5 Ways to Keep Sacred Spaces Sacred

Have you ever been in the shower and go to grab the shower gel and freeze, because you don’t remember if you already used it or not? Well, I have and that is what led to this blog post. For years I never had the luxury of taking time for myself in the mornings. I had two littles to get up, fed, dressed, and out the door at the same time I was getting myself ready to leave the house for the day. Those mornings started as soon as my feet hit the floor at 4:30am.

Since my daughters have both moved out of the house as grown adults and I am now working full time from home, I decided I wanted to begin my mornings more slowly. No, you may not have this luxury, and believe me it is something that goes on my gratitude list often, but you should have a space in your home that is set up for comfort, inspiration, hygge, writing, whatever you call it, and you should have a time set aside for whatever you choose to do in that space. (Go ahead and create your space if you haven’t, I’ll wait.) Also, check out my blog post on creating a scared space in your home for your creative self

Ok, sacred space ready, and time scheduled. Now, all you need to do is show up and bells will ring, confetti will fall, and all will be well, right? Not necessarily. Remember I started this article with my shower story? Well, since I have deemed my mornings as my sacred time during the day I spend the time doing things that fill my well; having a leisurely cup of coffee with my husband and chat about our day to come, spend time

enjoying our animals with cuddles or belly rubs, exercise and yoga to make sure those get checked off the list early, then I end my morning and start my day with my shower. I have a rule, that I leave all thoughts of the coming day or issues that are niggling in the back of my mind outside the shower when I enter. Instead, I take my time to enjoy the feel of the hot water on my body, the smell of my shampoo and the enjoyment I get from massaging it into my scalp. (TMI?) My point is, I try to enjoy the act of caring for myself. I keep the lighting low; I play spa music. I go all out if I do say so.

However, there are times when no matter my intent, I will be preoccupied with some problem and that is when I get to the shower gel and either forget I already did it or can’t remember if I did or not. My attention is elsewhere. When that happens, it is usually the result of me not holding up the end of my bargain to keep my sacred space sacred.

Now that you have a sacred space because you stopped reading this and ran to create yours, I’m certain of it, here are five ways to keep your space free from those things that don’t serve you in that spot, or ways to pull you back if you do like I do at times and let the goobers of life intrude. I’d also love to hear in the comments how you keep your sacred spaces sacred.

1. Set an intention EVERY time you enter your space:

Every time you enter your space for a session set an intention for your time. This can be something as simple as I want to just enjoy my time reading today, or something as specific as I need to figure out why my plot in chapter five is feeling too forced. My intent for my shower is to appreciate myself and the things that make me feel luxurious. (BTW, this is what I forgot to do)

2. Create a routine for each time you settle into your space:

By creating a routine, you prime your brain for being “ready” to do whatever it is you do in that space. Light a candle, put on a certain play list, make a special cup of tea. No matter what it is, it creates a loop in your brain that says, when we do this…this happens. You will find after that routine is established it will be easier for you to get down to business.

3. Make the space perfect for you:

Do you love plants? Then make your corner of the Living room for your space surrounded by plants. Is purple your favorite color? Find purple pillows and a purple ink pen to keep

in your space. No matter what it is that makes your soul sing, do that. Make this a place where you just feel good when you think about it, and when you enter it, you smile and your brains whispers, “we’re home”.

4. Do NOT use that space for anything else, if you can help it:

I understand space limitations if you are in a season of your life where you have a full house of people or living in an apartment the size of a shoebox. My bathroom is not mine alone, and often later in the day, I will be forced to give a dog a bath, because they rolled in something you would rather not know what it is. But, with those things aside, you can create a space that can have the mood set quickly, to make all those other things wash away. If you have the luxury of having a room all to yourself, cherish it every day!

5. Continue to believe that you deserve a space of your own for nothing but your own enjoyment

Whether your sacred space if for writing, or yoga and meditation, or just the perfect chair for sipping tea and reading, it is yours and that’s ok. We work had juggling all the things in life. Even if we use that space for one hour every Sunday, by the time you get to Sunday, you have done something to deserve your sacred time. As nurturers we too often put others needs before our own, but we should not neglect ourselves in the present, because the future is not a guarantee for anyone, so someday, may not be tomorrow. Be ruthless with your space and protect it like it was one of your children.

Do you have other tips and tricks for keeping the “world” out of your sacred space or time? Please include in the comments. Has this article encouraged you to create a space just for you? What will you use it for?

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