The Human Dependence on Sacred Spaces
Everyone has their own space that is considered sacred, some are more popular than others such as churches, temples, and other places of worship, but what qualifies these spaces as sacred? Is the building itself sacred, or is it the people inside who give it the property?
First things first, what is a sacred place? The National Library of Medicine defines a sacred space as “a place that provides those who inhabit a particular space with a sense of transcendence- being connected to something greater than oneself” (Adelstein, 2018). With this definition, my mind automatically thought of my church, the place where I go to feel a deeper connection with God, who is in fact “greater than oneself”. But after some more thought, what other places are considered sacred to me? To others? What about those who are not religious, what spaces are sacred to them? The National Library of Medicine proceeds to say “The sacredness may be inherent in the space… alternatively, a space may be made by the people within it and the events that occur there.” (Adelstein, 2018), meaning that it is the intention and beliefs of the people in the space that give it its significance. While there are spaces that have historical significance, such as the city of Old Jerusalem, the third-holiest city in the world, (Wikipedia, 2024), it is the beliefs of the people of the city that keep the stories and history alive.
What is the importance of sacred spaces to humankind? Well, according to podcast host Kim Mills and her guest Dr. Geoffrey Cohen, “The desire to belong is a fundamental part of human nature, according to psychologists. People feel out of place when their sense of belonging is threatened…” (Mills, 2022). We as humans, need a sense of belonging to function, a space that connects you with others who share your beliefs is a way to fulfill that need. In class, Dr. Spigel stated, “Then when sacred space is lost, there are feelings of despair, that the world is ending…”, further proving the dependence of sacred spaces for a human's mental well-being. If we go back to the beginning of this blog post, we have a quote from The National Library of Medicine stating that a space can be made sacred by the people inside it, sometimes it is easier to deem a place as sacred when so many others already have said it before you, again giving that sense of community, and when that space is lost, so is your community.
All in all, sacred spaces are a fundamental part of our existence as human beings and we will continue to create these spaces to give ourselves a sense of security and peace.
Adelstein, Pamela. "Sacred Space." Global Advances in Health and Medicine, vol. 7, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1177/2164957X17751903. Accessed 25 Jan. 2024.
"Jerusalem." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Jan. 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem. Accessed 25 Jan. 2024.
“How the Need to Belong Drives Human Behavior, with Geoffrey L. Cohen, Phd.” American Psychological Association, American Psychological Association, Sept. 2022, www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/human-behavior.
Nice blog post that contemplates what makes different spaces sacred. While its fine to use the definition you did, I wonder why Eliade's definition wasn't also included in the post.
ReplyDeleteQuestions: are there really places that are "inherently" sacred? Or, are those places identified as "inherently" sacred by people? To whom is Jerusalem the 3rd holiest city? Is it the 3rd holiest to everyone? Is it the holiest to some? Does it have no holiness to others?