One thing that traditional faith based and supernaturally oriented communities do well is create an alternate environment suggesting- “What happens here is separate from our ordinary, everyday experience.” This is accomplished with sights – cathedrals, stained glass windows, candles, prayer rugs, statues, Buddhas, Torahs, mandalas, and crystals; with sounds – Tibetan singing bowls, Tingsha Bells, church bells, choral singing, pipe organs, cantorial chanting, and the blowing of a rams horn; and even with aromas like frankincense, and spice boxes, all creating a distinctively alternative ambiance.
Although the practice of Naturalistic Humanism is not a pathway to the supernatural, it is nonetheless an entry point to that which is unknown. We engage in Naturalistic Humanism experimental activities to become aware of knowledge, thoughts and feelings unknown to us at the outset. Accordingly, like traditional faith-based and supernatural oriented communities, the space in which Naturalistic Humanism meetings take place should also provide an alternative ambiance suggesting experiences that are novel and enlightening.
Until Naturalistic Humanist groups expand to a size where a dedicated meeting space is necessary and financially feasible, groups are likely to be hosted in participant’s homes, or other available spaces. Even at such an early stage, a few simple elements can help create a conducive meeting atmosphere including soft lighting, candles, flowers, an ornamental fabric covering the table where materials used during the group are placed, and a poster featuring some cosmic content.
When groups expend to larger more permanent venues freedom of expression will be paramount and no artifacts should be disallowed due solely to prior association. If they wish, communities should feel free to include objects which allude to the variety and long history of past approaches to transformative experiences. The inclusion of such objects in a secular naturalistic environment is not to signify exclusive tribal identity, faith, devotion, endorsement of the traditions that produced them, nor to suggest that they hold sacred power – but for the value of their historical significance and artistic beauty.
Any of the relatively simple tools of early science can also provide some fully naturalistic “mystical and magical” appearing artifacts — excellent elements for a Naturalistic Humanist community space. Because of their simplicity they offer an accessible path to scientific knowledge.
Examples of instruments like astrolabes, Galileo’s ramps for measuring gravitational velocity, Torricelli’s barometer, early cathode ray tubes, Volta piles and Tesla coils are shown in the such renowned science TV series as British scientific historian James Burke’s Connections and American astronomer Carl Sagan’s Cosmos. Becoming familiar with these early scientific instruments can help orient the uninitiated to the scientific approach to thinking. Having modern scientific tools like telescopes, microscopes, and bio feedback devices, on site will be also perfect for Naturalistic Humanism community spaces and useful for conducting modest science experiments.