The Axis Mundi: What are its bounds?

The axis mundi exists in more than just the physical sphere. Yes, the physical axis mundi’s acknowledged by different faiths around the world are important; however, there are many metaphysical axis that play just as important of a role in other communities. To venture out even further, these axis mundi's could be represented internally by an individual. The Eliade doesn't mention that Muslims and Jews, as well as the Christians, in Jerusalem adhere to a central force other than the foundation stone. Every entity itself requires its own axis if it is to ground itself to an external one, and this applies even to monotheistic religions with traditional belief systems. 

 

Ahl al-Kitab in Jerusalem emphasizes more than honoring the physical central force that is the Dome of the Rock; in all faiths, one must find a balance internally. I believe that an axis mundi can apply to the internal balance just as much as the external draw towards a sacred space. This is referred to as a Muslim’s “jihad” or internal struggle to strengthen their relationship with God. If the axis mundi can be represented by "the trunk of a cedar tree, thirty to thirty-five feet high," or simply "Palestine, being the highest land [and not] submerged by the flood," then why not by the internal connection one has to Heaven (Eliade 35 and 38)? I understand that being in a physical place can make one feel closer to God, however, what if a religious person does not have the means to travel to said place? It would be unfair to equate this with a lesser relationship between one's God. In Islam, pilgrimage, or Hajj, is one of the five pillars of the faith. If a Muslim is unable to make the Hajj in their lifetime due to monetary or physical restrictions that prohibit one from making the journey, God forgives them. That being said, the axis mundi is a concept I believe can be represented by more than universal concepts or physical sacred spaces; one can find an axis mundi within themselves as long as they feel a connection between them and their heaven. 

The only contradiction with this idea comes with the Eliade’s claim that “such a cosmic pillar can only be at the center of the universe for the whole habitable world extends around it,” in reference to the axis mundi and that it is the “Center of the World” (Eliade 37). While again, this could be worked around with context and point of view, as the study of religion encourages, it is where Eliade and I differ. The axis mundi can be subject to interpretation, especially depending on who is interpreting as well as how.