<aside> 🚩 Flagship Game: None yet.

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Rebuilding sacred space and ritual in a burned-out world

Supporting diverse sources of meaning requires spaces and moments tailored to those meanings. When a space is tailored to a kind of meaning, that is called sacred space. When a moment is tailored to a kind of meaning, that is called ritual.

Modern societies suffer from a shortage of sacred space and ritual, even for widespread meanings and values. Spaces and rituals for weird meanings and values—for newer ways to be human and together—are even harder to find. They get squeezed out by other factors. To be general about it, various kinds of perverse incentives crush sacred space and ritual. This has become a big problem in modern life.

We are interested in tracing the boundaries here. When does a moment become an opportunity for meaningful choices, actions, or thoughts? How small a change in priority is required? And when do things turn the other way—when does the sacred collapse? We are interested in noticing exactly what is going on when meaning gets squeezed out. E.g.:

• When do goal-achievement related concerns override spaces of meaning? That is, when do concerns of efficiency crowd out more meaningful approaches?
• When do performativity or reputational concerns override spaces of meaning? That is, when does looking good or being good override doing it right?
• What kinds of personal consciousness lead to sacred spaces and times? We are all asking ourselves some questions, subconsciously, repeatedly. Some of these questions might support meaningful living, and some might not. Consider the following questions: "What do I need to do next?", "What am I feeling/experiencing and how can I accept it?", "What role am I performing?", "Who programmed me to do this?", “What would be important to me if I could set my goals or fears aside?", “What am I appreciating? What is important to me here?”.

To be reminded what sacred spaces and rituals are like, it may help to mine the histories of secret societies, churches, suicide clubs, mafias, street games, violent mobs, mutual benefit societies, penpals, zines, tape clubs, and unsafe psychology experiments.

Activities for Creating Sacred Space and Ritual

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Future Togetherness Handbook

← Ch 4. Unusual Appreciations

→ Ch 6. Larger Social Systems