Seekers can conduct their daily spiritual practice anywhere, but you may want to consider creating a sacred space in your home or office which is specifically set aside for the purpose. Reading, journaling and meditating in the same location on a regular basis can make that place one which quite naturally evokes a sense of calm and quiet, and serves as an oasis of peace and stillness no matter how busy or hectic the rest of your life may be.
A sacred space can be as simple or elaborate as you want to make it, and should be created to accommodate the requirements of your own individual practice rather than any external idea of what is right or wrong. That said, there are several possible elements of a sacred space which you would do well to think about when establishing your own.
Silence and Solitude
Having previously discussed the importance of Silence and Solitude, it makes sense to try and locate your sacred space in a place which will be relatively free from interruptions. If you are fortunate enough to have a spare room which you can use for the purpose then by all means take advantage of that, but such extremes really aren’t possible or necessary for most people. It can be just as effective to set aside a quiet corner of a room, or even a quiet location outdoors if the climate permits it. The key in all cases is that your chosen space affords quiet and privacy at the times when you intend to practice.
Seating
Some might think that such considerations about proper seating are unnecessary, but if you want your daily spiritual practice to be something that you look forward to, it needs to be a fairly comfortable experience, and not one that causes physical aches and pains.
Altar
An altar is a structure which serves as a visual point of focus, and can be very useful in helping you to make the mental transition between daily life and your spiritual practice. It needn’t be a purpose-built structure, but could just as easily be a shelf or table in your chosen location. The important thing is that you should be able to view your altar when seated.
How you furnish your altar should, as always, reflect both your personal preferences and the needs of your own individual path. Items which are commonly used by Seekers include statues or images of spiritual figures (such as the Buddha, Jesus or Ganesh), potted plants or fresh flowers, singing bowls, candles and incense burners, but any other items which help you to turn your focus towards spiritual ideas and concepts can also be included.
Storage
A fourth component that you might like to consider is some kind of storage facility, which can be used to store spiritual texts, journals, mala beads and whatever other items you use in your daily practice. This storage facility could be a shelf or a carefully chosen box, but having all the things that you need for your daily practice in one specific place will make it easy for you to focus on what matters when you come to use your sacred space.
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Creating a sacred space won’t prevent you from conducting your spiritual practice elsewhere from time to time by any means, but it will give you a clearly defined place that you can call your spiritual home. Spend time practicing there on a regular basis and its value will soon become apparent.
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