THE PERFECT TIME TO JOIN
50% OFF MEMBERSHIP

We use cookies to provide and improve our services. By using our site, you consent to cookies.

Cookie Image

Consider This When Creating Your Sacred Space (According to a Spirituality Expert)

What is a “sacred space?” Do you have to be religious to have one? What do they look like? Holistic health and spirituality expert William K. Ferro breaks it down for us.

Many people who meditate, do yoga, and embrace the holistic lifestyle have what they call “sacred spaces.” These are “sacred” not necessarily in a religious way, but in the word’s original sense: “set apart for special use.”

Whether we’re part of a religous or spiritual tradition or not, we are all in some sense spiritual beings. We all seek the deeper meaning in our lives; we have our own highly personal way of connecting to other beings and our environment.
 

Creating beautiful, calming physical surroundings can help us to connect with our better selves and enter a profoundly relaxed-yet-alert state of mind.

 
Such spaces can be indoors or out in a garden. They may be entire rooms, parts of rooms set off by soshi screens, or just corners of rooms. They often include an altar of sorts, decorated with flowers, statuary of inspirational people, and other aids to entering into a meditative state.

If you’re building a home yoga and/or meditation practice, the physical space you use is important – it will either add to, or detract from, your practice.
 
 

Consider these suggestions when you’re ready to create your own sacred space:

 

1. Your sacred space should make you feel calm just by walking into it

One of the reasons we practice yoga and meditate is to calm our bodies and minds so we can breathe mindfully, become clear-headed, and gain a sense of mastery in our lives. If your meditation space is disordered and full of distractions, you’re unlikely to achieve these things.

Your sacred space is your own private sanctuary — or, if you live with other practitioners, a communal room devoted to spiritual practice. Decorate it carefully and simply, paying attention to details that will help you relax.
 
Here are a few checklist items for your sacred space:

  • Is there a cushion or something like it where you can sit for up to 20 minutes comfortably?
  • Is the temperature fairly regulated? As much as you’re able, try to choose a room that won’t make you shiver or swelter.
  • Is the area more or less clutter-free? If the room looks like something out of Hoarders, your mind is apt to remain as cluttered as your environment. Think sparse and well-ordered when decorating this room or area.
  • Is there room for a yoga mat?
  • Does the room have a focal point where you can set up a small altar and display items that will help chill you out?

 

 
 

2. Be creative and design a simple, beautiful altar

Your altar is something that expresses what’s sacred to you; it should also reflect the tranquil inner state you’re seeking. Depending on your taste and background, you may want to decorate it with any of the following:

  • Fresh-cut flowers
  • Statuary of leaders or teachers who inspire you.
  • A Tibetan Bell, a singing bowl, or similar “Zen-friendly” items.
  • Candles
  • Incense
  • Prayer flags
  • Fountains
  • Words that inspire you
  • Art or photography that helps you enter a reflective state
  • Wind chimes
  • Crystals, talismans, or rune stones

 
meditation-space
 

3. Find music that de-stresses you, and play it at low volume

We all have highly personal musical tastes; what’s relaxing to one person may be a downer to another. Whatever you choose, it should be quiet and non-intrusive (unless you’re one of those rare individuals who finds loud music soothing!).

There’s a whole subgenre of the music industry now devoted to providing background music for yoga, meditation and holistic living.

Here are some sources of great meditation music:

* http://www.soundstrue.com/
* http://www.gaiam.com/meditation-cd/93-0337.html
* http://www.omharmonics.com/
* http://meditationoasis.com/store/guided-meditation-cds.php

Sacred spaces can greatly enhance your yoga routine, meditation and prayer, or other spiritual practices. They can change with the seasons of the year (and the seasons of your life), and will evolve alongside your practice.

As Zen master Thich Nhat Hahn writes in his book Making Space: Creating a Home Meditation Practice, “The key to creating a home meditation practice is to create a space where the busyness stops. When we stop and bring our mind back to our body, we can pay full attention to all that is happening in the present moment. We call this ‘mindfulness.'”
 
 

Enjoy All the Calming Benefits of Your Sacred Space

Enjoy creating your sacred space, and let it deeply nourish your peace of mind. Keep it simple, but allow it to evolve over time. Your spiritual practice will flourish, and you’ll be a more peaceful and tranquil person– the kind other people are naturally drawn to.
 

This article has been read 50K+ times. Hot damn!

Comments

wonderful comments!

Do These 6 Things Before Starting a Meditation Practice
Starting a meditation practice can be intimidating but it doesn't have to be. Learn how to meditate in six simple steps and start your meditation practice.
Read »

William Ferro

William K. Ferro is a freelance writer specializing in holistic health and spirituality. He is the author of "Opening to the Sacred: A Humanist Approach to Holistic Spirituality". He lives in Maryland near the Chesapeake Bay with his wife and their two feline companions.

This Month's Letter
From the Editor

Monthly motivation and food for
thought from our founder.

READ THE LETTER
Mind, body & life wellness in your inbox.
iPhone

Get the
YA Classes App

No WiFi? No Problem! Download
classes and take them without an
internet connection.

2k+
Download YA Classes app on the Apple App Store
Download YA Classes app on the Google Play Store

Also available in Apple TV , Mac and Amazon apps.

Send this to a friend
Follow us on Close

Create Your FREE Account

Woohoo! You’re about to unlock unlimited articles, exclusive
community content, and select on-demand yoga and fitness classes.

OR USE THE FORM BELOW

Lost password?