A Sacred Space of Your Own Any Where

We all want a space to call our own, where we can get away from the every day stress, reconnect with our inner wisdom, or just hear ourselves think.  Often we have many excuses for why we don’t have this kind of space for ourselves (not enough room, not enough time, don’t own the space I’m living in, etc., etc., etc.). 

While wandering the web early this morning I came across this post on Island Wench’s blog, Why Sacred Space is Necessary for Your Survival.  Her post not only explains why it is essential to have a sacred space, but that it is possible to have one because no matter how small or what your excuses are, you can have a sacred space  - even a small space or box under the bed in a bedroom or a stone in the yard (that no one else would be able to tell what it is!) can be made in to your sacred space.

Gee where have I heard something similar before?   Oh I don’t know, perhaps a certain witch\priestess has only been saying the same thing a zillion times.    But perhaps if someone else says it, a certain someone (who shall remain unnamed) will actually believe it.       (Yes, I know - I am not very subtle.)

Sure we all would love the luxury of a separate room that could be set aside as a beautiful temple with lots of beautiful statues, incense and candles burning 24/7, angelic music playing, and soft cushions to sit upon.   Trust me, I love my witchy trinkets, magical gadgets, and mystical doo-dads, so I’m the first one to be sympathic to “wanting” a magical retreat with a big heavy door that could be locked to keep out the mundane world.

But in truth, the true sacred space is within you.  The physical representation of that space, can be anything.  Life can be overwhelming, stressful to the max, so I do feel we all need that physical reminder to help us stay connected to our inner sacred space, our higher wisdom, and our sanity.  And we need to make the time to use that physical sacred space as well. 

Over the past few years I’ve been getting tattoos on my birthday - each one chosen for what it symbolically means to me.  Their purpose is to remind me that my sacred space is me, my body is the temple my spirit resides it.  Tattoos take up no space at all, but not every one wants one (or 5 or more). 

My goal is to one day have my entire home be a sacred space for my whole family.   This doesn’t mean I will have pentacles on every door and window, or symbols drawn on all the walls - the rest of my family isn’t wiccan any way.  But there are a number of subtle ways a home can be filled with sacredness, peace, love and healing - for example: by treating the space with respect; cleaning and tidying up with intent, humming a meaningful song while dusting; using a bit of incense now and then for cleansing; walking through the home while silently praying and filling the rooms with my intent; small crystals blessed and placed discretely through out the home (to others these could be simply for decoration, or if small enough not even seen and hidden under furniture, under the rugs, etc.).

I plan are starting with the bedroom.  I feel that the bedroom is a great place to be dedicated as sacred and for magical work, because a third of your life is spent sleeping (or trying to sleep depending on the circumstances), and in dreams some of the most powerful spiritual work can be done such as healing, emotional and mental cleansings, teachings of wisdom and understanding from spirit guides.  For me, having a few crystals, or a painting, or magical symbols (hidden under the bed) or a small alter on a shelf or in a box kept in a drawer, would not interfere with my sleep, it would only enhance the experience and perhaps even help me sleep better.  By creating a protected, sacred space in which to rest, even if someone has trouble sleeping, by it’s very nature the bedroom as a sacred space would help create a more relaxing, healing environment that would be healing to body, mind and spirit and might even help promote sleep.   Holding on to the the belief that “nothing” else should be going on in the bedroom but sleep, in this instance is not valid.   By creating a sacred space around one’s bed and adding a calming simple ritual before laying down (such as a simple prayer to release the stress of the day, for guidance and healing), is not the same thing as using a bedroom for arts and crafts, playing cards, working on bills, etc.

I struggle with these issues myself, but I’ve found that coming to terms with my own excuses and facing my own inner demons of denial, laziness, fears, etc. have helped me to let go and find a way to have a sacred space any where, any time.  Even though I have a spare room that could be used for a sacred space and was for a brief time until hubby moved junk in there, I didn’t clear it out again and let it gather dust and more junk.  But I know that I really don’t need the room - because even when I had it, I wasn’t ”using” it (hence hubby stuck junk in there).  I realize the real work has to be done within myself, and that my outer sacred space can be tiny or big, any where and any time, I just have to make it so and it will be so.

So what are the real reasons we do not create a sacred space for ourselves?   Do we think we are not worthy?  Are we afarid of the changes that might occur should we start connecting with our spirits on a daily basis?   This is a topic for another day, but is something to think about.

Where is your sacred space?  If you don’t have one, will you be creating one?   We’d love to hear about them and if you have photos posted, feel free to leave a link.

Bright blessings, Lady Rose

(Note: written with guidance and input form Merlot, spirit guide)