{"id":3709,"date":"2025-01-31T15:58:14","date_gmt":"2025-01-31T06:58:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shepherblog.com\/?p=3709"},"modified":"2025-11-30T18:10:04","modified_gmt":"2025-11-30T09:10:04","slug":"the-third-dimension-of-the-mind-divinity-and-the-sense-of-elevation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/openendedproject.com\/en\/the-third-dimension-of-the-mind-divinity-and-the-sense-of-elevation\/","title":{"rendered":"The Third Dimension of the Mind: Divinity and the Sense of Elevation"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In human culture, group life can be divided into two distinct dimensions: the horizontal dimension<\/strong> and the vertical dimension<\/strong>.<\/p>

The horizontal dimension<\/strong> represents the degree of intimacy or affection, while the vertical dimension<\/strong> symbolizes hierarchy or social status, determining our influence and position within a group.<\/p>

Most of the time, our lives revolve within these two dimensions. However, on rare occasions, we experience an indescribable \u201csense of elevation.\u201d<\/strong> This feeling is neither an interpersonal interaction on the horizontal axis nor an advancement in social status on the vertical axis\u2014it is a form of spiritual transcendence that goes beyond the mundane.<\/p>

Social psychologist\u00a0Jonathan Haidt<\/a>\u00a0describes this psychological experience as the third dimension of human existence: divinity.<\/strong><\/p>

In certain religious settings\u2014such as large-scale pilgrimage processions, Christian worship services, or the Hajj in Islam\u2014we can sense the power of the collective and an inner resonance, leading to a profound sense of elevation.<\/em><\/p>

However, divinity<\/strong> does not necessarily imply the literal existence of God or the ability to perceive God’s presence. Instead, it points to a psychological state\u2014humans have an innate and irresistible longing for the sacred. The roots of this longing are deeply intertwined with our fundamental emotions.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Divinity and the Emotion of Disgust<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Haidt\u2019s research suggests that humanity\u2019s pursuit of divinity<\/strong> may stem from an emotion that appears to be negative\u2014disgust<\/strong>.<\/p>

From a biological perspective, disgust<\/strong> plays a crucial role in helping humans filter their food choices, preventing us from consuming spoiled or harmful substances. However, as human physiology and culture evolved, the reaction triggered by disgust extended beyond physical substances to moral and spiritual dimensions<\/strong>.<\/p>

Haidt found that across cultures, moral guidelines consistently exhibit taboos against pollutants such as blood and bodily waste<\/strong>. This is evident in religious texts like the Bible<\/em> and the Qur’an<\/em>, which contain numerous prohibitions against impure substances.<\/p>

Our disgust response<\/strong> plays a significant role in shaping our moral compass. We don\u2019t just seek external cleanliness<\/strong>\u2014we also strive for inner purity<\/strong>.<\/p>

For instance:<\/p>