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ing trees in the middle of storms and by exploring the ever-changing worlds of glaciers. Just because you aren't religious in the traditional sense doesn't mean you can't inject sacredness into your life. Sacred Time One of the potent powers of ritual is its ability to set off certain times and spaces as sacred, as "something basically and to- tally different" than the profane. Let's talk first about the idea of sacred time. Eliade argued that all rituals at their core are reenactments of the primordial deeds performed by God, gods, or mythi- cal ancestors during the period of cre- ation. In imitating the gods, it is as if the original events are happening once more, and the ritual releases some of the potent, transformative power that was present at the very beginning of the world. The ritu- als are able to re-create and re-found the world, re-sacralizing time and beginning it anew, so that each ritual restores fresh- ness and strength to a worn out world. The Abrahamic religions have a less cyclical and more historical, linear view of time than some faiths, but their rituals also allow the participant to "periodically become contemporary with the gods" and the faith's heroes. When a Christian participates in the Eucharist or a Jew in the Seder, they are reliving the original Last Supper and the Exodus. The sacred power that was present during the origi- nal event is re-created. It is an experience of ritual remembering that connects the participant not only to the original actors, but to all those who have performed the same ritual throughout the ages. In this way past and present are integrated, providing the participant with a sense of continuity; profane time is subordinated and sacred, eternal time emerges. The power of ritually-created sacred (or at least significant) time applies outside the realm of religion as well. Think of an institution that draws on past traditions to inform its current identity and code of behavior. In such a case the ritual may not release sacred power when reenacted, but simply serves to refresh members' minds about the found- ing events and the groups' basic values, inspiring the inheritors of the legacy to carry them on. For example, the Fourth of July, if intentionally ritualized, can serve as a time to reflect on the founding values, of, well, the Founders. Sacred Space Rituals cannot only set apart particular times as sacred, but certain spaces as well. In religious traditions, these sacred spaces are places where the veil between humans and the transcendent are thin, facilitating communication between heaven and earth. When you step into a sacred space, you can leave the profane world behind. Time is also transcended (as just discussed) and you can travel back to the past to participate in your faith's founding events. Entering into sacred space, you enter into a state of "liminality" — a state of be- ing in-between – neither here nor there. Dr. Tom F. Driver explains how this allows you to become someone different than who you are in your "normal" life: "When people engage in ritual activity, they separate themselves, partially if not totally, from the roles and statuses they have in the workaday world. There is a threshold in time and space or both, and certainly a demarcation of behavior over which people pass when entering into ritual. The day-to-day world, with its social structure, is temporarily suspended." Rituals cannot only sacralize a general environment, but the physical objects within that space (the people too, but we'll talk about that next time). Elements The Art of Manliness Continued JOBS for TEAMS | 18 www.jobsfor teams.com JobsForTeams0314_manliness.indd 3 2/5/14 9:05 AM