INCUBATION

Incubation

Incubation is the religious practice of sleeping in a sacred area with the intention of experiencing a divinely inspired dream or cure. Incubation was practised by many ancient cultures. In perhaps the most well known instance among the Hebrews, found in 1 Kings 3, Solomon went to Gibeon "because that was the most renowned high place to offer sacrifices." There "the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night," and Solomon asked God for the gift of an understanding heart. Among the members of the cult of Asclepius, Votive offerings found at ritual centres at Epidaurus, Pergamum, and Rome detail the perceived effectiveness of the method.

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incubation

Noun

  1. Sitting on eggs for the purpose of hatching young; a brooding on, or keeping warm, to develop the life within, by any process.
  2. The development of a disease from its causes, or its period of incubation. (See below.)
  3. A period of little reaction which is followed by more rapid reaction.
  4. Sleeping in a temple or other holy place in order to have oracular dreams.


The above text is a snippet from Wiktionary: incubation
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

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