Sacred Space(s)

An initial encounter with Lincoln Cathedral

One of My Favorite Things

Sometimes I get into arguments with my Self. Historically I have usually won these debates. Sometimes my Self does. That’s always best.

The most recent such internal argument started the other day when someone asked me if I had ever been to Dachau. I have not. We did spend two days in Nuremberg several years ago. That was a powerful experience.

My friend who asked me that question went on to talk about his experience there and how the place had such “bad energy” for him. There was an awesome sense of awfulness about it.

That got me to rethinking: are some places “different” than others?

For years now I have taught the importance of both “non-dual mind” and that there is no division between “sacred” and “secular.” All and everything are one. Cosmological dualism is not a healthy spiritual perspective.

And yet -

I have lived for a year now in anticipation of our visit to the historical cathedral in Lincoln, England. Over the years I have been drawn to such places and seen them - and experienced them! - to be “special.” I have stepped into cathedrals in places like Leon, Spain and been overcome with the awesome wonder: Where did this come from?! Who thought of this?

In an era prior to the printing press, to say nothing of the internet, where did the artistic skill at so many levels come from to create these structures?

The division of geography into “sacred” and “secular” space is relatively recent. Our human ancestors experienced all of life and living as “sacred.” And, yet, there are times and places where our awareness of this “breaks” through. I’m thinking of something like Moses hearing a voice saying, “Take off your shoes. The place where you are standing is holy ground.” Or, astronaut Russell Schweickart’s looking back from space and seeing the earth as a sacred sphere.

For the next several postings here, I intend to explore this matter while experiencing and exploring the historic cathedral here in Lincoln.

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I am writing this early on Sunday morning. We will be going to the cathedral twice today for services and exploration. Then, every day for the next week we will sped time in this amazing place - with time for a guided tour and personal explorations.

We left Houston on Friday night after a bit of a delay - the airport was closed for a while due to torrential rain. Then, overnight to London and, after arrival, a three hour coach ride to Lincoln.

I knew we were in for some encounter with history when, in order to get to our hotel, we drove through an arch that was built in 600 A.D.

Stay tuned - we are off to experience a structure that, when built, was the tallest building on the planet - even taller than the pyramids. It was built over a span of 200 years and used to house the Magna Carta. It is huge. That’s pretty much all I know at the moment. Stay tuned.

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After making two trips into the cathedral and attending two of the over thirty-five (!) services conducted in it each week, I can confidently say a number of things:

Lincoln Cathedral is easily one of the most historically and architecturally important religious buildings in the world;

It is like the Grand Canyon in that no single photograph can convey the grandeur of the size, art, or architecture of the place;

Or, convey its long history. Construction on the cathedral began in 1072 and it began to be used within twenty years. However, additional construction and expansions continued for the next two hundred years.

At one end of the huge nave is a space called St. Huge’s choir. The entirety of St. Paul’s could comfortably fit in this space with room left over. This is where the two services I attend today were held. Tomorrow morning our group is to be given a private tour of the entire structure and grounds.

I had decided I was done with international travel until I happened to see a guide book for the cathedral. In it I read this written by John Ruskin in 1883:

“I have always held that the Cathedral at Lincoln is out-and-out the most precious piece of architecture the British Islands.” I would agree with that assessment.

Tomorrow we will spend much of the day taking the guided tour and, then, exploring on our own. In addition, the St. Paul’s renown choir begins their residency here tomorrow and hearing them perform in this space will be a “sacred space” experience for sure.

Much love,

Bill Kerley