Inner space as sacred space: the temple as metaphor for the mystical experience

Cross Currents, Fall, 2002 by George Wolfe

First, there is the experience of inner quietude. The silence deep within the mind comes to the foreground of our experience while mental activity recedes into the background and can even subside altogether. It is a psycho-physiological experience, the wakeful settling of the mind being accompanied by a profound and enjoyable state of relaxation.

Second, one experiences what is referred to as the state of non-desire. This condition of non-desire is not an exercise in desire repression. Rather, the mind settles into a state of such inner contentment and tranquillity in desires simply are no longer present. To use my own analogy, "sitting in the sunlight, we do not find ourselves desiring a candle." It is not that we have to keep ourselves from desiring a candle. The need for a candle simply does not arise due to the fulfillment provided by the sunlight.

Third, there is the experience of transcendence or "awareness by itself." In mystical literature, awareness is equated with light, because it is prerequisite to experiencing and knowing. "Pure consciousness" as it is referred to in the Upanishads, is said to be "beyond thought" but "not beyond the meditation of the sage" (Prabhavananda, 1948). It is "that which cannot be seen by the eye but by which the eye sees" or "that which cannot be heard by the ear, but by which the ear hears" or "that which cannot be comprehended by the mind but by which the mind comprehends" (Prabhavananda, 1948). It is the "screen" onto which all thought and sensory images are cast. Conversely, ignorance traditionally has been equated with darkness. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says. "I destroy the darkness born of ignorance by the shining light of wisdom" (Deutsch, 1968). Similarly, the Gospel of John quotes Jesus as saying, "he who follows me will not walk in darkness but have the light of life" (John 8:12 RSV). In the context of the mystical experience, this "light of life" or "light of wisdom" is that inner pristine awareness which, when experienced by itself, free from the boundaries and limitations of thought, awakens the mental faculties that make possible the realization of the Divine.

Finally, experiencing pure awareness places the practitioner in a state of inner reflection. In the state of non-desire, the voluntary individual will temporarily has been disengaged and one is left to "witness" the involuntary stream of subtle, non-directed thoughts and feelings flowing within. This involuntary stream of mental activity is the fertile ground of creative inner flow from which realizations are spontaneously born. Through the regular practice of meditation one becomes increasingly aware of this wellspring within, and more receptive to the realizations that arise from this unfathomable reservoir of creativity.

Confined sacred spaces such as we have in a temple, church, synagogue, or mosque include features which represent the four experiences common to contemplative practice enumerated above. First, regardless of the religious context, sacred spaces are treated with reverence, and respecting the silence present in the space is an important means of honoring and preserving the space's sanctity. This outer silence is conducive to removing sensory distractions and objects of desire so the mind can begin to settle and focus in preparation for spiritual practice. Second, the decor within the space, with its emphasis on virtue and sacrifice, facilitates the presence of an inward-looking frame of mind in the state of non-desire. In ages where the vast majority of the public was illiterate, temple artwork became a means through which the epic stories of heroism, virtue, and self-sacrifice, important to a religious tradition, were taught and passed on to succeeding generations. The nature of these stories inspires devotees to realize and be guided by their higher and virtuous spiritual nature rather than their lower, selfish animal nature. (3) Third, there is a noticeable light source, a strategically placed window or flame, symbolizing the power the light of realization has over ignorance. Finally, any rituals that take place in the sacred space, whether they be in the form of personal devotions or group ceremonies, carry rich symbolic meaning revealed as one reflects on the imagery within the ceremonial rites and, where permitted. temple artwork.