The Ontological Approach - Nina Salzberg

In Lane's book, he discusses three approaches to understanding sacred place. Ontological, cultural, and phenomenological. Lane exaplains the ontological approach as this : "From this perspective, a sacred place is radically set apart from everything profane; it is a site recognized as manifesting its own inherent, chthonic power and numinosity. It is a place of hierophany, where supernatural forces have invaded the ordinary." This statement basically means that sacred place is set apart from the nonreligious, it is a site recognized as showing its own power within you and power rising up from earth, sky, or water. Its a place of holly appearance. But sacred places never show themselves in full view. Lane states that those experience this are participating in mystery. A mystery is something unknown. Something that gives clues, yet nothing to give the answer away. But also, some mysteries are never answered. Some are left wondering "what if".