Creating a sacred space of your own with step by step instructions.
No matter who you are, I truly believe that everyone needs a sacred space to escape to. If you're married and/or have children, you need one even more so! Especially in today's society, we are under more stress than ever before. How do you handle stress? A lot of people simply don't know how. Some stress is good, but how do you handle it when you're over-stressed? The answer? You need a sacred space all to your own! A sacred space is a place where you can go to escape from the world. It can be a nook or corner of your apartment or a whole room dedicated in your home.

Here are some steps in creating your own sacred space...

Step 1 - One of the first things you must do is pick a room or a corner of a room that you can claim all to your own. Can you paint it? If so, go to a home improvement store and pick out some color samples that agree with you. How does the color make you feel? The color should be able to create serenity within you and make you feel good. Paint is one of the most inexpensive ways to change the atmosphere of a room. Don't worry if it is not a traditional color; remember, this is for you and only you.

Step 2 - Add accessories to the space that are special to you. I wanted an evening garden feel, so I added a lunar wallpaper border and even added glow-in-the-dark sticky stars formed into familiar constellations. I also added ivy vines along the wallpaper border and weaved in a string of tiny patio lights. The lights create a soft and relaxed environment in the evening. I've also added other items that are special to me such as a small religious statue of the Lady of Guadalupe and my collection of cobalt blue bottles along the windowsill. When the sun shines through the window, the reflection off of the blue bottles is awesome. Whenever I run across pillows on sale, I buy a couple and have created a cozy corner in my room where I can curl up and read a good book.

Step 3 - Make the room appeal to your sense of smell too. Purchase candles and incense of your favorite scents. I've purchased some very inexpensive candle holders at garage sales and flea markets. These will also add to the accessories in your sacred space (see step 2). I have them place all around the room. I also have an essential oil diffuser. Depending what mood I am in determines which scent or which source that I light up. Learn more about aromatherapy and how it can positively affect your moods.

Step 4 - Now add music to appeal to your sense of hearing. I have a wide range of music in my sacred space, once again depending upon what mood I am in. I have everything from soothing massage music, to birds serenading, to acoustic romantic music, to Tejano music, to hard rock music! I play the hard rock music when I have a lot to do and need to get energized. I also have a water fountain in the room. The sound of water is known to be calming.

Step 5 - Add a touch of Feng Shui to your sacred space. Feng Shui is the ancient art of arranging your home to increase positive energy flow. You can utilizing Feng Shui as a tool for creating harmony, good health, wealth, and peace of mind. Feng Shui promotes balance, efficiency, and comfort in all that we do. Learn to add small touches to bring positive energy to your sacred space. I have hung chimes in front of my windows and from my ceiling fan to both fight off the bad energy from entering and to circulate the good energy in the room.

All of these steps can be very inexpensive with only a little creativity. Don't worry about trying to create and finish your space in only a weekend. Make it a work in progress. I've had my sacred space for about a year and a half now and I continue to add to it every chance I get. I also move things around quite a bit, continuing to tweak it to become even more special. As I change moods, so does my sacred space.

About the Author

Carol Martinez is a successful wife and mother of two beautiful children. Carol is also a freelance writer and gardener in her free time. Visit Carol at http://www.carolscasa.com.