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A Place of Sanctuary - Creating Sacred Space

By Gwen Nyhus Stewart

The World Health Organization (WHO) describes health as “the condition of perfect bodily, spiritual, and social well-being and not solely the absence of illness and injury.” As described by the WHO, how many of us feel emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually healthy on a daily basis? We work in structures called ‘sick-buildings;’ we go home to care for families so tired we are almost unable to function; and we increasingly lose our connection with any sense of our place in the universe. How do we reclaim our life and start to think that our life matters and that we are important in the overall scheme of things? One way of doing this is to create our own sanctuary/sacred space.

Creating our own sacred space restores our peace of mind and enables us to stand back from the turmoil in our lives in order to provide a place where we can reconnect with our sense of self and reclaim our power. Exploration of sanctuary is to create a link to the Divine as our soul asks us to love, accept, and provide hospitality to ourselves when we are spiritually hungry. Spirituality is more than a psychological and emotional need: it is an inherent biological need as our energy, our spirit, and our personal power is all one and the same force. We need daily sanctuary as our heart and soul depends on it. When we give ourselves the gift of sacred time in a special place, we are feeding our spirit. Theodore Roszak writes, “We can now recognise that the fate of the soul is the fate of the social order; that if the spirit within us withers, so too will all the world we build about us.”

Creating Sacred Space in your Home, Workplace, and Garden

The first consideration in creating a sacred space in your home, workplace, or garden is defining the purpose in doing so. Some of the questions for consideration include:

1. What is it that you want your sacred space to provide for you?

2. Where will your sanctuary be located?

3. What feelings do you want?

4. What attracts you to your sanctuary?

5. What features do you want?

6. What colours do you want?

7. What sounds do you want?

Ideas and Options for Creating Sacred Space in your Home, Workplace, and Garden

In your place of sanctuary, some of the items you could include are:

· Candles – you can use candles to provide colour and when burning provide a point of focus for meditation. Scented candles can add a touch of fragrance to your environment.

· Plants – your plants will require care, and not only will make the air more healthy, but will encourage you to attend your place of sanctuary. Plants can also be used to enhance particular colours and fragrances you wish to add to your well-being.

· Water – adding desktop water fountains to your place of sacredness will not only provide the soothing sounds of water, but will also block out other noises in your environment.

· Incense – burning incense cleans the air and can be the start of a particular ritual you create. An example would be lighting a candle, lighting the incense, starting some soothing music, sitting or lying in the position best for you and then start focusing on your breath as you begin to meditate.

· Music – music as my Dad used to say, “feeds the soul.” Use music you like, such as, sounds of nature or instrumental music, to provide a place of soothing for your soul.

· Aquariums – live fish and the sounds of water provide healing energy for your sacred space. In the Chinese culture, live fish are thought to be ‘good energy.’

· Art or objects – use art or objects that have meaning for you to enhance your sense of connection to this place of sanctuary.

· Rocks and stones – are considered in many cultures to be sacred. Use in your place of sanctuary and, when you are tired or stressed-out, re-arrange your ‘rock garden.’

· Walls – walls can be used to act as, or hang notice boards on, where you can post favourite pictures, quotes, and ideas.

· Post-it Notes – put up inspirational quotes as reminders. Sticky notes can be placed anywhere you want them.

· Home-caring – use the notion of ‘home-caring’ rather than ‘house-work’ as a way of practising reverence for your space.

· Gratitude – use gratitude affirmations as a way to express appreciation for the many blessings in your life.

· Random Acts of Kindness – practice acts of kindness for the people you live and work with.

· Senseless Acts of Beauty – give everybody in your home and/or workplace a flower to let them know how special they are to you.

· Listening – practice listening to self and others without letting yourself be distracted.

· Gratitude Journal – write in your gratitude journal every night before you go to sleep.

· Meals – prepare meals with reverence. Not only does food nourish us physically, but also it nourishes us emotionally and spiritually as we come together with family and friends.

· Television, computers – turn off televisions and computers and use this time to talk and play with one another.

· Spend at least 10 minutes a day (20 is better) in refreshing and renewing your spiritual self.

Finally, in creating your sacred space, remember you are unique. There will never be anyone on the planet like you and you have a right to spend time caring for yourself. As Richard Bolles in his book What Colour Is Your Parachute says, “You are God’s gift to the planet and your uniqueness is the gift to the rest of us.”

Remember:

“There is more to life than merely increasing its speed.” - Mahatma Gandhi

“Sacred space starts in our hearts.” - Unknown

“Everything in the universe is alive and we are all relatives.” - Native American saying

(This article is a condensed version of Chapter 13 from my book

The Healing Garden: A Place of Peace.)

See Inside The Book for Introduction and Chapter Information.

Buy the book here: Books.

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