Willow Winterborne February, 2009
*The Hedgewitch lives in the space between the Village and the Forest. Between the mundane and the magical. S/He lives with a foot in both worlds.
This column is dedicated to the Hedgewitches of the planet earth.
February 2009 (sorry for my absence last month, but life called, and I had to answer…)
Creating Sacred Space in A Hectic World
As modern people, we can become so busy that the idea of having time for ritual, The Divine, or even Self can be laughable. Not so much funny- ha ha, but sad, and ironic.
We remember, fondly, times when we were still, and lit candles and meditated or prayed.
When we first came to the Path, we made time for all the wonders of life. Her mysteries were our oyster and we stole precious moments away from responsibilities of everyday mundanity to ponder the magical.
But as we became more sure of ourselves, we took less and less time for the quiet moments.
So many things come to call for our attention, and it can be much easier just to give in to them, allowing our sacred time to become rare and sometimes forgotten, entirely.
But even as the surest thing is that Change will come to our lives, and seasons of hectic and busy abound, there can be sacred space, and time. We can make a commitment to the Magical and to the Divine.
This year, I have renewed my resolution to create Sacred Space. To make time.
We all have different lives, and levels of privacy and free time. This said, I suggest that there are many ways to take advantage of the privacy and free time we have, by being creative about how we use these resources as they present themselves.
Best place for sacred space: The bathroom
The bathroom is a place of guaranteed privacy for at least 15 minutes each day.
I have long used the bathroom for creating sacred space, stemming from requirement, when my husband wasn’t aware of my spirituality. It was my personal Broom Closet.
The bathroom also inherently comes with the benefits of Water and all its many blessings. Cooling, soothing, warming, cleansing, blessing and ritual bathing. Add a stone, or jar of bath salts, a candle, and some incense and you have all 4 elements working together to balance the energy of this powerful room.
Some possible activities to create sacred space might include:
* A ritual bath or shower- excellent for the applications of cleansing, blessing, healing, stress relief and purification.
* “Seated meditation”- at least once a day you are likely to be seated in your bathroom anyway. This time can be used for a mantra, chant or prayer. Focus the mind and allow stress to be released through the feet, placed squarely on the floor.
* Candle Magic- the bathtub can be a wonderful choice for place to light and keep a ritual candle. Spells can be performed, divinations undertaken and scrying can all be done in this space. In households with children and pets there can be precious few places to allow a candle to burn out undisturbed, and the tub can be just the place.
On The Move: The Sacred Car
Many of us have lengthy commutes, during which we are sort of prisoners. Often this can be stressful, and add to our aggravation, rather than help us to relax or become centered.
I have begun to spend my time in the car in a new way. This is the perfect time for a mantra or chant. We already sing with the radio or chat with the family. Why not make up a song to represent the magic you wish to undertake?
Fill the car, and then the world around, with the energy coming from your car.
Take time before you leave the house to come up with a little ditty to sing aloud. Rhyming helps us remember the words, but isn’t necessary.
Some other ideas for the sacred car include:
* adding a cat whisker to the glove box in a ritual manner to help navigation, stealth, and protection from unseen forces.
* Taking time before starting the engine to bless the car and the drive ahead.
* drawing a rune or other protective symbol somewhere inside the car to remind your conscious mind that your car is protected and safe, come what may.
* Meditation can sometimes be tricky in a moving car, but prayer and direction of energy toward the Divine can be easily accomplished while driving.
Good Night Moon: Bed as a sacred space
I have always felt my bed was my most sacred space. I sleep there, relax and read there and retire there when the rest of the world is just too much. I am restored, given dreams and visions, and comforted by this space already.
Once viewed as a place to retreat to the Divine, the possibilities are endless.
* Bed is the ideal place to meditate. Although we often fall asleep while doing it, this should never deter you from meditating there, anyway. Your ensuing sleep is bound to be deep and recuperative, having occurred when you were so relaxed.
* we can often clear our minds and focus more once we lie down than during any other time of the day. Spellwork, healings and all manner of divination can be implemented here.
* Scattering essential oils in the bedroom can help bring the mind into focus of the energies we wish to create. Lavender is excellent for relaxation and for calming, whereas peppermint can bring vitality and sharpen the mind. A few drops on a Kleenex or cloth tucked in the pillowcase can bring about an immersion into the mood you wish to create.
* the bedroom can be a great place to light candles and burn incense, when the rest of the home isn’t free for such things.
* We can take time to journal or write for ourselves when we are swathed in the comfort of our beds.
Taking time to create meaningful space can attune us to the Divine in a way that few other activities can. 5 minutes can make a huge difference in the rest of our lives.
I hope that you will find small ways (or even big ways) to make your daily life sacred, and to feel the deep joy that comes from Our connectedness.
Brightest Blessings of the new Season
Tags: altar, blessing, magic, magick, sacred space
