Cool Spiritual Places

Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, S.C.

The Post & Courier recently featured this article on Cool Spiritual Places in the Lowcountry. They are almost all on my frequently visited list. I've tried to get to Boonie Doone but haven't got past the locked gates when I can get there on a weekend. The last one in Kingstree is unfamiliar to me and may be worth a visit. What do you think of their list?

10 Cool spiritual places to visit in the Lowcountry in no particular order)
Friday, October 8, 2010

Mepkin Abbey: Stroll through the gardens and meditative places of this former rice plantation on the banks of the upper Cooper River outside Moncks Corner.

Meditation Garden at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital: Roam the natural cathedral, the garden of reflection, the spiritual maze under the circle of oaks on the hospital's West Ashley campus.

Chapel at Middleton Place: Renovated several years ago, the small chapel beside the little lake evokes the past. Here, in this illuminated space, slaves gathered for worship.

Magnolia Cemetery: Wandering through this famous graveyard, beneath the Spanish moss and around the tombstones, one sees the evidence of a complicated, fascinating history.

Circular Congregational Church: Formed in 1681, this church on lower Meeting Street originally was called the Independent Church of Charles Towne and was meant for residents who did not attend nearby St. Philip's (Anglican) Church.

St. Stephen's Episcopal Church: This church on Anson Street, organized in 1822, was the first place of worship in the country where pews were not rented or sold, but free to all comers. The current building was consecrated in 1836.

Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim: This Reform Jewish synagogue on Hasell Street was founded in 1749. It is the birthplace of the Reform movement in the U.S. and the fourth oldest Jewish congregation. It has the second oldest synagogue building in the United States (the oldest in continuous use).

French Huguenot Church: The only independent Hugeunot church in the U.S., this downtown church was built in 1844 in the Gothic Revival style. A beauty.

Bonnie Doone Plantation: This gorgeous sprawl of land near Walterboro is the site of the Charleston Baptist Association's Conference Center. It's a good place for a church retreat, family event or bit of recreational fun.

Springbank Retreat: Run by nuns, this swath of nature near Kingstree specializes in "eco-spirituality and the arts." Wander through the woods or walk along the swamp and the artist in you is sure to be stimulated.