What follows are some ideas and practices I have found useful in creating sacred space for use in ritual, to support clarity and growth in my own home, and to sanctify the very temple of my body. It is my hope that these will serve as inspiration for your own creative expression of the Divine in your own life, and that these will be powerful companions that bless and sustain you as you journey through your own process of transformation, serving as reminder of your own sacred center and the Old Ones who light the altar fire within us all.
It is the elegant simplicity of the garden temple and the fireside shrine that is the powerful practice of many Pagans today.
Flowing with Holy Waters
From the grand European matrons made of stone and marble found in piazzas and formal estates to their simple and elegant bamboo sisters burbling in Zen gardens, fountains have engaged the imaginations of people across time and around the world. I have always been enchanted by the magic of fountains. How wonderful it was for me when they started producing tabletop fountains for the home!
Aside from their visual beauty and calming sounds of running water, I have found fountains to be a powerful tool for setting the energy of my home. Chosen for their specific properties, I love to position stones and crystals under the flow of the water; this cleanses and charges the stones while also releasing their vibrational signatures into the area. Similarly, adding a few drops of Chalice Well water or one of my homemade Goddess Elixirs to the fountain circulates those energies around the home, supporting my personal work and adding a sacred influence to my living space.
One important elemental characteristic of water is its ability to hold and magnify whatever intention you bring to it. This makes water a potent ally in your spiritual work, especially when it comes to setting an energetic tone where you live and work. Instead of a fountain, you can charge a bowl of water with a quality you want to bring into your space—perhaps supporting this intention with similarly toned stone, elixir, or essential oil placed in the bowl—and allow it to gently diffuse into the area as the water evaporates. This is a simple way to bring a touch of the sacred to your surroundings, to reinforce your spiritual work, and to empower yourself to be surrounded by positive energies of your own choosing.
Igniting the Sacred Center
Whether it’s the central fire pits of the wattle and daub roundhouses of the British Celts or the Eternal Flame that burned in the marble columned austerity of the circular Temple of Vesta in ancient Rome, the power of the hearth has always been at the heart of the human experience. More than a place of warmth, light, and sustenance, the flicker of the hearth fire is a place for families to gather, for stories to be shared, and for collective traditions and memories to be perpetuated.
When purchasing our first house, a fireplace was on my list of must-haves, and it quickly became central to our family life. My spinning wheel sits on the extra-large hearth, which my children have used as a stage for their impromptu performances and as a platform for their drumming sessions. A two-foot-high statue of the Goddess graces the wooden mantle, a comforting reminder of Her overseeing presence. An offering plate and a bowl where I place my healing requests sit on either side of the statue, which at night is illuminated by pure white pillar candles. I enjoy decorating the mantle with seasonal symbols collected from nature, creating a dynamic and ever-evolving representation of the cycle of the year.
Even if you do not have a fireplace, it can be empowering to choose a place in your home that will hold the energies of the Sacred Center. Perhaps you can use a small side table as a house altar, or set aside a book shelf for symbols and objects that remind you of your life’s big picture or that hold the energy of the whole and holy you. The flicker of a consciously chosen candle flame can serve as a proxy for a central hearth fire, while still reflecting the illumination of your spirit’s core—bright and warm in its constant connection with the loving energies of the Divine.
Honoring the Great Cycle
Leaving offerings in sacred places is a tradition rooted in the practice of ritual sacrifice. Where once our ancestors made sacrifices to the gods and spirits to ensure a good harvest or to gain Otherworldly protection, today we seek assistance in reaping the bounty of our soul’s potential. Taking time to express gratitude to those who support us in our work and witness us in our process—both in this world and in the Otherworld—is an acknowledgement of the greater tapestry of our lives. This balances the give and take of spiritual energies and is a powerful reflection of our soul’s growth.
Over the years, I have had the honor and privilege to stand with sisters in sacred space in many different settings—in ancient landscapes, on moonlit beaches, in backyard pavilions, and in lovingly prepared living rooms. One of my favorite ritual sites was a wild apple grove in the middle of a nature preserve. The trees formed a natural circle,
