Ashley Pepper - Landscapes of the Sacred (3)

Using Lane's four axioms (rules) to help the student of American spirituality understand the character of sacred place, teaches them knowledge about what makes a place sacred and how to come across one. The four axioms, in order as introduced to us in Lane's book are : 1. Sacred place is not chosen, it chooses, 2. sacred place is ordinary place, ritually made extraordinary, 3. Sacred place can be treed upon without being entered, 4. the impulse of sacred place is both centripetal and centrifugal, local and universal.
The first axiom expresses Lane's quote about God appearing as he wills. This explains that one can not walk into a place and say, "looks sacred to me. let's call its sacred." It does not work that way. God reveals himself in unique and indescribable ways; when he wants to he will. Finding or stumbling across a sacred place is similar to finding or stumbling across love. When searching directly for it, it will not be found, but when dismissed and off guard it will present itself to you. Keeping your sense aware and mind clear will help you to find one of these places, or rather help one of these places find you.
Lane's second axiom express Lane's comment about how when he felt complete silence he felt that through the silence ritual, the space was made extraordinary. Also from Lane's writing, he states that a place is just simply a place until a ritual is performed, then the space becomes sacred. For example, in class reviewing all of Dr. Redick's photos from his journeys rituals can be seen. Rituals such as people adding rocks to a pile over years and years. Such a ritual act makes that particular place sacred because the placing of the rock represents spiritual meaning.
The third axiom explains a sense of consciousness. Mentally, spiritually, one can be zoned into a sacred place without having to be present in one. For example, a memory or object could show up in a person's head and bring them back to a time of spirituality. They do not have to physically be at the place where the memory occurred to feel the presence of the sacred aspects.
Finally Lane's fourth axiom tells of how he would find God in such a place that was deserted as well as in a clearing of the woods and by a river or stream. This meant that God was not just found in one place, he was found in numerous places. Sacred places are not solely in one designated area, they can be just about anywhere; anywhere containing ritual.