Creating Sacred Space

Do you have some place in your house that is “your” space? Someplace that is special? A special chair? Window? Corner or nook? I remember when I was a child, I loved to find special places in the house or outdoors. I would go to these special spots to play and daydream and cocoon. They were the spots that I would disappear into myself and just be.

When we grow up, we often forget to have special places where we can just be. Many good things, often times the people that we love or nurture, like spouse and children, crowd those quiet places out of our lives. But, we still need them. They are the womb, or cocoon where we grow new ideas and regenerate ourselves.

Regardless of whether you are a man, or a woman, you need this kind of space to keep centered. Many think of the idea of “nesting” as a woman’s domain, but this concept is important to both men and women even though the process is feminine (womb). You can think of it as creating sacred space. Sacred space is a place where you can meditate, pray, read, or just be--it is a place where you can "birth" new ideas (seeds) or new ways of being/acting in the world. This is a good illustration of how the masculine/feminine qualities within us work together to create.

You don’t have to have an entire room for your sacred space, although that is nice. It can be inside or outside. It can be a chair, a corner or nook, a spot in the garden, a place in your bedroom, any place that you can regularly go to and create a new way of being in the world.

It is nice to have some things that feed your soul in your sacred space—a warm blanket, favorite books, a candle, special mementos, photographs, etc. Going to the same space every day helps you to more quickly focus, relax, and regenerate. It holds the creative energy of what you are trying to accomplish.

Recently, I have been blessed to have a small room devoted to my sacred space. This was not true for many years. Often times I created sacred space in little nooks and crannies of my house that I shared with three busy children, but I’ve always had a space that was just mine, even if it was a small desk in my bedroom.

In my room, I have a place to create music, a spot to sit and read and write, a table for holding my special sacred objects, my Bible, an angel sculpture, and my journals. There are bookcases and small antique toys that remind me to be playful and connect to myself as a young child. Your space should reflect the essence of who you are.

Fragrant candles and fresh flowers are also something wonderful to have in your sacred space. I know some people that live in a part of the country where they can go outside frequently and they have a “prayer garden” with a bench to sit and be still.

There are no rules about what is the “right” way to do this. What is important is the act of creating and being in a space with the intention to grow and connect with God. If you don’t already have a special place in your life just for the process of creating and being, today is a good day to start imagining what that might look like for you.

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