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FINDING YOUR SACRED SPACE
A quiet garden can be the perfect setting for a "sacred space".
When I got older my sacred space was a stretch of beach, away from the crowds of sun bathers and swimmers. As I walked along I could look out to sea, all the way to the horizon. I could hear the pounding breakers and screeching gulls, feel the salt spray, and deeply inhale the briny fragrance of the ocean. In additon to the wonderful sensory experience, I was free to ponder.
As an adult living in Connecticut, my sacred space was my bedroom. It was large with beautiful curtains, soothing colors, many windows, and paintings that invited a feeling of relaxation. As soon as I closed the door I could feel an instant release and calm. There I could pray and meditate.
Now I live in a much smaller home and my sacred space is often outdoors again, where I can hear water cascading over rock and feel the coolness of the canyon air. Sometimes it is on the back porch late at night, beneath a sky filled with stars. Not infrequently, my sacred space is also indoors, in a holy temple where I can focus on the things of God. In each of these places there is a quietness that invites a connection to divine influence.
Where do you feel calm and at peace, have time to contemplate and let go of your everyday cares, feel silence and rest for your soul? Wherever it is, this is your sacred space. It may change from time to time depending on your circumstances, but if you wish to be whole and find joy, a sacred space will bless your life. For this is a place where you can be alone; where you can commune with the divine. Life is bigger than any of us, and we are all connected to that source who created us and all of nature around us. In the bustle of life we become focused on the necessities of providing for ourselves and our families. We seek refuge in entertainment. We sit at computers, in front of televisions, in crowded stadiums and in long lines of traffic. We become DISconnected from our source. Visiting our sacred space is a way of reconnecting to who we really are and sensing the divine within. We are so much bigger and better than the mere THINGS with which we surround ourselves. Yes, those things may be necessary, even fun and relaxing. They often help us make contact more readily with other people and information. However, those people, things and information are not our source. They are not the divine origin from which we came.
You will find, as you select and go to a place that is sacred to you--as you spend regular time there--you will feel more calm and centered. You will better know who you are and what you want for your life.
Once you have found your sacred space, guard it. It is your personal sanctuary and your opportunity to be still; to feel the presence of a power greater than yourself. In your sacred space, as you ponder and commune with the Creator, you come to know you are not alone. You come to know peace and respite. You come to know God.
Once you have found your sacred space, guard it. It is your personal sanctuary and your opportunity to be still; to feel the presence of a power greater than yourself. In your sacred space, as you ponder and commune with the Creator, you come to know you are not alone. You come to know peace and respite. You come to know God.
TODAY'S INSPIRED QUOTATION:
"The beach was my synagogue and the waves and gulls were audience to my prayers. I stood on the beach and felt wind-blown sprays of ocean on my face, and I prayed."
(Asher Lev, in My Name is Asher Lev, by Chaim Potok, Anchor Books, NY, 1972)
Thank you for your post. I never thought of having a special place. I guess I try to create an atmosphere of peace in my front room but often don't take advantage of that room for my own personal reflection and time to receive revelation. It's time to use that room for what I intend for it to be and not leave it empty :)
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