Setting Aside Sacred Space By Anika Tené Cazenave

Setting Aside Sacred Space

By Anika Tené Cazenave

With the current focus on spirituality especially for the elder children of Mother

Gaia, many people are considering how best to set aside space for their ancestors,

rituals, and meditations among other practices. While I believe that all space is sacred

because it is part of the earth, it is important to note that intentionally creating a

physical environment for your spiritual practice helps to facilitate the transition between

that practice and our other daily activities. The Western paradigm of

compartmentalization has touched nearly all areas of the globe and many of us are

forced to separate our spiritual practice from our secular lives. While this is not ideal

particularly for the elder children of Mother Gaia, it is an unfortunate reality we must

often navigate. For this reason, altar, ritual, and meditation space can make the

difference between surviving and thriving. Here is a brief guide to creating that space

for yourself.

First, set the intention for your sacred space. What purpose is it meant to serve?

Is this an ancestral altar, a meditation room, a working altar for conjuration? Or will this

space serve a variety of functions including the ones I mentioned. The function of your

sacred space depends upon your needs and the size of the space available. If you are

limited in physical space, then perhaps shelving may help you maximize the types of

altars you want to create. If you have an expansive abode, then you can dedicate an

entire room for spiritual practice and divide the location into areas suitable for each

purpose. The key thing to remember is everyone can create an altar even if it is a

temporary one that goes back into a box when you are done with your practice.

Second, determine the location of your sacred space. It should be somewhere you

can easily access it but that is not necessarily accessible to other’s prying eyes and

curious hands. Certain traditional practices recommend not placing altars for ancestors

and other entities in your bedroom, however that protocol may not be practical for you.