8.0.9.1 A Secular Sacred Life

Version 1.1 November 2014                         (Previous Version)

We often do talk of the sacred in a non-spiritual context. 

Fanatical followers of various sports, such as football and cricket, cling to their traditions and only half jokingly refer to traditional playing fields as sacred turf.  Some of the rituals that accompany sporting finals are deemed by commentators to be sacred.

Unfortunately the word sacred has been hijacked by traditional religion, linking objects, places and practices to god(s) or the supernatural.  It has also been co-opted by fantasy writers creating magical, mythical worlds, in stories, movies and computer games.

For instance, Australian Aboriginals claim a connection with country, with the land of their ancestors, the home of myth and law, and through that to the spirit world, the world of values.  We can have this now, in our cities and country, in community, in connection, that is face to face or via Facebook and other broadcast and social media.  In a world of information, law, science, innovation, software and the internet, we have moved beyond the world of mere appearances: we live emotionally in an imagined universe – that we must align with reality.

We must hijack the word sacred back, to refer to our emotional connection to the world and our communities.  Emotion drives us to make the choices that reflect our values, to preserve ourselves and seek joy.  Our sense of the sacred is an emotional response to things, places, events and choices we value, especially the social bonds that bind us into a caring society.

We can have a sense of the secular sacred in our personal lives and in our communities. 

·       Places where many lives have been lost, often in war, are often called sacred ground, such as Nazi extermination camps, Cambodia’s Killing Fields and Rwandan massacre sites.

·       We can label as sacred objects that in themselves may be worthless but which signify major events – such as archaeological treasures or original national documents – or personal items – such as photos of departed lovers or artefacts associated with them.

·       The great works of art and architecture are part of our sacred heritage. 

·       An overwhelming, beautiful experience – of a natural scene, music, or making love – when we feel a direct connection to something or someone outside ourselves, can be sacred.

·       Mindfully stepping through a ritual that symbolizes our connection to the world can be described as entering sacred time.  (Rituals are discussed in section 8.0.10)

·       Making a decision to live by our values, to save lives or promulgate the truth, at risk to ourselves, we can affirm as our sacred duty.  We often speak of sacred duty in the context of defending freedom and democracy, but also in relation to our family responsibilities.

As we go through our day to day lives, conscientiously living according to our values, dealing politely and fairly with everyone we meet, preserving our liveable environment, complying with the law and participating in democratic institutions, we can feel we are in sacred time.