The use of specific locations for prayer and religous worship has dated back thousands and thousands of years. The repeated use of specific cites turned ordinary locations into something more. They developed a life of their own. They house years and years of history and tradition. It amazes me how the aboriginal people can moved so much by the rock caves that they pray at. It's as if they can feel the history that's within them. In today's society people shape the land to fit their lives, but the aborigines change their lives in order to protect the space.
I can relate on some level to the aboriginal people. I am not religious, but there are places that house my history and memories that mean alot to me. My house for example is scared to me. I've lived in the same house for 18 years, and the house really does have a life of it's own. Almost all of the memories I have from my childhood are in this house. My parents built it when they first got married, and only our family has lived in it since then. There's a lot of love and tradition in the space. I hope people feel those emotions when they come here, similar to the visitors of the aboriginal territories.
A space doesn't have to be religious affiliated to be considered sacred. A sacred space is a location with enough meaning and history to evoke emotions in people. It doesn't matter if it's one person or a whole group that feels those emotions, as long as there's one, that's enough. These spaces become alive with the history that they hold, and I'm sure if they were able to communicate with us they'd have some interesting stories to tell.
Brook, I like your idea that the history of a site contributes to its value as a sacred space. You seem to be stating that history adds a richness to a space that would otherwise be meaningless or routine, which I agree with. However, I wonder if your example of the aboriginal people is too narrow. This only addresses a sacred space that is in nature. You say that in present day we may not be able to find the value in a cave and that we would no longer see this as sacred space, but there are examples of sacred space in modern day. In present day, how is society's view of sacred space different than that of traditional aborigines?
ReplyDeleteHistory does make a large contribution to the sacredness of a certain space, like you said. That history doesn't have to be religious, it can be as simple as a person's family tree and traditions such as your home. I love the example you gave that your home is a sacred space, but I really wish you went into more depth about how so. I wish you spoke more of the traditions and the deep history and roots that make it such a meaningful place and then tie those traditions to how the aborigines felt about their homes and nature. Overall I enjoyed your perspective on sacred space.
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