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Sacred Space and Time

A few examples

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Sacred vs. Profane

The Sacred is that which is notordinary or common.

The profane is common or utilitarian.

The Sacred is seen as having bothontological andpsychologicalimportance.

Ontology = study of being

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Sacred Space

Temples, Shrines and Altars areexamples of Sacred Space.

This is the place where humans andthe Sacred interact with each other.

E.g. the place where Sin is atoned orthe Priest offers sacrifice.

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Symbolism of the SacredSpace

Sacred spaces are typicallyrepresentative of the creation(cosmogony).

They can also represent a place thathas historical significance to thereligion

Kaba: Built by Abraham and Ishmael. Wailing Wall: Western Wall of the

Temple

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Examples of Sacred Space

Buddhist Stupa

Shaped torepresent a Bodhi

Tree. Where the Buddha

first reachedenlightenment.

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Mount Sinai

The place whereMoses went up tomeet with God

and he therereceived the Law.

Mount Zion laterwhere the Jewish

Temple waslocated, in

Jerusalem.

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Mecca

One of the FivePillars of Islam isa Pilgrimage to

Mecca (Hajj). Muhammad was

born in Mecca(570 AD).

The center of theIslamic world.

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The Hajj

Religiouspilgrimage.

Occurs at the same

time every year(Islamiccalander).

2009 it was Nov.

25-29

In 2009 1.6million people

made the Hajj

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Sai

They rapidly walkor run back andforth between

two hills (Safaand Marwah).

Re-enactment ofwhen Hagar was

franticallysearching forwater.

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Arafat

They go to Mt.Arafat, nearwhere

Muhammad gavehis last sermon,and spend theday in

prayer/recitationof the Quran.

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Ramy al-Jamarat

Throw stones inorder to showtheir defiance to

the Devil. Symbolizes the

trials thatAbraham

experience whendeciding if hewas going tosacrifice Ishmael

to Allah.

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Eid al-Adha

After the Stoning ofthe Devil, there isanimal sacrifice.

To Symbolize thatAllah showedmercy onAbraham and

Ishmael byproviding a Ram.

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Sacred Time

Times that are set apart as Sacred

Days of Worship

Holy Days Festivals

Life-Cycle

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Examples:

Hindu Life Cycle:

Four Stages of a Hindu Life Cycle:

The Student: sitting with a guru,studying vedas

The Householder: Marriage, childrenand community involvement.

Retirement: Possibly the husbandand wife could go become hermits.

Ascetic: Rejection of life in order toobtain Moksha. Enter this stage at

any time.

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Sabbath

The Jewish Sabbathis an example ofa Holy Day.

From sundown on

Friday tosundown onSaturday.

One of the TenCommandments

Cosmogony

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Festivals

Vaisakhi SikhFestival

Marks a new

Harvest year April 13th or 14th

Marks the new yearfor Sikhs

Represents whenSikhism wasgiven a clear

identity.

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Islamic Prayer Time

Salat (prayer) is oneof the five pillars.

Prayer is done fivetimes a day.

Near dawn

Just after noon

In the afternoon

Sunset

Nightfall

Pray towards Mecca

http://www.qibla.org/

http://www.qibla.org/http://www.qibla.org/

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Friday

On Friday, we are discussing threetexts.

1. From the Bhagavad-Gita

2. From Exodus

3. From the Hadith