The Pageless Book

Whether it is a corner of your bedroom or a whole room in your home, setting aside an area for personal spiritual practice is one of the most nurturing things you can do for yourself. However, knowing where you should have your sacred space, how to furnish that space, and what to do while in that space is often a challenge. Seeing as there is no one way to set up a sacred space, it would be easy to assume that just about any space would work. Throw furnishing and tools into the space for meditation or worship, and the sacred space is complete and ready to use, right?

Wrong. A sacred space is an area in which you commune with the Divine. Haphazardly cobbling a space together does not make it sacred. Spending some time and giving some thought to what your space will contain, where your space will be located, and when your space will be used helps sanctify the area. Meditation and worship are acts of mindfulness - it makes sense that we are mindful of the space we set aside for those activities.

• Find a Space - The first step, while being the most obvious, is also the most crucial. You need to know that you will not be disturbed when you are in your sacred space and that you will be comfortable with you spiritual practice in that space. If you want to chant, you need to know either that no one else will hear you, or that no one will mind. There needs to be enough space available for your worship. If the area is part of a common area, you should also think of how this space will look when not in use.

• Find a Time - While not as obvious as the first step, it is important to consider the time of day in which you will worship. Evening worship may create lighting issues. Early morning worship may disturb the sleep of your family. Some times of day are going to afford you more privacy than others or you might find yourself more in the mood to make that spiritual connection during a particular day of the week. The exact time and duration could be over looked if you live alone in a single family home in the middle of nowhere, but few people have such luxury.

• Comfort & Furnishings - You will needs to consider your personal comfort while within this space, as well as storage for any items you set aside for your sacred space. For most people, this might consist of a small cabinet, a floor pillow to sit on, and perhaps a blanket in case you find yourself cold. Of course, if you have more space and are willing to go through the expense, you could always set up an elaborate altar, complete with statuettes of spiritual teachers and elaborate embroidered tapestry. Anything more than the bare essentials I would find distracting, but this is your space and you should make it for your comfort, not mine.

• Choosing Artwork - Although this isn’t a necessity, a little bit of artwork can go a long way to setting the tone for your sacred space. Again, this need not be anything elaborate or large; a simple painting or small inspirational photo is sufficient enough. You will want something soothing and neutral that expresses your particular spiritual understanding or world view. The main purpose is for it to serve as a reminder of the reason this space is set aside, and to put you in the mood for worship or meditation.

• Choosing Accessories - Finally, you will want to consider accessories for your space. These should be items that serve the singular purpose to which your space is dedicated and are stored in this space for that purpose. A few suggestions would be candles, incense, holy books, soothing music, or a note book for thoughts and reflection. If other items appeal to you, feel free to include them in your area. Personally, I would be inclined to include a deck of Tarot cards, but I know that doesn’t appeal to everybody. Incense gives my wife headaches, so I know in her sacred space she would forgo that particular element. I must again stress the importance of setting aside the items for use in worship or mediation only. Doing so creates a strong association with the sacred for that particular space, allowing you to separate this space from the rest of your every day life. With enough time, entering that space may become a psychological trigger that prepares your mind for mediation or worship, and you want to strengthen that trigger if possible.

With these considerations in mind, creating a sacred space for worship can become a rewarding experience. While there are no hard and fast rules, a little structure to your space can go a long way to creating the atmosphere, comfort level, and attitude needed for worship. The Divine, by what ever name you may call it, becomes more approachable and tangible in the right environment. Making an environment for just that purpose is a powerful way to make the Divine a regular part of your life.
Top Photo by Joi Ito. Middle Photo by The Wandering Angel. Bottom Photo by Kelly Cookson.