Using Feng Shui to Create Sacred Space
featured this week on Over the Moon
I saw this quote recently and I just love it. Sadly, though, this is often the case in our modern, fast-paced world. We’ve really lost touch with nature and the magic in our everyday lives.
Many of us (myself included) hope for an easy fix, a magic potion of sorts. But even magical solutions take some work. First, there must be belief and trust in the process. Belief in the magic! Second, a seed (even of the magic sort) can be planted, but it needs fertile soil, sunlight, love, and cultivation to come to fruition.
I believe that feng shui and other spiritual philosophies and disciplines really are magic! Read on to learn how you can do your part to bring some magic into your everyday life and make your home a sacred space.
Create an Altar or Shrine
This doesn’t have to be religious, but it can be if you’d like. For instance, I am Buddhist, so I have a shrine with a Buddha, incense, a candle, and offerings of flowers, rice, and water. But you can also create a special place for some selected sacred objects, honoring a teacher in your life with a candle for light and a flower for life.
In feng shui, I’ve also prescribed altars for nature spirits. This would include a special, designated area inside or outside your home, with some water, liquor, rice, and a rock or small statue. The intent is to dedicate a small area to invite some magic to dwell in and enhance your home. You can literally ask the universe, or nature, to come visit your home. Thank them and offer this special space for them to enjoy.
Circumambulate
I first heard this term in architecture school when learning about the stupas, cathedrals, and temples of the ancient world. Almost all religions incorporated this ritual of circumambulation as a devotional practice by walking around the interior perimeter of a space. In my Buddhist practices, we also circumambulate during walking meditation.
Starting at your front door, walk clockwise around the interior perimeter of your home. While circumambulating, you can chant mantra, ring bells, burn incense, etc. In BTB feng shui, we circumambulate while chanting “Om Mani Padme Hum” during the orange peel space clearing, using orange essence or peels to clear the space. You can also do sage or palo santo space clearings in this manner to further sanctify the space.
Add Sound Vibration
Sounds, such as cymbals, bells, and even singing, create vibrations that create magic and transformation in your environment. Even the sound from the trickle of a water fountain can create this magic. It’s especially effective to use sound to expand into the dark, forgotten areas of your home, like the back corners of closets, above cabinets, behind the sofa, etc. Create some sound vibration magic and see what happens.
While the magic in our universe may not quite mirror the incredible events of Alice’s story, it is possible to bring a little wonder and magic into your life, if you’re willing to believe and do your part. If you’re seeking a change or life enhancement, or maybe even just a little magic, try one or more of these tips in your space to create an environment where that magic can flourish. Once you do, share your story with us!