Cyber Sanctuaries: Exploring the Intersection of Virtual Reality and Spiritual Experience
Rajeev Semwal, Pankaj Kumar Tyagi
Technology and Religious Tourism: Emerging Trends, Cases and Futuristic Perspectives April 7, 2025 DOI: 10.1108/978-1-83662-260-420251010 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that cyber spirituality and VR-based sanctuaries can enhance spiritual experience by enabling accessible worship, connection, and transcendence, while also contending that commodifying sacred sites and cultural pilgrimage requires ethical oversight and culturally sensitive, interfaith collaboration. Proposes that AI may eventually help forecast sanctuary outcomes. |
Abstract
Abstract This chapter examines the relationship between technology and religion by presenting examples in which cyber spirituality may be viewed as either an enhancement or a hindrance. A divergence and reflection on the evolution of virtual reality (VR) technology to provide a spiritual experience reveal analogous aspects in the design of immersion and the sensory application of VR simulation for an immersive digital workshop. Cyber sanctuaries provide accessible platforms for acts of worship, including meditation, prayer, and rituals, through digital devices. These platforms link individuals and communities regardless of location, enhancing the advantages of connection, purpose, and self-improvement in the digital realm. Case studies and debates, featuring conversations among participants, are employed. The application of VR technology to elicit awe, reverence, and transcendence is studied. Nonetheless, the ethics of commodifying sacred sites and the cultural dimensions of pilgrimages must be evaluated and morally modified to reflect many perspectives. Digital media apps featuring spiritual figures and sites require ethical supervision. Collaborative initiatives should facilitate the establishment of cyber sanctuaries that honour cultural appropriateness, religious diversity, and interfaith discourse. Progress will be assessed by facilitating individual interactions with artificial intelligence to forecast sanctuary outcomes. Virtual reality and spirituality offer innovative avenues for personal development and relationship cultivation, with the prospect of eventual adoption of this community. This methodology facilitates the attainment of a cohesive, spiritually enriching future.