The Experience of Sacredness
Related to Replenishing One’s Spirit

 

What is “The Experience of Sacredness”

To begin this explanation: within each person is the capacity to experience Sacredness; and for almost the entirety of recorded history, human cultures have included places where Sacredness can be experienced.

In Cultures around the world throughout history worship is perhaps the most well-known place where a person can seek experiencing Sacredness.  Also, people have sought exquisitely beautiful areas of nature to experience Sacredness. Whatever means may bring experiencing Sacredness, the commonality is:

1. An overall feeling of being Unconditionally Loved,
2. Total Peace,
3. the perception of self is expanded to a perception of interconnectedness with all life.  

There is a saying that all who live a lifestyle of Sacredness “speak the same language.” And in the advent of globalization and its increasingly worldwide information technology across national borders there can be a shared recognition and valuing of these three aspects of experiencing Sacredness. For upon such a basis, not only human life, but all life, and the life of this miraculous planet will be greatly benefitted. 

 A Sacred Place is one that facilitates
a person experiencing Sacredness.

For most of all human history, humans have created “Sacred Places.” Impressive structures, places of worship, etc. were and are used to distinguish the secular from the Sacred. These still can well serve the human need for experiencing Sacredness.  The global and cultural continuity of these human constructed Sacred Places speaks to a deep urge and need in humanity for the experience of Sacredness.  As religions unbind the experience of Sacredness from required tenets, doctrines, beliefs, etc. and promote it as part of a person’s personal life, they can be a powerful means for providing individuals a way to experiencing Sacredness in and of itself. 

Not to be missed, especially for those who have been disappointed, disenchanted, or hurt by religions and faiths, or just not interested in what these institutions have to offer, are places in nature that are so exquisite that, even if momentary, these experiences can bring a strong and real sense of Sacredness. The word “breath-taking” is often used to describe them. “Mountain top” experiences are another expression used. Some people have referred to these as “life-changing experiences” because Sacredness is so strongly felt that the person realizes there is so much more depth possible in their lives; and often, they wisely make this a priority value to pursue. 

Two Other Human Experiences that can Lead to
Experiencing Sacredness

One:

Not often, but sometimes a person may be at a point in life when all seems lost. In an often-overwhelming feeling of desolation and emptiness, (For anyone in this place now or even close to it, two offerings of support are “For Those in Need” from the replenishvitality.org website, as well as two music albums, “Soft Light” and  “Compassion’s Caress”   The notes about each piece of music can bring even greater depth to the musical experience.)  When the person has great faith that there is a Loving Presence, God, Higher Power, etc. perhaps not at that moment, but with sincere calling out, and then holding on, Sacredness replaces the emptiness, filling the person with that Unconditional Love, Total Peace, and no longer feeling just an isolated being, instead the realization of being part of a oneness of all life. Fullness replaces emptiness. And, the person, like a person with a “mountain top” experience, realizes the experience of Sacredness is beyond what humans can strive for in sociocultural achievements, or be bought, or even contrived. Even greater still, whereas in most of their life almost everything has a price, experiencing Sacredness is completely and freely given. With a new sense of a deeper reality to life, often they, wisely, begin seeking Sacred Places to continue their journey into integrating these experiences of Sacredness into their lives.

For others, who have rejected “having faith” in their lives, the journey is longer. The musical piece Triumph of Love which is the sixth piece of music on the album “Emerging Through the Suffering, musically expresses the journey of a person who begins in the emptiness and determines  to live through it. There is determination, but fear and self-doubt turn them from trying. Then, a few rain drops fall, and soon the person slowly feels something close to faith for the first time — perhaps there is “something greater than just myself,” As this feeling strengthens a “Storm of Loving Presence” feels the person. Now, with this faith that there is such Unconditional ever present Loving Presence, the person feels strengthened to live through the emptiness and determination returns. After this Storm of Loving Presence” the person takes on the difficult and painful path. But there is no self-doubt or fear. A Bell tolls 3 times in the music as the person has lost so much but knows they have broken through. Thundering of that Unconditional Love that accompanied them each step is heard as the person step by step begins a new, and so much fuller life. Each step may seem insignificant to some but is truly live-giving to the person. The music builds as the person emerges more and more into a life now richer having experienced faith and what this brings. There is also the riches of knowing that if and when emptiness and despair occur again, they can emerge through it. The musical piece is almost 25 minutes long, but a beautiful musical expression of this journey. Having faith (not a religious term, but a personal realization of that infinitely greater) “opens one’s being to experience Sacredness.

Two

There are also cases in which people successfully fill their lives by what can be achieved in socio/cultural status, wealth, power, etc. However, when these are lost, or when the feeling slowly but continually strengthens that all that they have achieved is shallow, they seek a deeper meaning in life.

For them, they often seek deeper meaning, which may lead them to explore religions, read wisdom writings, or spend more time in nature to begin that search. And in experiencing Sacredness they find the deeper sense of reality that was missing.

Please Note:

Those who seek that deeper reality of experiencing Sacredness in their lives are vulnerable to extremism, cults, paganism, etc. — “Leaders” promise what they are looking for, but merely are looking to take over and control their lives. For them especially, teaching about experiencing Sacredness and where and how to experience it is vital.