Time and Eternity/Books of Hours

In chapters three and four of Sacred Time and the Search For Meaning, Gary Eberle once again delves into a deep analysis of the meaning of sacred time, how we achieve it, and what makes it desirable. His investigation of the topic draws convincing support from many different sources, including mythology, history, and religious tradition. The real value though (or detriment if you don't believe in what he is selling), comes from his personal assertions about the subject of sacred time. Based on the fact that this excerpt is two chapters long, the Eberle's material can easily broken down into two key points. These points are first introduced in the chapter titles, "Time and Eternity" and "Books of Hours," and then are developed in the ensuing text.

Chapter three, titled "Time and Eternity," addresses the disconnect between the dynamic time that we experience and the eternity that we hope to one day embrace. Eberle opens the chapter by briefly talking about the paradox that is time: "everything changes and yet also remains the same." Logos, defined as man's ability to comprehend the unifying undertones of of the ever shifting world, is what combats this paradox. Several philosophers are referenced in regards to comprehending our dynamic reality. Zeno, for example, described things as an arrow in flight (the now constantly replacing the previous now) and Plato said that "the moving shadows are what we normaly take for reality in the world of time," but sometimes a philosopher will catch a glimpse of whats casting the shadows. Eberle then asserts that although the relationship between time and eternity is almost impossible to comprehend, ideas put forth in mythology come close to explaining it. The ultimate conclusion drawn here is that "the world of pain and death, dominated by the destructive aspect of Time, is not the be-all end-all" because"even we modern time-bound creatures may find a way to become immortal." The remainder of this chapter is spent discussing how this immortality can be achieved: through religious traditions, prayer, and meditation. The support given for this is that such spiritual practices foster the natural rhythms intrinsic to our being. His assertion towards the end of the chapter perfectly sums this up: "Religious rites and symbols, with their unique ability to penetrate and unify layers of consciousness, provide a powerful way to mark and effect life changes and to coordinate them with events in the outer world."

In chapter four, titled "Books of Hours", Eberele addresses when exactly it was that time and eternity became separated from each other. The terminology that he uses to describe this, "secular time" referring to our modern hustle and bustle and "sacred time" referring to solidarity with eternity, makes reference to the main point in the previous chapter: that religious practices foster a healthy understanding of time. In support of this point, Eberele highlights the similarities and differences between the daily planner of medievel times (prayer books) and the daily planner of today. The only real similarities he points are that each is "fancily bound and has an impressive clasp," and that both were/are revered extensively, unfortunately the likeness ends here. While prayer books fostered contemplation, reflection and the distant future, daily planners foster efficiency, sorrow, and the immediate future. The most explicit example of this transition from revering sacred time to revering secular time can be seen by analyzing the Benedictine monks. Originally, they were not constrained to a strict conception of time; they simply woke up with the sunrise, went to bed with the sunset, and timed there daily activities by the number of prayers they completed (it is important to note that this meant that hours were much longer in the summer than in the winter, and that time was contingent on the rate that they said prayers). These temporal practices were very conducive to appreciating sacred time because it was in line with natural cadences. Unfortunately, "the flexible, fluid, dynamic rhythm of the chant was being replaced by the steady beat of a the metronome" when the Benedictine monks instituted their first mechanical clock. Clocks soon spread across the world, and in turn, the transition from "temporal nonchalance" to the fast paced (daily planner) lifestyle would never be halted.

The combination of these two chapter evoke some pretty strong emotions in me. I was really amazed (and at the same time depressed) by the fact that we ignore our intrinsic rhythms. To me it seems like we are doing ourselves a great injustice by ignoring the sense of time that comes from within. For example, I have a terrible time waking up in the morning. This probably is the result of two things: poor sleep habits and my reliance on an alarm clock. I am confident that if I had been forced to abide by my natural sleep schedule (sleep when I am tired, probably sometime after sunset, and wake when I am rested, probably sometime after sunrise) that I would be able to wake up much easier and feel much more rested. Another thing that stirred up strong emotions was Eberele's commentary on the Benedictine monks and their temporal transitions. Prior to 1200, and the introduction of their first clock, these Monks lived a very envious lifestyle: one free from the pressure of deadlines, time restrictions, and tangible lateness. It was very sad to hear how this simplicity was destroyed by clocks. Eberele quotes Eviatar Zerubavel in support of this: "The replacedment of seasonably variable 'hour'...by durationally uniform hours...anchored in clock time alone was just one further step in the evolution from naturally based temporal order to an artificial and conventional one." All in all, these two chapter made me question my conceptions of secular time and envy those who have experienced sacred time.

When relating this reading to the big picture, one connection immediately jumped out at me. This was the term "kairos" which holds a place very near and dear to my heart. When I was younger, I went to a Catholic high schol where retreats played a big role in our spiritual lives. The most prestigious, powerful, and mysterious of these retreats was called Kairos. Eberle defines kairos as "moments when time presented us with possiblities of action, decision, and most of all, opportunity." The Kairos retreat I went on, and later lead, perfectly embodied this definition: we discussed christian action, evaluated personal decision, and saught new spiritual opportunities. The most important ideal of the Kairos, which ties in very well with all of Eberle work, is that we must capture the sense of eternity that we experience on the retreat (where it is very easy to ignore secular time) and apply it to our everyday lives (where it is very hard to ignore secular time). With the right attitude and determination, one can undoubtedly leave the retreat with a renewed sense of eternity, even if it only remains resilient for a little while.

Essentially what Eberle is trying to get at is that ever since the middle ages, there has been a steady progression away from sacred time and towards secular time. To me it seems like this has been caused by things that include but are not limited to: industrialism, consumerism, capitalism, colonization, etc. In terms of application to my life, I intend to take the things I learned in this article, particularly those about natural rhythms and intrinsic beats, and apply them to my everyday activities. Ultimately, this will be a very difficult task. The society that we live in is one dominated by secular time, with little to no emphasis placed on sacred time. Accordingly, it will be tough rebelling against these wildly accepted ideals. Regardless of these facts, I intend to. The happiness, contentment, and peace that Eberle says result from an emphasis on sacred time are definitely worth the struggle. At the end of the day, secular time is focused on material gain; the spiritual gain I will receive by focusing on sacred time will be far more beneficial to my well being. Sacred time seems like a necessity for constructing a good life and for flourishing.

Questions -

Are spiritual retreats a good way to capture this dynamic between time and eternity?

Did those who studied mythology realize that they had stumbled upon tangible explanations for a very intangible concept?

Is there anyway to undo the damage that has been done by clocks and other secular time devices such as daily planners?