Old Shrines, New Worshipers: Cultural Practices for Connection with Nature

Abstract

There are many ancient cultural sites in Bulgaria that not only attract tourists but are also believed to facilitate a person’s connection with deities and natural forces. Today, cultural practices performed at these sacred places from the period of antiquity and the early Middle Ages are often associated with neopaganism and the New Age movement, while also incorporating elements of Bulgarian traditional culture. Through ‘mysterious’ rituals, the participants seek to connect with a higher spiritu-ality, which they feel is missing in their everyday lives. Interest in ancient paganism is also one of the manifestations of contemporary nationalism. The feasts, reenactments and rituals presented serve to ‘re-establish’ man’s relationship with nature, with the aim of achieving health, well-being, and spiritual growth in an uncertain world. These practices often interweave esoteric and environmentalist ideas with strategies for the development of cultural tourism.