Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Sacred Place from ordinary to extraordinary
The second axiom to how sacred places can be molded is that a sacred place can be made from ordinary to extraordinary by something special happening there. I remember reading in the book about a man visiting the Vietnam War Memorial. There was no special reason he was there, just checking it out. He ended up going to the list of Veterans and recognizing someone he used to be friends with but lost contact with. He saw that he had died and realized a potential friendship he lost. This story had a great affect on me because it made me think about my friends and family. The important people you want to stay in your life you have to really try and keep it that way! That place became extraordinary to him, a sacred place.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Bryan Deel: Landscapes of the Sacred Discussion of the First Axiom
Lane's first axiom of sacred place states, "Sacred place is not chosen, it chooses" This excerpt caused me to consider that many people may be mistaken about the holiness of a location. Lane is of the opinion that a sacred place is not just a setting that can be culturally twisted into anything that one makes of it. I agree with Lane’s conclusion. People should not mold areas into becoming sacred for selfish or nonsensical reasons, but they should focus on the historic facts and events that can be proven to be accurate.
We as humans cannot simply choose for a place to be holy or sacred but we must endure a stirring or transformation by the revered setting. Then I began to think if common places can become holy. Lane seems to answer this question by saying that this occurs quite often and gives quite a few examples. Sometimes communities create a sacred setting for certain ritual acts which set apart the area as exceptional which describes the second axiom of sacred place.
We as humans cannot simply choose for a place to be holy or sacred but we must endure a stirring or transformation by the revered setting. Then I began to think if common places can become holy. Lane seems to answer this question by saying that this occurs quite often and gives quite a few examples. Sometimes communities create a sacred setting for certain ritual acts which set apart the area as exceptional which describes the second axiom of sacred place.
Bryan Deel:Landscapes of the Sacred. Examination of the Ontological Approach
On Page 43 of Landscapes of the Sacred, “From this perspective, (Ontological Approach) a sacred place is radically set apart from everything profane; it is a site recognized as manifesting its own inherent, chthonic power and numinosity.”
Lane presented an argument that caused me to consider a concept that I had not encountered before. Ultimately Religion and Culture overlap with the idea of the sacred and profane. I recollected my research of the Hajj and the banning of all non-Muslims from the city of Mecca. There is a verse in the Koran that backs up the restriction of Mecca to only Muslims under the idea to keep extra tourist traffic out and also to keep the city purely spiritual. Also, Muslims view Mecca as the center of the world, which reflects their view of Mecca’s chthonic power and importance to the religion of Islam. In addition, the Ontological Approach mentions that the sacred place has encountered supernatural forces. The Dome of the Rock in Israel is an ideal example of this view in the Islamic Religion. It is believed that Mohammed began his ascent to heaven from this location, which caused the Dome of the Rock to become one of the holiest sites in the Islamic religion. It seems that sacred places attract people due to their wonder and their distinct mystery. This quote maintains that perceiving with the Ontological Approach sets the sacred space apart from anything profane or irreverent.
Lane presented an argument that caused me to consider a concept that I had not encountered before. Ultimately Religion and Culture overlap with the idea of the sacred and profane. I recollected my research of the Hajj and the banning of all non-Muslims from the city of Mecca. There is a verse in the Koran that backs up the restriction of Mecca to only Muslims under the idea to keep extra tourist traffic out and also to keep the city purely spiritual. Also, Muslims view Mecca as the center of the world, which reflects their view of Mecca’s chthonic power and importance to the religion of Islam. In addition, the Ontological Approach mentions that the sacred place has encountered supernatural forces. The Dome of the Rock in Israel is an ideal example of this view in the Islamic Religion. It is believed that Mohammed began his ascent to heaven from this location, which caused the Dome of the Rock to become one of the holiest sites in the Islamic religion. It seems that sacred places attract people due to their wonder and their distinct mystery. This quote maintains that perceiving with the Ontological Approach sets the sacred space apart from anything profane or irreverent.
Bryan Deel Places as Chora
On page 39 of Landscapes of the Sacred, Lane states that "Place as chora carries its own energy and power, summoning its participants to a common dance, to the “choreography” most appropriate to their life together" This quote caused me to think about the definition of the sacred. What causes a place to be sacred, and why do only certain places become sacred and others remain ordinary settings? My opinion is that a place can become sacred to an entire society (such as Devil’s Tower or Mecca), or it can be sacred to a particular individual.
The word sacred is defined as “entitled to veneration or religious respect by association with divinity or divine things” (Dictionary). Places, such as a Christian church, can be sacred. These churches are built out of devotion and dedication to God. This example seems to fit the criteria of the definition of the sacred. People are expected to dress and act respectively in sacred places in order to display respect and reverence.
An example of a place held sacred by an individual could possibly be a place where something of significance happened to them and altered or affected their life or mindset. An example of this could be a particular spot on in the woods where someone experiences a religious revelation. These spots are held sacred to an individual but not necessarily by an entire society. Belden Lane tells about his sacred experience in Landscapes of the Sacred. He and his wife visited the Medicine Wheel in north central Wyoming, and while walking around the circle, he reported feeling closer to his wife. Lane stated, “But the circle joined us in that brief moment, making us part of a connectedness that the entire place seemed to share” (Lane 40). Lane affirmed that this experience became an integral part of what he believed was sacred. Referring to the quote, Lane experienced the Medicine Wheel’s energy and its ability to bring individual’s lives together.
The word sacred is defined as “entitled to veneration or religious respect by association with divinity or divine things” (Dictionary). Places, such as a Christian church, can be sacred. These churches are built out of devotion and dedication to God. This example seems to fit the criteria of the definition of the sacred. People are expected to dress and act respectively in sacred places in order to display respect and reverence.
An example of a place held sacred by an individual could possibly be a place where something of significance happened to them and altered or affected their life or mindset. An example of this could be a particular spot on in the woods where someone experiences a religious revelation. These spots are held sacred to an individual but not necessarily by an entire society. Belden Lane tells about his sacred experience in Landscapes of the Sacred. He and his wife visited the Medicine Wheel in north central Wyoming, and while walking around the circle, he reported feeling closer to his wife. Lane stated, “But the circle joined us in that brief moment, making us part of a connectedness that the entire place seemed to share” (Lane 40). Lane affirmed that this experience became an integral part of what he believed was sacred. Referring to the quote, Lane experienced the Medicine Wheel’s energy and its ability to bring individual’s lives together.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Ryan McGovern- Cultural Approach 3-10-09
3-10-09
In Landscapes of the Sacred, Lane talks about the Cultural approach to understanding Sacred Place and it's importance. He says that a sacred place can be defined as "a site that people are willing to fight and die over", using the cultural approach at least. This is very relavent to this day, with many conflicts being over the use of sacred place, or religion. A good example of this would be the use of Native American lands in the United States. Native Americans use their lands for sacred ceremonies, and they want to make sure that that does not change. Congress even has a committee set up to deal with Native American affairs, so that violent conflict does not erupt, because that has happened before. Another very violent example of this is the Israelis' and the Palestinians' conflict. Both of their holy lands are very close to one another, and they both want to control the same part of land. But the Israelis were given the land, and now there is constant conflict over their sacred place. So there are two examples of the cultural approach being realized.
In Landscapes of the Sacred, Lane talks about the Cultural approach to understanding Sacred Place and it's importance. He says that a sacred place can be defined as "a site that people are willing to fight and die over", using the cultural approach at least. This is very relavent to this day, with many conflicts being over the use of sacred place, or religion. A good example of this would be the use of Native American lands in the United States. Native Americans use their lands for sacred ceremonies, and they want to make sure that that does not change. Congress even has a committee set up to deal with Native American affairs, so that violent conflict does not erupt, because that has happened before. Another very violent example of this is the Israelis' and the Palestinians' conflict. Both of their holy lands are very close to one another, and they both want to control the same part of land. But the Israelis were given the land, and now there is constant conflict over their sacred place. So there are two examples of the cultural approach being realized.
Ryan McGovern- Sacred Place can be tread upon without being entered 3-10-09
3-10-09
In Landscapes of the Sacred, Lane talks about his Third Axiom, which is; Sacred Place can be tread upon without being entered. He was speaking of a clearing in the woods where he had been before, but never experienced anything religious. But this time, he entered it in a different state of mind, and that allowed him to see it for it's true mysticism. This thought interested me because there are plenty of places that we go, and when we first go there, they are not that special. But then maybe something special happens there, like you meet someone, or you discover something about yourself, and then that place can become sacred to you, even though it wasn't at first. It's like when I first moved to the city I live in, and nothing meant anything really, except my house. But now when I drive around there, there are countelss places where funny or memorable things happened, but these places were not that special to me the first time I had been there. Think about it, are there places like this for you?
In Landscapes of the Sacred, Lane talks about his Third Axiom, which is; Sacred Place can be tread upon without being entered. He was speaking of a clearing in the woods where he had been before, but never experienced anything religious. But this time, he entered it in a different state of mind, and that allowed him to see it for it's true mysticism. This thought interested me because there are plenty of places that we go, and when we first go there, they are not that special. But then maybe something special happens there, like you meet someone, or you discover something about yourself, and then that place can become sacred to you, even though it wasn't at first. It's like when I first moved to the city I live in, and nothing meant anything really, except my house. But now when I drive around there, there are countelss places where funny or memorable things happened, but these places were not that special to me the first time I had been there. Think about it, are there places like this for you?
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