Do you fancy a peaceful and inspiring space for Yoga & Meditation or just a
quiet corner in your home where you can have meaningful inner dialogues
& feel more connected?
Most of us strive to take care of our outer lives by making our homes
comfortable & welcoming for cultivating happiness and creating memories
However, we often overlook giving the same attention and care for creating
a space for our relationship with ourselves.
One should pay equal attention to creating a calming and rejuvenating
retreat for inner life as well. Our inner world comprises our thoughts,
emotions, values memories & intentions. It requires as much care &
attention when it comes to creating comfort in our living spaces.
There are various ways to connect with your inner self-through Yoga,
Meditation, Reflective exercises like journaling, prayer, spiritual study to
name a few. One of the best ways to take care of your relationship with
yourself is by creating a sacred space in your home /work – a space where
you can connect with yourself.
A sacred space is a place where you feel more connected and grounded to
your true self. It can be created at home, work, or any other place where
you intentionally choose your surroundings and vibes. It can be a geographical
or an abstract space that heals and helps you nurture an enriching relationship
with your body, mind, and soul.
A sanctuary for the soul –it provides a space for authentic expression and
inner transformation & growth.
A sacred space may comprise a big open space or it may be a small
portion in your house comprising objects which hold special meaning for
you. It might contain a single object such as an altar /artifact placed in a
special location or it might be an entire room/hall /garden or even an entire
home carefully designed with the right colors, sounds, and lighting to
connect with your spiritual side.
It is an Ashram for the body, mind, emotions, & soul where you feel
rejuvenated and renewed everyday. It helps you withdraw your senses
from the external world and turn inwards to get you closer to your heart.
DEFINE WHAT IS “SACRED “ FOR YOU
Each human being has his own definition of what is sacred. Also, your
personal ideas and expressions of what is sacred might evolve over time.
Start by describing what “Sacred” /”Spiritual “means to you.
The places where you live and work can help you experience spirituality in
your everyday life. Creating sanctified living and workspaces help you in
feeling more centered, grounded, and joyful.
DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT FROM YOUR SACRED SPACE
Before you begin planning, set out clear intentions for setting up a sacred
space. Spend sufficient time to gain inner clarity about what you are
seeking and how the creation of sacred space will add to your happiness
and growth.
Ask yourself these questions on why do you need a sacred space so that
you get clarity of intention:
Create a space for Yoga, Meditation, Music, reflections, and nurturing a relationship with yourself
Create vibes of positivity & serenity at home
Create a sanctified energy space for deep visualizations
Design a shared space for connections, rituals & ceremonies – like a small temple is created in a sanctified space in Hindu tradition
Consecrate a family altar /idol
Create a special place where the entire family can come together to deepen intimacy. For example, the garden area, kitchen, or the dining hall.
SEEK INSPIRATIONS
Make your sacred space personal. Choose what tastes, sounds, smells,
looks, and feels good to you. Select your favorite tastes, sounds,
fragrances, looks, and what feels good to you.
Choose objects which inspire you to get into your spiritual discipline
involving Yoga, Meditation, Prayers, conscious diet and so on. Make
conscious efforts to turn your sacred space into a relaxing, personal and
contained space.
DEFINE YOUR RITUALS FOR DESIRING A SACRED SPACE
The creation of sacred space can be a one-time step or it can be a
continual journey involving your loved ones. It is a deeply fulfilling and
creative process.
Sacred space is required for seasonal rituals and festivities:
Celebrate the arrival of new seasons.
Rituals associated with planetary movements –full moon celebration, eclipse, etc.
Celebrate new beginnings and endings.
Anniversaries and other such occasions.
Daily rituals –Morning & evening prayers.
Sacred space holds special importance for specific one-time events as
well;
Consecration of new space or transformation of existing space Example –House warming, Prayer ceremonies, Study of Holy Scriptures, and so on.
Celebrations.
Inner reflections for taking important decisions or making some big changes.
Be present in the now and live more consciously.
STEPS FOR CREATING A SACRED SPACE IN YOUR HOME
Fix a place
Use creative ideas
Set a tone for your sacred space
Include objects having personal meaning
Follow a ritual for spending time in your sacred space
FIX A PLACE
Sacred places exist all over the place. For some people, the place of
worship is a sacred place. For others, being out in nature, walking in
the woods, gazing at the stars, or listening to the ocean waves help in
reflection and inner connection.
When trying to set up a sacred space in your home, find a place that
is free from distractions and has a lot of natural light and air coming
through the windows. Also, set up a clear intention on how you plan
to use your sacred space. If you plan to do meditation, there should
be silence in the room. If you plan to practice Yoga, the room needs
to have enough space.
Sometimes, a single object can expand your awareness of spirituality and
help you feel more grounded and connected. Other times, vast space is
needed for you to connect to your deeper self.
WHAT SHOULD BE THE LOCATION OF THE SACRED SPACE?
A sacred space can be created:
Where there is clear visibility.
In a small part of the room by placing an altar or making a small arrangement.
With an entire room by consciously choosing the objects in the room.
In a silent & secluded space –spare room or corner of bedroom kept for meditation.
Close to nature –garden, backyard, a terrace where you can listen to nature’s voice and gaze at the stars and moon.
USE CREATIVE IDEAS
Making a sacred space is a deeply personal journey based on
intuition and inspiration. You will need to be creative in choosing the
best spot and arrangement for your sanctuary. Your sacred space is
your personal space. You need to be in touch with what resonates
with you and follow your inner voice.
SET A TONE FOR YOUR SACRED SPACE
After having decided where in your house you should set up your
sacred space, you will need to decide the objects to be placed in the
space. You can choose objects which connect to your senses. Here
are a few ideas:
1) For Sight: You can use crystals, flowers, wind chimes, dream
catchers, prayer flags, and artifacts to address the sense of
sight. Also, the color theme of the space needs to be chosen
carefully to accentuate the healing effect of the space. Crystals
help to hold the energy and exude positive vibes & intentions.
2) For Smell: You can use scented candles, diffuse aromatic oils,
add soothing fragrances to help you relax, and create an
atmosphere for meditation and reflection. There are natural
fragrances which help you in your Yoga & Meditation practice
like sandalwood, Rose, Jasmine and so on.
3) For Sound: Music resets your energy and helps to induce a
deep meditative state. You can play relaxing Yoga & Meditation
music to help your body produce pleasure producing hormones.
Wind chimes and singing bowls add to the soothing effect. You
can play recorded sounds of nature –waterfall, winds, and bird
chirping etc. to deepen your connection with nature. Soft
background music with instruments like Sitar, Flute will help
your energy body to heal with the resonating sound vibrations.
4) For Touch: Lighting a candle in the sacred space every
morning can be an illuminating way to start your day. Rosaries,
healing crystals, Rudraksha, sacred stones, oil lamps ,&
sandalwood paste for Tilak (as per Hindu rituals ) are some of
the objects which will address your sense of touch and also
help you transition into an altered state of mind.
INCLUDE OBJECTS HAVING PERSONAL MEANING
You will want to include objects which have personal meaning or
emotional connection to you in your sacred space. Some people
choose objects which help them feel connected to nature –medicinal
herbs, flowers, plants etc. Others choose to use pictures of Guru and
Masters to help them experience a feeling of love & light every time
they enter the sacred space.
The inclusion of objects will also depend on how much space is
available in the sacred space. Also, an important point to be noted is
that having a lot of objects will disturb the sanctity of the place.
Hence, it is advised to keep things simple so that the sacred space
works best for you.
Sacred space provides a space for deep reflections and connections.
You might want to use this space to reminisce and honor your family
history. For example, you can create a wall full of family photos to
remind you of Ancestors and family lineage.
The beauty of creating a sacred space is that this is your personal
Zen space and you can experiment to choose what resonates with
you and connects with your heart. Choose objects & pictures which
speak to your heart and you have created an authentic space to be.
What should be included in your sacred space?
Sacred space is your personal space. Make a conscious choice of objects
& arrangements for your sacred space to help you expand, evolve and
connect more deeply in life.
Souvenirs: Items that hold special memories and are meaningful to you.
Amulet: symbols of health and happiness.
Work of Art
Your favorite photographs –you, family, friends, and relatives.
Statuary/Idols /Altars.
Healing crystals/Rudraksha/Rosaries.
Candles, Incense, and aromatic oils.
Colors, Light, Sound, Curtains, Wind chimes, prayer flags, fabrics, textures, mirrors.
Nature –Plants, Flowers, fruits, and other living items.
Musical instruments and favorite calming music or ambient music CD
Calming music –Yoga music, guided meditations, Sacred chants and so on.
Scriptures and Sacred texts –Bible, Bhagwad Gita,to name a few.
Journal –Gratitude Journal, Daily Journal etc.
Pictures of Ancestors /Family Tree.
Holy Waters
FOLLOW A RITUAL/DISCIPLINE FOR SPENDING TIME IN YOUR SACRED SPACE
Before you start using the sacred space, set up deep intentions for how you
will use the space to connect more deeply with yourself. You will need to
decide the list of the activities you plan to participate in as well as the time
you wish to spend on each activity. Intention setting along with discipline
will help you to use your sacred space to gain clarity, concentration, and
flow. It does not matter how much time you spend in the space whether it’s
minutes, 6 minutes, or 11 minutes .What matters is that your intention and
a specific discipline. Hence, set aside a specific schedule for your spiritual
connection in the sacred space. It might be only 15 minutes of silent time
with yourself every day. Make a ritual as a daily commitment to help you re-
center and reflect on your day.
THIS IS YOUR SELF-LOVE SPACE –USE YOUR INTUITION
Whether you live in a city or a suburban or rural place, you can create a
sacred space for reflections, meditation, yoga, and ceremonies. Simply
follow your intuitions and choose objects & ideas which resonate with your
inner space.
Your outer sacred space is a reflection of your inner space. Make your
inner space sanctified and full of love.
The sacred space is your personal space. Fulfill your heart’s desires. Trust
your intuition and let it guide you to what to include, and how to use it, and
then see where it takes you.
Blessings,
Pooja