Sacred Center. Do I Have One?
September 15, 2011 by Drew
Filed under Passport/Intro. to Religion, Uncategorized
All of our studying about Eliade’s model of pilgrimage has me thinking a lot about how the axis mundi is that one spot where people of a religion feel the closest connection to the heavens. This place is like the ladder to God/the gods. It was very easy to learn this as a concept, but it took me awhile to take it into reality. When I did start thinking about this concept in our world, I started thinking about my own religious life. I questioned myself: Do I have a sacred center where I feel closer to God? If I do, where is it and do I tend to be drawn there?
After I thought about these questions for awhile, I really couldn’t think of that one place. I have had many different places where I feel closest to God. I have gone to an FCA camp, a mission trip, concerts, and my home church services, but I can’t say one is my sacred center. I also have prayed a lot in my room at my house, but again, I can’t say I feel closer to God there more than these other places. My faith has been like a roller coaster with its many ups and downs most of my life. I can’t help but wonder if this may be because I don’t have that one sacred place. I can’t run to one spot and feel closer to God in my prayer or bible study. I don’t know if having a sacred center would make my faith stronger and more consistent, but I think finding one is worth giving consideration.
Drew, what a great blog. I honestly thought the same thing after learning about axis mundi. Do I have a sacred center? In fact, I decided, I do. At my grandparents house there is a tree, it’s a great climbing tree. When I was younger whenever I got into trouble or got mad I would climb the tree and stay there until my dad had to physically come get me down. I’m pretty sure I fell asleep in the tree a few times and my dad carried me back inside. As I got older, I would sit in the tree (it had a perfect branch to sit and lean against like a recliner, no joke) to read or just to think. I believe that is my sacred center. I think the combination of being outside and having seen the tree since I was a child. I never felt close to God in a building, I have to be outside. Honestly though I don’t think you have to have one sacred center and maybe you have one and you don’t know yet. Anyway, I loved reading your blog and I really like your writing style. I will probably be reading your blog again!
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