| Many are realizing the benefits of a sacred space as | | | | your surroundings are clear and simple. |
| a place for spiritual development and peace. Setting | | | | Scent for Ambience and Magic |
| aside a special place in our homes to meditate, relax | | | | Scent will have a great impact on how you feel in your |
| and connect with our higher selves helps us to include | | | | special place. Burning incense or warming essential oils |
| spiritual development into our daily lives while balancing | | | | of your favorite scent will increase the value of your |
| the demands of everyday living. | | | | experience, whether you a performing a ritual, |
| What is a sacred space? | | | | meditating or just reading a book. Scents can be used |
| A sacred space is a place to which we can retreat | | | | for purification purposes at the beginning of your |
| for peace, awareness and spiritual development. A | | | | spiritual practice. They can also have a powerful |
| sacred space provides us with a place where the | | | | impact on your mood and you can use this quality of |
| energy and atmosphere are conducive to achieving a | | | | scent to achieve special purposes such as calming, |
| very peaceful and relaxed state as required for | | | | increasing vitality and energizing, focusing and |
| meditation. A sacred space can be as small as a | | | | increasing concentration. |
| home altar or as large as an entire room, a garden or | | | | However, scents are said to have powers that go |
| even a purpose built temple. | | | | beyond just mood enhancement and have been used |
| A sacred space is not about religion. It is a spiritual | | | | in spiritual ceremonies for thousands of years for such |
| place that reflects who you are spiritually, whether you | | | | purposes as creating luck, prosperity, protection, love |
| are a devout follower of a particular religion, an atheist | | | | and spiritual development. |
| or agnostic. How you use your sacred space will also | | | | Fresh flowers are also added to an altar or sacred |
| reflect your spiritual self. For many it will be a place of | | | | space for their scent, color, beauty and freshness. The |
| meditation and contemplation. For others it may be a | | | | presence of plants, whether it be in the sacred garden |
| place of worship, or to practice their beliefs in ritual. It | | | | or as a pot plant in an internal sacred space, will |
| may a combination of both. | | | | provide oxygen, freshening and improving the |
| Locating Your Sacred Space | | | | atmosphere. |
| The energy of a place builds up over time. An area | | | | Sound |
| takes on the energy of the events, feelings and | | | | Certain sound frequencies and vibration are of benefit |
| thoughts that have occurred there. Over time, this | | | | for cleansing, calming, energizing, revitalizing, healing and |
| energy can become strong if the same activities and | | | | raising the vibrational energy of your sacred space. As |
| feelings are repeated. A room, place or space where | | | | with scent, the sounds you select will depend upon the |
| only meditation, spiritual practice and peaceful activities | | | | activity you are performing and your particular |
| take place will become a place of peace. The calming | | | | preference. A cleansing Om will purify the energy in a |
| energy will influence the way you feel when you enter | | | | room and raise the vibration. Repetitive sounds such |
| that place and relaxation will come more easily to you. | | | | as mantras, chants and drumming increase the |
| This, I believe, is an important aim of a sacred place. | | | | vibrational energy. Ringing a bell is traditional for at the |
| Although, in some spiritual practices, the home altar is | | | | beginning of many spiritual practices. In Wicca, the bell |
| traditionally located in the main living area of the house, | | | | is rung at the start of a ritual to invoke the Goddess. A |
| I believe, that in our modern world, a sacred space will | | | | small decorative bell is often a standard item on an |
| serve you better if it is located away from the main | | | | altar. |
| living and utility areas of the house. This will give you an | | | | Instinctively, we know what sounds or music to play to |
| opportunity to create the desired energy for your | | | | best serve our needs at any particular time. A CD |
| sacred space without the influence from the buziness | | | | player and a selection of music and guided meditations |
| of your daily affairs. | | | | will come in handy in your sacred space. At times you |
| Decorating Your Sacred Space | | | | may just like to enjoy the silence, if you are lucky |
| The decorations chosen for a sacred space will be a | | | | enough to have this choice. If you have a sacred |
| unique mixture of pictures, furniture, ornaments, cloth, | | | | garden or a room that opens out onto a natural setting, |
| cushions, color and whatever else appeals to you and | | | | listening to the sounds of the birds, the breeze through |
| others who use this special place. The important thing | | | | the trees, crickets and other natural sounds provides |
| is that the decoration of a sacred space resonates | | | | the ultimate music for relaxation. |
| with you and your belief system. | | | | Light |
| Symbols and Deities | | | | A lamp or lantern that emits a soft glow will provide a |
| To increase a sense of inner peace and harmony, a | | | | relaxing atmosphere for meditation, relaxation and |
| sacred place is often decorated with emblems and | | | | rituals. Salt lamps provide a soft warm light and have |
| symbols of beauty, peace, happiness and spirituality. | | | | the added benefit of ionizing the atmosphere, |
| The symbols that you choose to display will depend | | | | increasing your ability to concentrate and your general |
| upon your own personal preference and belief system. | | | | feeling of wellbeing. If you or another member of the |
| Deities are a common way of representing religious | | | | family suffers from asthma, salt lamps are a much |
| beliefs or associations. Many people demonstrate their | | | | better choice than candles as they improve the |
| religious tolerance by displaying deities from a number | | | | atmosphere by adding negative ions. The smoke |
| religions and belief systems. The deity on your altar | | | | produced from candles could affect someone with |
| and displayed in your sacred space represents the | | | | breathing difficulties. Salt lamps are also much safer |
| values that you hold dearest and those you wish to | | | | than lighting candles. |
| embody. For instance the Hindu God Ganesh is said to | | | | However, candlelight is the ultimate mood stimulator. It |
| have overcome great obstacles and therefore | | | | is difficult to replace the candle for its ability to create |
| embodies this trait. Whether you are Hindu or not, you | | | | instant mysticism. The flickering flame is mesmerizing |
| may identify with the values that Ganesh represents. | | | | and can be a good focus for meditation. Candle lamps |
| Symbols are a powerful representation of spirituality | | | | and lanterns also provide a sensual and peaceful |
| and values. Spiritual symbols such as Om, Mandalas, | | | | atmosphere and have the added benefit of being |
| Crucifix, the Pentacle, Greenman and Triple Moon are | | | | hangable. |
| popular for altar decoration whether it be as an | | | | Candles and Ceremony |
| ornament, a picture on the wall, a decorative cloth that | | | | Candles are also a very important aspect of most |
| drapes the altar, or on an altar tile. | | | | spiritual practice. White candles have been of particular |
| However, it is not necessary for you to identify with a | | | | importance in religious and other ceremonies as they |
| specific religion to have an altar. For many who just | | | | represent peace and purity. Colored candles have |
| want to celebrate life and the earth, statues of their | | | | particular meanings also. The standard colors of red, |
| favorite animals or pictures of amazing places on | | | | yellow, blue, green and white represent the elements |
| earth such as a remote beach with bright white sand | | | | of fire, air, water, earth and spirit. Each candle color is |
| and cobalt blue sky or a rainforest with huge old | | | | also representative of the values associated with that |
| growth trees with buttress roots may be their symbol | | | | color. For instance red is for vitality and motivation, |
| of beauty and harmony. | | | | yellow is for intellectual ability and acquiring knowledge, |
| Crystals | | | | green is for wealth and abundance of material things. |
| Crystals and gemstones enhance your special place | | | | The number of candle ceremonies is almost endless. |
| with their beauty and energy. Placed in your sacred | | | | Here is a simple ceremony that can assist you to |
| place, crystals influence the energy around them with | | | | reach your dreams and goals. |
| the special values that they embody. They are also | | | | Choose the colored candle that best fits your purpose |
| beneficial when used in meditation and in healing. There | | | | and your affirmation. You may have an affirmation for |
| are hundreds of crystals and gemstones to choose | | | | each area of your life and therefore you will have a |
| from. Some popular stones include: | | | | range of colored candles. Say, for instance, you have |
| Rose quartz - love, self acceptance, empathy, | | | | exams coming up and it is important for you to |
| compassion, peaceful relationships | | | | achieve a good result. |
| Clear quartz - spiritual and psychic development, | | | | - Write an affirmation. Example: 'I have excellent recall |
| powerful healing and meditation stone | | | | of all that I have learnt in the subject and I am able to |
| Amethyst - dispelling anger and fear, creating peace | | | | express this information accurately and |
| Moonstone - nurturing, soothing emotions, intuition, | | | | comprehensively.' |
| balance and introspection | | | | - Ensure that you are totally relaxed. Meditating prior to |
| Color | | | | a ceremony will clear your mind and increase your |
| Color may be an important consideration for your | | | | connection to the higher realms. |
| sacred space. Each color of the spectrum brings with | | | | - Create ambience in your sacred space - low light |
| it particular values and feelings that will influence the | | | | and soft music or Om in the background. |
| energy of your special place. For instance yellow is a | | | | - Light a white a candle first and ask that the spirit be |
| good color for concentration, perception and joy. Blue | | | | present as well any other entity that has meaning for |
| is the color for quiet contemplation, wisdom and | | | | you. |
| honesty. Pink represents love, compassion and | | | | - Light the yellow candle and introduce your affirmation |
| receptivity. White represents faith, tranquility, harmony | | | | by stating your intention. |
| and peace. Purple represents selflessness, dignity, | | | | - Read your affirmation and visualize yourself in your |
| vision and universal conscience. Red is a warm and | | | | exam confidently completing each question of the |
| vibrant color that is cheerful and dynamic. However, if | | | | exam. The more detail you can imagine the better. |
| you are sensitive to red, it may be difficult to relax in a | | | | - On completion, thank the spirit for all that you already |
| room full of this color. | | | | have in regards to your studies such as opportunity for |
| Any one color on its own can be overbearing. Even | | | | an education, a healthy mind and healthy body, |
| white can be clinical and harsh if there is too much of it. | | | | intelligence, the wealth that has enabled you to |
| Light colors tend to provide a more uplifting | | | | undertake study and anything else that is relevant. |
| atmosphere than dark colors. Too much dark color | | | | - Extinguish the yellow candle and then the white |
| can be dampening and depressive. A theme of two or | | | | candle. |
| three main colors that harmonize will be the most | | | | A sacred space is a special place for awareness and |
| tranquil. | | | | connection of the mind, the body and the spirit. Your |
| Clutter | | | | sacred space includes elements that influence each of |
| To achieve a calming atmosphere it is best to avoid | | | | your senses to encourage peace, harmony and |
| too much 'visual buziness'. Your sacred space will | | | | spiritual awareness. It is a place to reflect you, your |
| function best if it is simply furnished and decorated and | | | | tastes and your beliefs. In our modern, busy lives, our |
| easy to maintain. A high maintenance sacred place will | | | | sacred space provides a retreat where you can |
| increase the opportunity for stress. Also, it will be | | | | quieten your mind and connect with the higher realms - |
| easier to empty your mind of the chatter and noise if | | | | your own sacred temple. |