Landscapes of the Sacred 1: Axioms 1 & 2

Landscapes of the Sacred 1: Axioms 1 & 2
December 10, 2017
In this book the author, Belden Lane, describes four axioms (rules) that characterize sacred space. In this blog I will examine the first and second.
“The Sacred Place is not chosen, it chooses” (19).
Lane explains that after one stops desperately trying to seek out a sacred spot or moment with God, then they are more likely to actually encounter God. Lane states that “God chooses to reveal himself where he wills” (19).

The second axiom is that the “sacred place is ordinare place, ritually made extraordinary” (19).
Lane points out that the sacredness of a place is not dependent on the functionality or beauty of a place. I love these two axions a lot because they highlight the power of God. It is God who chooses to reveal himself, and it rituals done unto him that make a place sacred.

During my semester in Glasgow, a certain spot in  the city became a sacred place to me. Each time I visited this place I felt overwhelmed by peace and encouraged by the Lord. To me, this spot became a place of sitting in awe of the God. Regardless of what I was experiencing (whether good or bad), this place was a space where I could go, and be reminded of the blessings the Lord had given me.

Below I have included a picture of this sacred place.



This spot was only a seven minute walk from my apartment. In times of happiness and sadness, I would brave the chilly weather and run here. Sometimes I would bring a guitar to play by the water, other times I would bring a notebook to journal, and other time I would just sit in silence. This spot was a place of connecting with God.

God chose to reveal himself to me in this space, and it was made sacred through personal ritual.

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