Sacred Space 7 Tips to Helping Yourself Use it!

The candles and incense are ready and music is cued in your sacred space.

You plan to start using it everyday for special personal time.

Yet something keeps coming up to keep you from spending time for yourself in your sacred space!

These seven tips will help you to use your space regularly.

1. GO IN.

Even if for a minute, it's important to spend time in your sacred space. If you walk by the entrance to your sacred space as you enter your home or office, go in for a moment. If it's on the way to the bathroom – stop there on your way. Just being in your space for a few moments will help you relax, unwind and remember that this is a space that you want to spend more time in.

2. Put something in your sacred space that is very important to you. A special spiritual object or work of art that you draw comfort from can help you enter your space and spend time there. We keep a figure of a special spiritual teacher in our sacred space; greeting him every day is very important!

3. Keep something that needs you in your sacred space. A plant, fish bowl or water fountain all need feeding and replenishment on a regular basis and will draw you into your sacred space. Once there, take a few extra moments to pamper yourself and enjoy the space!

4. Hang a sign on the door. Meditation and reflection time is valuable, and being free from interruption is important. If you live or work with others, find a sign for the door that let's others know you're meditating and not to be disturbed. We have a small sign hanging on the door that says "Meditating" and when it's on, reminds the rest of us to be quiet!

5. Advertisement: Center of Spirit, Inc.Keep things that you use in your space. Put your key rack in your sacred space so that you have to go in and out as you come or go! Keep your CD's there, so that if you want to play music somewhere else you have to go and get them. Be creative about things that will draw you into your space so that you're spending more and more time there.

6. Do other tasks in your space. In addition to my mediation practice, I use my sacred space to organize my daily tasks and hold planning meetings with my partner. These things don't detract from my sacred use of the space; they encourage me to use it even more. Other tasks flow more smoothly when completed in sacred space!

7. Schedule it! The most important thing you can do to make regular use of your sacred space is to schedule time there. You deserve time to yourself for meditation, relaxation, writing or whatever your heart calls for you to do in your space. Honor yourself by scheduling your personal time as you would other important parts of life.

By Cathy O'Connell