Sacred Spaces

There are several ways to think of sacred space.  The term could refer to a specific location, either indoors or out, ordinary like a bedroom or extraordinary like the peak of a mountain.  Sacred space can also refer to casting a circle or creating a designated sacred area through focused attention and intention.

Personal Ritual Space

This can be as simple or as ornate as you would like to be.  One major consideration is how portable and how private your space needs to be.  I have taken over an extra bedroom in our house for my indoor ritual space and library/study area.  You may not have that luxury, so you might want to look for ritual items you can store in a closet or trunk. 

Reading through various books and internet sites you'll find that some people argue strongly that a nature-based religion should be practiced outside.  For them a ritual environment with carpeted floors in air conditioned spaces is too artificial.  In my personal situation there is absolutely no privacy around my house, so I either have to go to a public park or work out something with sympathetic friends.  You too may have to be creative in finding outdoor ritual space that meets your need for privacy.

I have found it very important to have a private ritual space in my home that I can visit often.  Over time my space has become most special to me.  I can relax there (without the thought that someone is going to walk in any minute to ask what's for dinner or where the car keys are).  I feel free to speak out loud, sing, play a drum or other instruments, and move around the room.  Having my own ritual space facilitated a new level of intensity in my Pagan practice. 

Spaces with Special Energy

You may have visited places with ley lines or other special energies.  Perhaps you visited a location that was just so stunning that it filled you with an awe for Nature.  Maybe you've visited a retreat center or cathedral or historical location that touched your spirit.  As with so many things in Paganism, this too is very individual.

Having grown up on the Gulf of Mexico I can say that for most of my life I have found strength and inspiration from the ocean.  Now that I live in the northeastern United States I find Acadia National Park to be a spiritual retreat center for me.  The most spiritual time of day for me is sunrise.  When I need to get a "spiritual tune up" there's no place I'd rather be than early morning on the rocky shores of Acadia. (Which explains the choice of pictures for Solitary-Pagan.net -- most of them are from Mount Desert Island.)

Casting a Circle

No matter where you are physically you can create a spiritual sphere of sacred space.  You can find many resources on the internet to give you pointers -- just search for "Wicca create sacred space" or "Wicca cast a circle" and you'll get many hits.  A good place to start is Circle Casting Rituals at about.com.  Keep in mind that learning to focus your attention and intention is creating sacred space is not something that you learn for once and your done with it.  This is a skill that needs practice.  This is also an experience that can be full of wondering and depth, even though it is often viewed as step along the way to the heart of a ritual.  One of the best discussions of creating sacred space I've seen in a long time is the chapter on Advanced Circle Casting in Arin Murphy-Hiscock's book Solitary Wicca for Life.