Permanence and Emotion

   Each and every person is described as unique. No one person can ever be expected to perfectly emulate another. A large part of this individuality is defined by the space each person chooses to inhabit  in their attempts to bring themselves peace. Some thrive in a noisy environment, seeking out sanctity in places with such characteristics, like waterfalls, a loud restaurant, or a windy mountaintop. Others seek places of silence, like a well insulated room, empty church, or even the middle of a placid lake. It is my belief that sacred space is a place personally defined as untouchable, a spot where everything is as it should be, and one can feel at peace with his or herself.
    People have sought such places for as long as we can imagine. Australia's aborigines defined and protected remarkable locations within the natural environment as their sacred places. Caves, rock formations, and other such permanent and essential components of their habitat often wore the mantle of sacred space. These places were watched over by specified elders who served as the priests and custodians. On the other end of the spectrum, people often hold their own personal sacred spaces that may hold no significance to any other person. This can break down even to the point of a specific rock where one had a powerful experience.
    Despite such a diversity on the opinion of sacred space, the general belief of what defines such places has changed little from time to time and place to place. Churches have taken the place of spiritual caves, a garden bench the place of the personally sacred rock. And yet the criteria for such holy places remains roughly the same. A reasonably permanent fixture, holding some emotional significance often based off of one's previous powerful experiences or those of another is the most consistent formula. As I conclude this post, I will retire to my sacred bedroom, which I view as untouchable and timeless, and is a place I have looked to for peace and silence since the age of two.