Minimalism and Sacred Spaces
The Intersection of Light and Silence
Sacred spaces are not exclusively places of worship, but they are places where we are more keenly aware of an existence outside the mundane, the temporal, the profane. They can be found in nature and in manmade structures, and surely they can be found in other parts of the universe. Yoga and meditation can even help us find such spaces within the infinity of our own minds and bodies. Sacred spaces can be collectively recognized, such as Mecca, or recognized by only ourselves, such as a spot in a garden, or in a room of one’s own. It’s the place where we just know.
A common experience among those who have decluttered is a heightened awareness of the value of space and time. By facing the collected detritus of shopping, waste, and distractions, we give ourselves a chance to restore harmony with what is most important in our brief lives, and to improve the quality of our lives by making much more of what time and space we have. Space and time take on such value that they can be considered sacred concepts. Both are needed, I think, to properly experience the other.
There are many ways of selecting or arranging spaces for ultimate benefit, such as feng shui, and other traditional methods. Consciousness of the spirit of a place, the genius loci, is part of Western pre-Christian belief, bits and pieces of which have hung on and found their way into philosophy and even landscape architecture. Sometimes the spiritual is emphasized, and sometimes the rational–the genius loci seldom refers to a local deity anymore, but to the natural and logical way any given space is used, its traditions and history, and the physical particulars, such as the lay of the land, the water, rocks, trees, native species, and the quality of the light. Capturing this sense helps to create well-loved parks and public gardens, within which many people can find “their” spots.
Personal sacred spaces are those which speak to our specific needs, whether spiritual, psychological, or physical. I’ve had several in my life, often stumbling across them without realizing I even needed them, only knowing that they were “my” spots: among them were a copse of trees on the farm where I grew up, the end of a pier on the gulf side of Florida, the end of a long table in the reference room of a university library. They are long gone, these spots, but seem as real as yesterday in my memory. I did some good work and thinking in those places, and they helped restore me when times were difficult.
The idea of sacred spaces came up because we have just rearranged the living room for the first time in about a year and a half, and I’m once again sitting in the spot where I sat when I first started this blog and a few other creative projects. The difference between the feel of this spot and where I have been sitting for the past 18 months is striking. Within an hour of enjoying the rearrangement, I could feel my mental energy shifting gears, feeling simultaneously calmer, clearer, and more energized. Obviously this was a better spot for me to sit than the other one. I didn’t realize it, however, until I returned to it, bringing with it the sensation of being “my” spot that I recognized from having had “my” spots in the past.
From here I considered if there were other special spots in the house, and realized that the whole house could be considered a sacred space to a certain extent, but only since we went minimalist. Excavating the excessive stuff of life literally carved out the space for the sense of sacredness to occur. Even when a room gets messy and cluttered again, it retains a certain sensibility because the mess and clutter are not overwhelming the space, not smothering the life out of it. There’s no longer enough stuff left to take over a space in that dangerous manner, and the amount of time needed to restore its harmony is rarely more than the amount of time one would give to a period of contemplation. This might be why housework itself has taken on a much different sensibility than it had before–it now has more in common with devotions than chores.
Two things stand out: sacredness of space is fragile, and sacredness of space can be restored. One needn’t live so minimally that no activity beyond sipping a cup of tea or meditating can occur within our homes–laundry can accumulate, sloppy meals can be made and eaten, parties can be thrown, crafts or fix-it projects can hang around for a bit, and drawers can get packed pretty tight again. But proportions are what’s crucial, the balance between space, time, and the stuff of ordinary life.
There needs to be enough stillness, enough emptiness, for the sense of sacred space to emerge and re-emerge. In those spaces we are most likely to grow into our best selves, to be happy, to be creative, to be generous, and to make the most of our precious time.
20 Responses to “Minimalism and Sacred Spaces”
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Sacred spots are important. Usually the first thing I notice when I move into a new space is where I gravitate to within the space, whether it’s a new apartment or a new office. It’s definitely easiest to find those spots when there’s not clutter.
Heather recently posted..unfinished
Hi Heather–I know what you mean, and in fact you remind me that when we first moved here, I instinctively placed the sofa in “my” spot. It’s been in a few other spots since then, but I keep gravitating back to the original one
I find a lot of places which I would class as sacred are only sacred to me and they are so because I have an association with them. When I was a kid I used to ride my bike down an alley where I used to hang out with my friends, now when I walk my dog down that alley I get the feeling. My old bedroom as a kid in my mums house is another one too.
Lexi recently posted..discount code review
Hi Lexi–lucky you! I don’t think any of the sacred places of my youth still exist–even the university library I mentioned has been torn down! My parents lost no time turning my old bedroom into a barroom/guestroom when I grew up, hahaha! But it’s true that our sacred places are often only sacred to us, and it’s not personal if they are taken over or obliterated over the years. After all, we can always find new ones
Thank you for sharing such a beautiful reflection! My sacred space is in nature..the beach, the moon, the hills, the ocean, the sunset. My sacred space is also within my home. My sacred space is each spot that I am truly present. Reading this I see that my sacred space is also my heart, may I hold it always with the same wonder, awe, and gratitude as I do all of my other sacred spaces.
Hi Joy–you are quite welcome, and I am glad to be able to offer good things to balance the cranky ones ;D
I find that the older I get, the more sacred space there is inside me–a phenomenon that is quite common, according to researchers, who have discovered that an awful lot of elderly people say they are happier now than they were when they were in their “prime.”
When I was working as a hospice nurse I found several homes where the sense of sacred space, or what I thought of as “loving energy”, was immediately evident. One modest home in particular will always remain with me. Two gay men were carrying for a dying friend and the rented house they shared was decorated plainly and simply. Every person on our hospice team who went to their homr remarked about how being in the house made them feel. I still am not sure what made that space so wonderful and it was probably a combination of the energies of the loving people and the openness of the space. Your beautiful essay made me think of them.
Hi Barb–thanks so much for writing this! I know the kind of place you mean, and it is probably the most perfect example of the balance between the space, the sense of time (running out/eternal), and the focus of the activity there, a truly sacred synthesis.
So thought provoking and insightful this essay is, Meg. I’ve been thinking along these lines lately mostly because my spaces have gotten messy and I’ve not felt ‘in tune’. You’ve given me pause to rethink my space.
Have you done much reading about feng shui?
Hi Willow–post-holiday cleanouts are common, and a good time to restore the balance and harmony of our spaces and schedules. I’ve got a bit more to do, myself, before it all feels right again!
I’ve done quite a bit of reading about feng shui, and will happily admit that it is VERY complex if done right. I can only apply it in a superficial manner. One example of this is sofa placement. Nearly every guide I’ve read strongly recommends the sofa be placed on a non-window solid wall, preferably an interior wall. For the past 18 months my sofa has been on exactly such a wall. The guides all say that what I call “my” spot is not auspicious, and quite possibly catastrophic. So unless “happy” for me is somehow “catastrophic,” I am sure a professional could tell me what went wrong !
I haven’t been able to make enough peace with my house (or children) to find any in my home yet, but I hope to one day. I also realized the other day that my childrens’ bedrooms didn’t really have any sacred spaces either and I think that definitely has to be remedied. Every child needs a nook of some sort. Maybe once they have a space just for them, they will leave me to get on with mine!
Terra@TheSimplePoppy recently posted..Welcome New Year! (Cough)
Hi Terra–it is difficult to do many things when children are young, particularly things that require silence and concentration, and particularly if the kids are underfoot 24/7. Your older child may be ready to find her space on her own, though. And I’ve known kids who are better at this than grownups! Maybe you can give each free rein on arranging their rooms, just to see what happens, with the understanding that you have the final sayso? Or maybe teach them to do floor plans and see what happens?
As always, I enjoyed your writing and thoughts. Thank you for getting me thinking about my own sacred spaces. I realise that I’ve always had a special spot to go to and just think (or be).
I agree with Joy, in that I need nature to be included in some way in the spaces that are most important to me – even if it is only a view.
Hi Jeannette–views really are important, and were an element of most of my favorite sacred places. Views are a little hard to come by in my current house, but that only serves to increase looking inward, I think!
I like the idea of home as a sacred space, and of having sacred spaces within it. I like using the feeling of a place as a barometer. And I agree absolutely that there must be some space in the space. I think my minimalism/simplicity journey really began last year when I was staging my house in order to sell it. Clearing out all the clutter–and even stripping much of myself from it–changed so much how I felt. Lighter. Easier. Better. And it allowed room for different ideas of how and who I might be. When I look back a year ago, I can’t believe the life I’m living now, one I never imagined when I first began hauling boxes to Goodwill. Amazing how much things can affect us.
Rita@thissortaoldlife.com recently posted..Come in, look around…stay awhile
Hi Rita–that’s another aspect of minimalism and decluttering: getting out of your own way. A lifetime’s worth of possessions can over-define us, keep us cocooned in obsolete notions of life and of ourselves. Stripping away everything but the essentials is like saying, “I’m ready to grow, even to be reborn.” It certainly does keep us amazed, doesn’t it?
Hi Meg,
About seven years ago the minimalist bug hit me and I thoroughly cleaned out my house of everything that I did not need or use. When I sold my home I gave away a ton of stuff and even left things with the house for free.
Keeping my physical space as well as my spiritual space uncluttered has been a key ingredient for feeling free.
Justin Mazza recently posted..Changes to Mazzastick.com for 2012
Hi Justin–great to hear from someone who’s been doing this for a while! I’m a great believer in leaving things behind when selling or giving up a house, especially if the new occupants are not likely to have them. Case in point was several window unit air conditioners, gardening things, and oversized Adirondack deck furniture that we left behind in our previous house, and I guess they’re all still in use by the new owners. There was certainly no room or use for them here, and we just didn’t feel it was worth the trouble to try to sell them, which in turn kept our time uncluttered. It’s often a wise way to go.
Meg,
I love this exploration of sacred space and how it connects with minimalism! I don’t feel I’m particularly sensitive to feeling sacred space, but I think they exist. And when I think again I know there is one spot I prefer to be in this house. And it’s the first spot I hit upon when we looked at the house. Interesting!
I love the shift you’ve felt in housework to be more like “devotions.” I would like that! Maybe I’ll enter into some “devotions” right now!
Sandra / Always Well Within recently posted..Be Prepared: Anything Can Happen!
Hi Sandra–we’ve got a serious bout of “devotions” coming up next week, hahaha! Time to give the old house its midwinter deep cleaning