As human beings, what makes us need a "sacred" space? A sacred space is something that everyone needs, from the average Joe to the corporate executive. It means something both unique and powerful to every person, and every person has their own unique sacred space. Over time sacred spaces have often been perceived as being only churches and cathedrals with powerful religious significance, but in truth a sacred space can be anywhere. A sacred space could be a church in one man's eyes and a forest in another's. Any space can be sacred if it means enough to a certain individual. It's not the grandeur of a space, but its emotional importance that makes a place truly sacred. All individuals feel a deep rooted spiritual connection to a sacred place and journey to it as often as they can, whether it be in body or mind. Oftentimes people close their eyes and think of their sacred space when they are stressed or going through hard times, for instance one person might imagine her favorite beach and another the sun setting on a sacred field. Sacred spaces mean something different to everyone and can range from churches to places in nature.
Can you imagine the drive it would take a man to carve over 200 acres of symbols on a certain space of importance to him? Only a sacred space could hold enough power to inspire a person to do something like that by their own choosing. Ancient places such as the temple of Karnak remind us of the many different views and opinions of what sacred places have meant to different cultures. I agree with Allie in the fact that sacred spaces are made up of the sounds and experiences associated with the space and its unique history because that's what makes a space so memorable to an individual. Without experiences and emotional connections to a place, how could a person by inspired enough to call it sacred? The building of a structure might be a left-brained activity, but the whole concept of a sacred space is a crucial part of the right-brained thinking process that cannot be forgotten. The Sioux people and native Americans of North America are famous for their connections in religion and nature. In "The Natural World" John Bowker refers to the importance of the earth by saying, "Every step that we take upon you should be done in a sacred manner; each step should be as a prayer." Sacred spaces are all around us and all we have to do is open our hearts and listen our emotions in order to find true meaning or connection with that one space, whether it be a cathedral or an ancient cave.
The idea that spaces can and have been "sacred" is a universal one that cannot be ignored. However, it is all too simple to claim a church or any other religious building is sacred beyond its status as a place of worship. Religion was once the entire logic behind the flat, central earth. While it remains an integral part of certain people's daily lives, I would argue that there is a line between the sacred and the holy as defined by some book. People call one set of beliefs their own based on what their parents believed, in a twisted way that encourages conforming of the human spirit. Any place considered holy because a bunch of people gather there to pray is not a connection beyond the human condition but a tightening of the bonds to mortality. As discussed in Callicott's "Traditional American Indian and Western European Views Toward Nature," Europeans and their descendants as well as all those poisoned with the man vs. machine ideology envision the soul to be in contempt of the body. In the same way, the sacredness of the energy within a location are in contempt of what is imposed there. The interconnectness that is a sign of the sacred cannot be confined by religion nor a specific building as it affects the mind and soul.
ReplyDeleteYour insight into the nature of a sacred space is thought-provoking. I agree that "every person has their own unique sacred space" and that such a space is "something that everyone needs". These spaces, to which we as humans feel so connected, comfort us and allow us to feel renewed in times of hardship. As both you and Allie said, the sights, sounds, and smells of a place play a significant role in a person's experience of the site. I believe that the beings present at a sacred space also serve to give it meaning. For example, I would say that my home is, without a doubt, a sacred space for me. This is in large part due to the fact that my family is there. For another, a sacred space could be a farm (because of the animals), or - as you said - a forest (because of the living trees).
ReplyDeleteReturning to your idea that each person needs a sacred space, I want to present the unthinkable: what happens when an individual's (or a culture's) sacred space is destroyed? If that space is indeed essential for emotional well-being, which I believe it is, then its loss must be truly devastating.Over the years, human beings have destroyed many places sacred to other people and animals. The Native Americans' land was desecrated, the Rain Forests have been invaded and seriously wounded, and the numerous houses of worship have been razed. While we cannot do anything to change the past, we can be more aware in the future of the effects our actions.
Even though I am Jewish and my "sacred space" is my temple, the most spiritual moments I have ever had have all been in nature. In my back yard I have a hammock set up in the summer. During the humid summer evenings I take my ipod, turn on some relaxing music, and simply stare up at the trees while swinging back and forth. Feeling the cool breeze on my face, smelling the dirt on the ground, and thinking of nothing but the tall trees and the pink sky; that is my sacred space. This is just something small and personal, not a huge cathedral or ornamented building, and yet it is my sacred space.
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