Creating sacred space(s) in your life is a meaningful way to engage with your spirituality while honoring what matters to you.
According to encyclopedia.com, a scared space is "... a defined place, a space distinguished from other spaces. The rituals that a people either practice at a place or direct toward it mark its sacredness and differentiate it from other defined spaces....A sacred place focuses attention on the forms, objects, and actions in it and reveals them as bearers of religious [or spiritual] meaning." My definition is any space that allows you to connect, express and engage with your spirit.
One increasingly popular form of a sacred space is an alter. Other examples don't involve a fixed location such as a drawing or visualization. In this post, we will focus on creating a physical sacred space that is engaging, personal and effective for powering your intentions or manifestations.
The Basics
Before you start constructing your sacred space there are a few things to take into consideration.
Visibility - You may decide to create your in-home sacred space somewhere that is private such as a walk-in closet or bedroom. Or you may prefer for it to be more out in the open for higher visibility. This is a personal preference like most of what we will discuss.
Care - Be sure to regularly care for your sacred space, such as dusting and clearing away ashes, fallen leaves, rotting food, etc. Remember it's sacred. I like to reenergize my space periodically by rearranging objects. Change is constant and necessary in life and so intentional change to your space is powerful.
Engagement - Just like people learn in different ways, people will engage in their space in different ways. Remember, this is personal so think about what your spirit will find most useful. Perhaps just a picture or figurine to look at during prayer works for you or a water fountain/ meditation music to listen to. Or maybe you'd prefer items that are more hands-on such as bells to ring or gemstones to hold. Also consider how often you will engage with this space - every morning, a specific day of the week or only when you feel called to?
Meaning - More importantly than anything, your sacred space should have meaning and purpose. It's easy to want to put a bunch of objects in your space - why with all the products out there it's hard not to. Still, I find adapting a minimalistic attitude towards sacred space to be best. First of all, it's simple Feng shui - too much clutter is distracting and unsettling for our subconscious mind, regardless of what the conscious mind is telling us. Secondly, if your sacred space is one of intention setting, it should be focused.
Location - You can create a sacred space pretty much anywhere - in your home, car, hotel room while traveling, or even at work. I'll share some of my sacred space setups in various locations in a bit.
What to Include
Now that you've put some thought into the basics of your sacred space, it's time for setup.
Figures - Statues and figurines are common in sacred spaces. Examples include religious figures, crosses, pyramids, ancient Egyptian figures, angels, animals, planets or even geographical items such as a wooden cut-out of a specific country or a replication of a famous landmark.
The elements - You guys know I love the elements! Incorporating one, some or all of the elements is a great way to further your intentions by calling in the energetic power of those elements. You can have a picture of your chosen element or here are some other examples for each:
Earth - Plants, flowers or dirt/sand/rocks from somewhere of personal significance and of course gemstones.
Fire - Candles, or items you burn such as insense, sage, palo santo, or bay leaves.
Water - A fountain or goblet of water.
Air - Feathers or fans.
Photos - Perhaps you'd like to have a photo of a loved on who has passed or as mentioned previously a photo that represents an element. You could also decide to include a photo or postcard from a specific location. I've even placed mini vision boards in sacred spaces before.
Gemstones - Of course gemstones are a great addition to any sacred space. Not only do they carry energy that can power your sacred intentions but they also add color and texture to the space. I want to reiterate the suggestion to maintain focus here. Depending on the intention of your sacred space, maybe keep your entire gemstone collection somewhere else - you can even give them their own, separate sacred space. I also recommend investing in larger pieces instead of collecting a bunch of smaller ones. I only purchase small gemstones if it's because I need a set number for a specific crystal grid or ritual.
Liquids - In addition to water, you may decide to keep oils, Florida water, moon water or elixirs in your sacred space. This is especially great if you want to engage with the space by dabbing these liquids on yourself or on other items.
Jewelry & adornments - If you use them, prayer beads or a rosary are nice additions. Or valuable jewelry such as gold or silver. Gold not only represents abundance but carries a soft healing vibration like other precious metals.
Offerings - Another great option for your sacred space is ancestral / spirit offerings. These offerings can include money, food, drinks or anything that you feel is appropriate. Burning money for ancestors and deceased loved ones has become a regular part of my spiritual engagement practices - it's a specific type of money you can purchase online, just look for ancestor money or heaven notes. Be mindful of where you leave the ashes; I usually blow them out my front door. I also keep a goblet of fresh water in my space for my spirit family. Remember this space is sacred so you want to make sure there isn't lint or gnats floating in the water. Also be sure to discard rotting food. I usually discard of this food outside instead of in a trash can.
Miscellaneous - Other ideas for your sacred space include written affirmations, spell jars, tarot cards (an entire deck or specific cards such as the sun, star, empress or 10 of cups) or a tapestry set as the backdrop. I've even used a piece of my own artwork as a backdrop before. Bells, chimes and musical instruments can also be a nice touch that allows for more expression and engagement.
Below are some of my past sacred spaces since I prefer to keep current ones private. One is on top of a fridge in an airbnb while on an extended trip, another is setup outside while doing some grounding work. I've also had temporary sacred spaces for specific seasons or holidays such of the one with Isis from this past spring. I had not done a seasonal space before and really liked it being there and found it to be a great way to honor cycles. Another past favorite was on my desk at work (no pic, sadly). I had a bamboo plant with gemstones and a zen garden. People would sometimes come to my desk just to play with the zen garden and clear their mind for a bit - a perfect, open sacred space!
If you're interested in items handmade by yours truly for your sacred space, check out my Etsy shop here. I make intention candles, along with reiki charged gemstone flowers and car charms. There's also jewelry and bath blends for your spiritual engagement and expression.
I hope you've learned some valuable information for creating your sacred space. If you have any questions or want to share your experiences, please reach out on Facebook or Instagram.
Be blessed, beautiful!
I'm outtie.
Comments