May 26, 2009

Sacred spaces

We carry our sacred spaces within.
A place of belonging, a place of our own.
Somewhere we can be ourselves and connect to our inner child.
A place of trust and peace.

We also make places sacred when they are used for meditative practice, ritual etc.
A sacred space can be anywhere. It can be a room in your home, it can be a garden or a special tree. It can be something as simple as an altar, a shelf with things of meaning to you.
There are no rules.
My first sacred space comprised a wooden box full of bits and pieces. The box was one I was given by a friend. She had a gift shop and the box was used to hold french soaps for selling. I painted it black and added spirals in a dull platinum. It smelt gorgeous.
Inside I had a piece of rough amethyst given to me by my mum and brought back from a trip to Turkey. She saw it and thought I'd like it. I did and it became part of my treasure chest.
I also had a rune, painted on a pebble from the beach. The rune was Gyfu . It too given by a friend. Gyfu intrigued me and made me read more about Runes. Gyfu is in the form of an equal length cross X
For me in it's simplest form it symbolises Sharing. Give to receive, or give something back. Spreading the generosity around, not being selfish. What goes round comes round.

It also held a sweet smelling beeswax candle. I found this at a craft fair, ridged with patterns representing the cells of a bee hive. I had always talked to bees when I saw them as my gran did before me. This seemed a good thing for the box.
The next item in my box of treasures was a shell, a scallop shell found on the road one day.
The final piece was a tiny goddess statue I found in a charity shop,medieval gown and quite heavy. Sadly she has now lost both her hands but she is still beautiful.
When I opened my box it set the mood for any meditation or magical working. Took me out of the now and into the there. I was in my sacred space.
When I think back on my treasure box I realise I had all the elements within.
Air the candle smoke
fire, also the candle
water, the shell
earth, the amethyst
spirit, the statue, reflecting the goddess within.




When you start to look around the beauty of the lady can be seen in many places.My sacred spaces have changed as time has gone by and as I have moved from place to place. I've often been able to have a room I can use for ritual, but sometimes it has been the trusty box.
Today I made a new sacred space, it nestles within my craft room. Quite appropriate I think because for me making something is a sacred experience. I go somewhere when I craft, I pick up inspiration and ideas that have to receive a form. Most often femmes but also lately the shawls I craft have this magic within them. A sense of creative soup within them all.
My new sacred space is simple, a chest of drawers as it's focus. Simple pieces upon it that reflect where I am today, including the amethyst.
It holds meaning and that is enough in itself.
I may add to it, I may leave it be but it will change on other planes as I do.

3 comments:

Haley @ Iridescent Dark said...

I find sacred space to be a captivating thing. Like you, I have often had a box to hold all things sacred to me, and only recently has it been visible to others (albeit in an overlooked corner of the room!). One thing I've always wanted to work on is building my own inner sacred space, I place I can take with me and access anywhere I may be, to remind me that the Lord and Lady are ever present within as well as without. Thanks for a lovely post x

florencemary said...

A really interesting post, Amber, that's made me think about my own sacred spaces.

Whilst your sacred spaces seem to be mostly actual physical things, mine are memories, particularly of places to do with my late father.

xxx

Anonymous said...

It's been a while since I could set up a sacred space that just stays there.
I've been casting about the house lately, wanting to set something up. My bedroom is the only place that I KNOW won't be seen by ... well.. my husband's conservative friends; but it's his space too, and that seems, well... rude.

But... I recently got a box. It has too much in it right now, but soon it'll be balanced.

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