Infinite 213 Daoism and Nature 218 The Ideal Human Being 221 The Five Classics and the Four Books 228 Inari Shrine 255 Shinto and Nature 264 Books of the Hebrew Bible 276
The Gods of Egypt 284 The Ten Commandments 288 What’s in a Name? 303 The Christian System of Chronology: BC and AD 321 The Books of the New Testament 333 The Christian Worldview 337 Greek and Roman Religions and Early Christianity 340 Inside a Greek Orthodox Church 348 Emphases of Protestant Christianity 357 Emphases of Catholic Christianity 362 Examples of Nontraditional Christianity 367 Signs and Symbols 372 Color Symbolism 373 Zoroastrianism 418 The Meaning of Muslim Names 422 Major Orishas of SanterÃa 459
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Changes in the Seventh Edition
Although the core of religions remains fairly constant, change is always happening. Followers of different religions split and form new branches, religious values change, new leaders arise. These transitions are reflected in the new edition. New reading selections have been added to each chapter.
NEW TO THE SEVENTH EDITION Chapter 1, Understanding Religion
Chapter 2, Indigenous Religions
Chapter 3, Hinduism
Chapter 4, Buddhism
Chapter 5, Jainism and Sikhism
Chapter 6, Daosim and Confucianism
Chapter 7, Shinto
New Contemporary Issues box: “Do Religions Oppose Science?â€
New Reading: “Discovering Mysteryâ€
New Deeper Insights box: “Traditional Maori Religionâ€
New Reading: “The Importance of Dreamsâ€
New Personal Experience: “A Visit to Self-Realization Fellowship Lakeside Shrineâ€
New Reading: “Ramakrishna and the Experience of Godâ€
New Contemporary Issues box: “Pema Chödrön”
New Personal Experience: “New Year’s Day at Wat Saketâ€
New Reading: “Approaching the Endâ€
New Reading: “The Eternal Law†Â
New Reading: “On Cloud-like Wandering†Â
New Deeper Insights box: “Inari Shrineâ€
New Personal Experience: “An Unexpected Shrineâ€
Page xix
Chapter 8, Judaism
Chapter 9, Christianity
Chapter 10, Islam
Chapter 11, Alternative Paths
Chapter 12, The Modern Search
The seventh edition of Experiencing the World’s Religions: Tradition, Challenge, and Change is now available online with Connect, McGraw-Hill Education’s integrated assignment and assessment platform. Connect also offers SmartBook for the new edition, which is the first adaptive reading experience proven to improve grades and help students study more effectively. All of the title’s website and ancillary content is also available through Connect, including:
New Reading: “Loving the Whole Earthâ€
New Personal Experience: “A Visit to Masadaâ€
New Reading: “What It Means to Be Fully Aliveâ€
New Personal Experience: “Mar Saba Monasteryâ€
New Reading: “How Saint Francis Made Brother Masseo Twirl Aroundâ€
New Personal Experience: “A Visit to a Mosqueâ€
New Reading: “The Mercifulâ€
New Contemporary Issues box: “Humor and Religionâ€
New Reading: “The Goal of Scientologyâ€
New Personal Experience: “Supper Togetherâ€
New Reading: “Learning from a Treeâ€
A full Test Bank of multiple-choice questions that test students on central concepts and ideas in each chapter.
An Instructor’s Manual for each chapter with full chapter outlines, sample test questions, and discussion topics.
Lecture Slides for instructor use in class.
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Page xxii
Acknowledgments
We are all the product of kindness and insight shared with us by others. When I look back on the people of the religions and cultures that shaped me, I feel amazement and am full of gratitude. In some cases, though, I feel apologetic. At the time when I was receiving the gifts from these people, I was often not aware of the quality of the gifts and the generosity of the givers. One example will illustrate this.
My teacher in Japan arranged for me to live for a while in a Zen Buddhist temple in Shikoku. It was headed by a middle-aged monk with kind eyes and a brilliant smile. We meditated every morning before breakfast and every evening after supper. During the daytime, I cleaned the temple floors, moved rocks, and planted trees. The food was vegetarian, and we had a rough and unfussy tea ceremony every day after lunch. At night, I slept in the meditation hall, in the same place where I meditated. The large doors at each end of the hall were kept open all night.
To keep me warm, I was given two white comforters to use as blankets. They were so short, though, that I had to cover the top part of my body with one comforter, and the lower part of my body with the other. Every night, though, they came apart and the middle part of my body froze with cold.
After a few weeks, I told the monk that I had to leave. He looked shocked. “Don’t go. I can tell that you are the type.â€â€œWhat do you mean?†I asked. He answered with a soulful look in his eyes. “If you stay here just ten years, I guarantee that you will
reach enlightenment.â€I thought to myself that, from his way of viewing life, this was a great compliment. I was tempted to say, â
€œBut in ten years I will have frozen to death.†I stayed silent. “Is there something wrong here?†he asked. “No,†I answered. “It has been wonderful, and so have you.†Then I added, “But I must go. You
see, the whole world is my temple.â€He smiled and nodded that he understood. To him I now apologize. Thanks are due to some exceptional teachers. Among them have been Rev. Arthur Daspit, Dr. Jerome
Theisen, Dr. Sobharani Basu, Dr. Winfield Nagley, and Dr. Eliot Deutsch. Because a book is not by a single person but is more like a quilt with many parts, thanks go to the development team, at ansrsource, led by editors Anne Sheroff and Reshmi Rajeesh; to my photo researcher, Emily Tietz; and to Dr. Thomas Hilgers, who provided many unique photos. Also, thanks go to the team at McGraw-Hill Education; to the Product Developer,
Page xxiii
Erika Lo; and to the Content Project Manager, Ryan Warczynski. I am grateful to a multitude of colleagues and reviewers:
REVIEWERS SCHOOLS
Catherine Alvarez University of South Florida
Don Aycock St. Johns River State College
Vanda Bozicevic Bergen Community College
Chris Brawley Central Piedmont Community College
Charlene Burns University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire
Dan Campbell St. Petersburg College
Tim Cannon Forsyth Technical Community College
Jeff Christ Moraine Valley Community College
Brandon Cleworth Glendale Community College
Jonathan Ebel University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign
Steven Fink University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire
Stephen C. Finley Louisiana State University
Steve Godby Broward College
Amanda Hayden Sinclair Community College
Karen L. Hornsby North Carolina A&T State University
Fotini Katsanos University of North Carolina–Charlotte
Michael Mackey Community College of Denver
Christopher Martinez Hillsborough Community College
Daniel McFee Mercyhurst University
Carolyn M. Jones Medine University of Georgia
Steven D. Meigs University of South Florida
Micki Pulleyking Missouri State University
Page xxiv
Curtis Smith Pennsylvania State University
Lori Stewart San Diego State University
Debbie Thompson Ozarks Technical Community College
Mathias Warnes CSUS, Folsom Lake College, Sierra College
The book is far better as a result of their reviews. Although it is a truism, this book has also been influenced by hundreds of other people who are also owed my sincere thanks. They planted in me seeds that I hope have come to flower.
Page 2
CHAPTER 1
Page 3
Understanding Religion
©Ben Horton/National Geographic/Getty Images RF
Page 4
FIRST ENCOUNTER You have been staying in San Diego for the past five months. The city is fun, but much different than you had expected. Before you came, you had thought that the city would be a fairly quiet seaside town with a historical center. You quickly found the historical center—old Spanish-style buildings, pink oleander, and red bougainvillea—but you still haven’t found the quiet. Once a provincial naval port, the city of San Diego is now large, modern, and crisscrossed with freeways and wide roads. The hum of traffic can even be heard in the hillsides.
A friend told you of Joshua Tree National Park and its wonderful vegetation. It is not too long a drive, and you consider taking a trip. You and your friend plan your trip, expecting to camp for two nights during a week in autumn. Together you drive north. You have lots of bottled water, sunscreen, a hat, and a long-sleeved shirt for protection from the bright sun. You drive through the Anza-Borrego area and then to the Salton Sea. Finally you arrive at Joshua Tree National Park and get a camping permit.
The Joshua trees look like vegetation from another world, and the massive boulders are unbelievable. After setting up camp and eating supper, you enjoy the sunset. The dusk comes on gently, and before you are aware of it, the stars start to appear. You put on your hooded jacket and walk out into a world transformed by twilight.
What strikes you first is the crispness of the air. You walk farther, beyond the clearing, and suddenly you are on a path near large boulders. As a strong breeze rises, the wind makes an eerie, whispering sound. Moving on, you find yourself walking along a slight ridge. To your right, you see the evening star against the blue-black sky. To your left, the sky still holds some daylight. You sit down on a flat rock, pull up your hood, and watch the silhouettes of rocks and trees disappear as darkness spreads its thickening veil.