Seemingly every stone, flag, bench, and fire pit—every crystal, feather, and shell—has been placed with intention at Stardreaming, the twenty-two-acre site just outside of Santa Fe.

Spiraling, stone-lined labyrinths, medicine wheels, altars, monoliths, and gigantic crystals dot the land. Metal sculptures announce each temple: Temple of the Milky Way, Temple of Magic, Temple of the Heart. The stone Pyramid of Light, like everything here, was built by hand.

James Jereb began creating the sacred site twenty-two years ago, after, to his surprise, he had a spiritual awakening and began to channel messages. A resident of downtown Santa Fe at the time and an anthropologist, he says he was told intuitively that he would begin painting and erecting temples—which he thought was crazy at the time, having never painted before in his life.

This resulted in more than 130 sacred paintings (and counting) and twenty-two temples, most of which are outdoors and comprised of 800 tons of stone, fifty tons of which were chipped by hand.

A stone lined labyrinthine spiral path
Temple of Magic/ 13 Indigenous Grandmothers at Stardreaming. Photo: Lauren LaRocca.
His large-scale visionary paintings of deities, dragons, archangels, Stargates, constellations, and mythic stories, which often include hundreds of small dots, vibrate with an almost palpable, living energy. More than a few times, someone has purchased a painting, only to return it after they were “finished,” because it helped them to heal, Jereb says, explaining his paintings are portals.

Jereb has also authored books, including a children’s book, and an oracle deck, all of which are illustrated with his artwork. A school of magic and alchemy is forthcoming.

People from around the world have visited for ceremonies and tours. Located about thirty minutes south of Santa Fe and fifteen minutes from Madrid, Stardreaming is open by appointment.

38 Southern Exposure, Santa Fe | stardreaming.org

Originally published in Southwest Contemporary’s 2023 Field Guide.