In class on Tuesday we talked about the article Sacred Space by Mircea Eliade. Some of the main things we talked about were axis mundi, sacred space, chaos, heaven, earth, and hell. We also talked about why people go on Pilgrimage.
We decided that one of the reasons people go on pilgrimages is because they are trying to find sacred space; a space that’s pure and real. The closer we get to sacred (or real) space, they further away we get from chaos.
I have done a lot of pilgrimages these past couple of years. I have moved a total of 5 times in the past 2 years. I started in Wisconsin, then to Minnesota, off to South Dakota, now in Iowa, and soon to be in Nebraska (South Sioux). As I reflect on my moves and the intentions I had, I would consider it a pilgrimage. I was looking to change some aspects in my life. I transferred so I could get a degree in ministry and religion. I also moved to be closer to my fiancé. I was looking for a place to call home and a purpose in life.
Brenton (my fiancé) and I have decided how we would like to run our household when we get married in a month. We have God at the center. If He is not at the center, we have already learned the hard way that there will be chaos. It is a sense of balance and purpose for the both of us to have God as our axis mundi. From there we continue to build from the center, out in our relationship.
I think it is important for everyone to find their axis mundi – the hinge that his or her life revolves on. Without some sense of direction, we get lost in the chaos.