Sacred and Profane Space

Diagram by Bill Stifler, 2009

This diagram, based on the ideas of Mircea Eliade, illustrates the profane world, which is bounded by time and space and the sacred world, the transcendent infinite and eternal world. Entering  a sacred space opens a person to the transcendent realm.

The image shows a circle labelled the Profane World, Everyday world of time & space.

Inside this large circle is a small oval labled Sacred Space.

The area outside of the large circle is labled Sacred World, Infinite, eternal, timeless realm.

From the upper left hand corner, an arrow points down toward the small oval inside the large circle.  The caption reads: Recommect to moment of creation--renewal.

Entering a sacred space reconnects a person to the moment of creation and serves as a renewal of the spiritual according to Eliade.

From the right hand side of the image, two lines run between the small oval representing sacred space and a caption which reads "Entering the sacred space opens a person to the transcendent realm.

In other words, according to Eliade, the sacred space represents an inclusion into the world of time and space a part of the infinite and timeless sacred world so that a person in sacred space has seemingly stepped out of time and space.