How is a sacred site created? What technical factors and what cultural symbols influence the sanctification of the site? What do researchers in various disciplines generally ask about sacred places?
The lecture (in Hebrew) describes a model for the formation of sacred spaces, through the case study of the site Kursi, and concludes with a discussion of different scientific research approaches to this field and the problematic nature of the currently accepted scientific approach.
The full title of the lecture was: Theoretical Reflections on the Process of the Formation of Sacred Spaces – Between Technical and Content Aspects.
The lecture was included in a session on “Consciousness and the Magical and Sacred Space”, chaired by Prof. Yossi Glikson, and attended by Golan Shapira Boyer and Dr. Tal Dotan Ben-Shoshan. As part of the conference “Ways of Knowing: Science, Mystery and the Expansion of Consciousness” held at the University of Haifa, March 9-10, 2025. (Prof. Marianna Ruah-Midbar Shapiro and Prof. Yossi Glikson were also members of the scientific committee of the entire conference.)
In addition to this lecture, the site contains additional items (lectures and articles, in Hebrew and English) describing the research project about Kursi and sacred geography in general. See links below (the lecture is part of a research project dealing with alternative sacred geography, by Ruah-Midbar Shapiro).
Abstract
A special opportunity comes upon the path of contemporary spirituality/religion researchers – to follow the process of the formation of spiritual spaces in real time. And in Israel, one can witness the formation of an alternative map of holiness in the Holy Land over the past few years. In this process, new sites are emerging on the map, connections are being forged between sites, new explanations emerge for the holiness of old places or even a new understanding of the holiness of the land (or of places on earth in general), and at the same time, new practices for sanctifying space are emerging.
In the lecture, I will present a model that relates to the process of the formation of a sacred space – how are the elements selected for the emerging myth of holiness? The model presents the dialectic between the technical/physical axis and the cultural/symbolic axis, in the process of the formation of the story and action around the sacred place. The Kursi pilgrimage site on the shore of the Sea of Galilee – which became a sacred site for spiritual and neo-shamanic circles – will be presented as a test case for this model.
The video (in Hebrew) presents opening remarks by Prof. Yossi Glikson, chairman of the session, and the lecture by Prof. Marianna Ruah-Midbar Shapiro:
Lecturer
Marianna Ruah-Midbar Shapiro
Links
For the (Hebrew) website of the conference “Ways of Knowing: Science, Mystery and the Expansion of Consciousness” held at the University of Haifa (March 2025) – click here.
To download the conference book (all abstracts, in Hebrew) – click here.
To download the (Hebrew) lecture abstract – click here.
To download the session’s summary in which the lecture was included (including abstracts of the three lectures) – click here.
Date
March 2025
Language
Hebrew
Academic/Non-academic
Academic item
