sacred space
Create Sacred Space
“This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. Our brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.” HH Dalai Lama
A sacred space is defined as a space distinguished from all other spaces. A space where all the actions, thoughts and intentions within this space can bear spiritual meaning. Sacred space is where you can meditate, journal, throw an oracle card or even just sit in contemplation. It is a space that you journey to when you need to think, when you need to cry, or when you need to light a candle for a friend in need. By returning to the same location time and again you create a vibration, or an energy in that space. This is an energy of healing and of light; of intuitiveness and of creativity. Just like a writer may have a writing room or a painter a studio; you too want to have sacred space. And you can have more than one. You can have a favorite garden outside and a favorite chair inside. You can go all out and have an altar with candles and deities and cards and incense, or simply light a candle in your bedroom. The beauty of your sacred space is that it is just that; your own.
As I was writing about sacred space I went for a walk on my usual trail by the creek. I always walk 3 miles out and then loop back. At the three-mile point there is a dirt path that connects to the sidewalk. It leads down a small hill to a sandy bank on the side of the creek. I love this space. I sit and meditate and have, at times, even done yoga creek side. There are many tall trees. The creek is wide in this particular location and breaks in the middle where a tall tree has grown right out of the water. Last spring there was a Beaver damn here and I even had the blessing of seeing the Beavers before they tore it down and moved on. On this particular day it felt much like fall. The sun was shining, and it was warm. However, the air was crisp and smelled of burnt wood. The leaves on the trees had changed to golds and even browns and some of them were even scattered on the ground. I sat down next to my favorite tree with my feet dangling above the water. There was a slight breeze. You could hear the rustling of the leaves an
d the water flowing and bubbling around itself and the big tree in the center of the creek. At that moment I thought to myself how wonderful this space was. How blessed I was to be sitting there at that moment. It was not long before that moment that I was feeling completely out of sorts. Now here I was feeling healthy and had found some peace. I took in the scene with a deep breath and instead of closing my eyes to meditate I just watched. I watched a golden leaf spiral in the currents of the water as it floated past me. I watched the birds fly back and forth between the almost barren trees. I saw the sunlight shown through the trees and sparkle on the water’s edge. I listened also. I listened to the sound of the wind. It told me that winter was coming, and this moment would soon be gone. The energy of that moment and that space felt like home to me. It felt warm and soft and comforting. This space had become very dear to me over the year that I have lived there, and many tears, joys and healings had taken place there.
This is a perfect example of sacred space. It does not have to be an altar that you create or barrier in your home just for meditating. It is a special place. A place where you feel at home. A place where you can take your troubles and your joys and ‘hold’ them there until you are ready to release them. It can be likened to a mothers’ womb where everything is sacred and life-giving…a creative force that no one can name or point out but instead you must sense it. It is filled with the energy of the heart. Opening the center of all seven centers filling you with healing, compassion and light.
It is not necessary to create Sacred Space; you carry it within you.
It may reveal itself in nature, in a statue of a Goddess, in a favorite chair or in a scent you cannot forget. Sacred Space is that place where you feel one with God and ultimately connected to yourself.
Contemplative Activity:
Where or What is my Sacred Space?
