Photo by Dana Nollsch, www.photozen.us

Creating sacred space or “opening the directions” is a powerful way to invoke presence and sacredness in the moment. I find this wildly useful when facilitating workshops, when creating any sort of ceremony or ritual, or when preparing for client sessions. In addition to creating an empowered environment for discovery, it’s useful for stepping out of the space/time continuum, according to my shamanic tradition, where spontaneous healing is always a possibility. We enter what we call “mythic time,” where experience feels more profound and powerful.

Alberto Villoldo, Ph.D. and author of Shaman, Healer, Sage: How to Heal Yourself and Others with the Energy Medicine of the Americas says this of sacred space:

Shamans always begin healing ceremonies by opening sacred space. In this space we leave behind the affairs of ordinary life, the bustling world of meetings and schedules, and prepare to meet the divine. Sacred space allows us to enter our quiet inner world where healing takes place. Here the mundane cannot distract us, and every act is hallowed and deliberate; yet sacred space is neither serious nor ponderous. Shamans take their work very seriously, but they do not take themselves very seriously at all, and there is often laughter and playfulness during healing ceremonies. Within sacred space we experience the lightness of our being. Both laughter and tears come easily. Alan Watts used to say that the reason angels could fly was because they took themselves very lightly. Within sacred space our burdens become lighter, and we can be touched by the hand of Spirit. After we finish our healing work, sacred space must be closed by again acknowledging the four directions, Heaven, and Earth. When the shaman does this, she releases the archetypal energies she summoned, and they reintegrate into nature. Sacred space is a healing sphere that is pure, holy, and safe… Sacred space also gives us access to the luminous healers – the medicine men and women who assist us from the Spirit world. (pp. 136-7)

Today we have a video to offer to you where we explore a little bit about the significance and tradition of creating sacred space and where I demonstrate this. I hope you enjoy our offering, straight from the enchanted forest of OdaBe Acres. Special thanks to Dana Nöllsch for some brilliant photography and editing, plus lots of moral support.

 

How will you embrace more presence and empowerment today?

How will you create sacredness in your space today?

 What is sacredness to you?