This was sent through one of the very few pagan groups I am still apart of (because so many of them feel so fake to me), and I liked it so much.
Creating Sacred Space
By: Keitha (FireWind)
Creating Sacred Space isn't as daunting a task as it first may seem.
In fact, I'd be willing to bet that the beginner can do this fairly
well even on the first try. Considering the amount of mail I get on
this topic, however, I think this might be a somewhat misunderstood
concept. So I hope this handy little guide will be of some
assistance.
First the most important burning question… What is it? What exactly
is it about a chosen place that makes it 'Sacred'? Well first of
all, you're Sacred Space doesn't have to be a space at all. It can
be a place in your mind. It can also be an ancient stone circle, or
your bathtub. It can be nowhere, and it can be everywhere. Confused?
Keep reading…
This might begin to make a little more sense when we deal with the
next question: What is it for? Sacred Space is a place, whether
physical or not, that you have made 'safe'. It is a clean place,
free from every day worries and stress. A place where you can be
you. A place where you can be free. And it is in a place such as
this that you are free to encounter spirituality on a deeper level.
The reason you create sacred space before a ritual is because you
can't be fully aware, you can't be really free, if you are bound to
the mundane. So creating Sacred Space gives you that place to be
safe and secure.
So, that all being said, Where is Sacred Space, then? You can choose
a physical place - such as the space around your altar, for example.
This place is excellent for sacred space. During Rituals, it is
important to be in your Sacred Space. When taking a ritual bath, you
might want to make the bathtub/bathroom Sacred Space. You might have
a grove, or clearing in a forest, for your Sacred Space. Any and all
of these are a good idea.
But there is also another way to create your Sacred Space. You can
create a place in your mind that is your perfect Sacred Space.
Create anything you like. Set it up any way you please. If you could
create a perfect place, a truly magickal place, what would it look
like? A stone circle, a grove, a farm, a cave? Feel free here,
that's important. Experiment and change things as you go. This is
your safe place. Know that in your heart. No-one can or will judge
you here. This is a real place, known as your Astral Temple. When
you have designed this perfect place, visit it often, especially
when you are in a ritual frame of mind. It is there for you always,
whenever you need that bit of sanity and relief. When you meditate
or attempt to encounter the gods, you can do it in this place if you
like.
So how about Creating Sacred Space? We've already covered your
perfect place, how about that corner of your home where your altar
is? To be honest, these steps may seem quite familiar.
First, clean the place physically - dust, vacuum, etc. Then clean it
of everything else - sweep with a broom, make lots of noise, dance
around, meditate on the space becoming 'clean', etc. The goal here
is to remove all of the stale 'ickies' that generally hang around a
place. All of the emotions we leave lying around behind us like so
much dust. Then if you like, you can go around your space with the
elements, and bless the space. Visualize the space becoming Sacred.
Then Cast your Circle and make the space Sacred for as long as you
need it. That's it. You have created a clean, safe, and Sacred
Space. While you are in ritual, you may also want to visit your
Astral Temple (your perfect Sacred Space) to 'water the flowers', so
to speak.
Copyright Info: All articles by Keitha may be copied, posted,
printed, distributed, reprinted, and linked to as long as the text
is not changed, money is not earned, full credit is given to Keitha
at www.glasstemple.com, and this notice is included.
Now when I imagined my sacred space in my mind, I came up with a stone circle on a grassy nole or hilltop overlooking a body of water. I dunno if this is the sea or just a lake but I loved it very much.
Then when I imagined what I could do to create it physically...I saw in my minds eye, myself sitting in the center of a circle that had a cluster of quartz at each directional point-and those sat on colored pieces of round fabric that cordenated with each direction. The colors were that of the Native American beleif (white, yellow, black, and red). So I may just gander at aquireing some large quartz clusters from Burnie's Rock Shop, when I have money again.
Until next time...
