Creating Sacred Space
Recently I conducted a seminar called Creating Sacred Space. I want to
share a few tips with you.. You would be surprised how little effort it
takes to instantly change the energy of your home. Are you ready?
The first thing we want to do is to define ‘Sacred Space.\’ What does it
mean to you? When I asked our class participants this question, they
told me a Sacred Space is one where you feel safe. It\’s calm and
peaceful. There is no clutter, they said, and the space ‘feels\’
different. I like all of those ideas. What would you add?
Isn\’t your home meant to be a sanctuary for your Soul? I think it is.
In fact, it\’s one of the basic tenets of what I call ‘Zen organizing.\’
Is your home any less sacred than an official house of worship? For me,
the answer is a resounding ‘no!\’ The goal of ‘Zen organizing\’ is to
teach you how to create an environment that literally nurtures and
supports you physically and helps you fulfill your life\’s purpose.
In this process of creating Sacred Space, the first priority is to get
organized. I\’m not going to go into detail about the steps to follow to
get organized. You can find direction, inspiration and instruction in
both of my books and in articles I have archived here. Just remember,
no matter how bad you perceive the situation to be, you created it.
Isn\’t that great?! This means you are in charge of your environment
and, with a little bit of effort, you are free to create something
better in its place. You aren\’t stuck.
Once the physical work is complete, it\’s wonderful to formally bless
the space. You are free to look to your own religion and have a priest,
minister or rabbi come over and give a blessing. You might want to
investigate an ancient philosophy like Feng Shui, the Chinese art of
placement, as it\’s called or Vastu, its spiritual cousin from India.
You might even look to the traditions of the American Indian or to the
Japanese philosophy Wabi Sabi to find a way to officially bless your
home.
So there you are faced with the task not only of getting organized but
learning all about some strange sounding philosophy. You can become so
overwhelmed, you say: ‘Forget that sacred space idea.\’ Not so fast.
Here are several things you can do to help you experience an immediate
transformation.
• Let\’s begin with something we probably all have: candles. When you
think about romance, you surely imagine a candle lit dinner, right?
Well, candles aren\’t just for romance or church for that matter! You
can introduce candles into your every day life in a number of ways. For
example, why not burn a candle while you take a relaxing bath? Burn a
candle to help make Sunday supper special. A brightly lit room and one
filled with candle light offer the possibility for two vastly different
experiences.
• I have a friend who lights a votive candle the minute she comes
home at night. She blows it out as she leaves in the morning.
Rituals have long been a part of the human experience. Don\’t forget
that, just like my friend, you can create your own.
• If you are intrigued by the power of light but afraid of the fire
risk with candles because you have pets or small children, why not
invest in a simple dimmer switch? I bet you\’ll be able to influence the
tone of your dinner table chit chat with a simple turn on that dimmer.
• The way a home smells has an influence on our experience. While I
would strongly recommend an air purifier to remove odors that can
linger in the air (cooking cabbage or enjoying Limburger cheese,
anyone?), you can use fragrance to create a signature aroma for your
home or to set a mood.
For example, do you wear the same fragrance all the time? Why not
purchase a candle scented with that fragrance and then your home will
reflect you the minute you open the door!
In addition, you can follow the dictates of aromatherapy and learn
which scents soothe and calm us and which excite us. I can imagine a
lavender scented pillow in the bedroom to help you sleep, some soap or
an air freshener in the citrus family in the kitchen to give you energy
and some patchouli or ylang ylang body lotion to inspire a romantic
evening.
• I burn incense every day when I meditate. As I open my bedroom
door, the sweet fragrance of meditation incense greets me. I am
instantly reminded of the best part of my day.
• When you are using fragrance in your home, don\’t forget the power of
cut flowers and certain plants to bring a heavenly scent to your home.
I have a huge pot of night blooming jasmine on my balcony. On a warm
June night when the plant is full of blossoms, a soft breeze can cause
the sweet smell of jasmine to fill my living room. Personally, I think
it smells like heaven!
• Finally, let\’s not forget the power of sound. There\’s always music to create the mood you want to experience.
There are many ways to create sacred space in your home. I have
suggested ways to use fragrance, light, sound and ritual to spark your
creativity. These are all inexpensive yet powerful elements you can
employ before you are perfectly organized and your home has been
formally blessed.
