The Hamlet of Zeelberg

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Once when I was visiting the town of Zeelberg, I noticed something peculiar about this tiny hamlet of a town. It's just on the outskirts of Valkenswaard - and this town has three roads all with the same name - Zeelberg. What does it mean? According to etymology it could come from the Medieval-Latin sedile meaning settlement, farm or farmstead. That makes sense.  And berg meaning hills or elevated place. 

These three roads form a triangle. In the triangle it is mostly just a green space - like an old square where there were probably markets and trading done. Maybe I could imagine it was a meeting space for townsfolk to converse. 

In one of the triangle corners on the one side there is a shrine constructed there. And it's not so unique because I noticed other similar shrines on old farm roads and some even in the city during my travels.

I questioned my husband, Mark who is of Dutch descent about the shrines. He said as far as he knows they were put there for when someone had a vision of Mary - the mother of Christ.

This one in Zeelberg is quite small. But some of them have little chapels built around them and you can light a candle there.  

On this side of Zeelberg the road heads west towards the DrieBruggen. Or three bridges. It's basically an area where Mark's ancestors used to fish. The Tongelreep flows there - The Tongelreep is a smaller stream and there are a few canals right alongside it which is why there are three bridges in a row. And then the tiny road turns into a bike path and you can follow it right into Belgium. From there it goes to an old monastary. 

Now in my mind, I'm riding my bike on this path and we are heading into the woods and I can almost just feel in my imagination that not far from there - that actually right where we are there is another world brimming with magic but we can't see it. But I can imagine there are magical beings living there. I look out and see giant toadstools growing and it's all so enchanted like an episode of The Smurfs - it's no wonder that The Smurf's creator is from an area not far from here. 

And all these years later, I'm still reminded of the shrine and the three bridges and wonder about that magic shape - the triangle and the three bridges. A triangle has three sides and those three bridges in a row. There is something so magical about it that I have to investigate.

After a brief research I find that in the spiritual meaning of triangles - that they represent clarity, strength and resilience and the mystic number three can symbolize past, present, and future; or creation, manifestation, and abundance. 

Now before the advent of Christianity came to the Netherlands, the area was populated by Celtic tribes in the South which adhered to Celtic Polytheism, and in the North were inhabited by Germanic Tribes which adhered to Germanic Paganism.

So now I'm wondering just how old this region is. Is it possible that in Celtic mysticism the triangle or number 3 is meaningful? Yes it is. The Celtic meaning of three is very special because the Celts believed that life was separated into three realms.

Firstly, the cycle of life encompassing Life, Death, and Rebirth.

Second, the elements encompassing earth, water, and sky which inhabit our world.

Thirdly, family represented by Mother, Father and child.

So, there is definitely something special and maybe even sacred about Zeelberg's triangle and the three bridges. And in my research into Celtic animism, I'm reading that they believed in spirits. So, it's not far-fetched to think that people then would see spirits and erect a shrine. 

Making me wonder if when Christianity became the popular ritual thing if the Mary shrines replaced older altars and mystic symbols. 

And with Celtic animism, the belief that spirits inhabit trees, rocks, water, earth, wind, etc. - I'm thinking that this is even part of my heritage since my ancestry lies in England and Ireland. 

It's no wonder that I'm drawn to it. It's no wonder that I love to design fairy type elf dolls that represent sun, water, forest, rocks, mushrooms and so forth.

Maybe the thing about Zeelberg that stuck out to me - the triangle - the three bridges - is that I'm drawn to the number three because maybe my DNA is just programmed that way. And maybe the shrine stuck out to me, because deep down inside me I want to worship things - cute things - cute things that make me ponder about magic, and childlike wonder, and make things with my hands that are cute enough to worship and adore.