 Creating a sacred space is as simple as placing a single flower in a vase. Then setting it on your desk, table, windowsill, or anywhere you will see it often. The idea is to create an ambience that supports your well-being. For some of you that may mean a full on altar where you can meditate. For others it may look more like wallhangings representing your passion whether it be baseball or origami. The result is the same. When gazing upon or entering into your sacred space, you instantly feel a sense of inner peace and belonging. Work environment Many of you are now working out of your homes. If you're lucky, you had already established a home office complete with desk, computer, and printer in a designated room. Some of you may have had to become more creative, carving out a corner of the laundry room, the kitchen, or dining room. Each of these spaces offer you endless possibilities! Preparation You'll be using all of your senses so take a big deep breath in and out. Ground yourself. Breathe into your heart chakra. That’s right in the center of your chest. And set your intention to create your own personal sacred space. Part 1 Begin by looking around at every wall, floor, ceiling. Notice the lighting fixtures, the window dressings. Sit down at your desk. Is it organized or cluttered? Listen to the background sounds. You may find that your overhead fan makes an unbearable whirring sound. You may be able to hear what’s going on in the rest of the house. Is it quiet? Loud? Breathe in and smell. That’s right. How does your office space smell? Is it sweet and fragrant? Or musty? Is it fresh and clean? Or stale and dusty? Keep going! We’re almost there. Feel the chair you're sitting on. Is it comfortable? Hard, soft or somewhere in between? How does the temperature feel? Does it feel cold or just right? Part 2 Which area of the room do you spend most of your time in? If it’s at your desk, you’ll focus on that area. If it’s in a winged chair by the window, focus there. Let’s take your desk for example. Going back to whether it’s cluttered or organized. An organized desk is like a blank canvas or even a clear mind. It is the perfect setting to begin your day with focus. How to organize Filing system. This can be done in your file cabinet, desk drawer or desk file organizer. Label all of your folders or place stickie notes on the top page of any project and paperclip them together. These options create a uniformed look. Place your pens and accessories in a drawer or holder vs having them scattered about. Keep your electronic equipment/devices available in order of their usage. ie. Desktop computer and monitor belong where else but on the top of your physical desk! I’ve been using laptops for the past decade. I like to move around, and they provide me with the flexibility of doing so. So, my laptop is placed … on the top of my desk or in the middle drawer of my desk. It is my first go-to. Make your first go-to readily accessible. If you have multiple devices like an iPad or iPhone (you can see I’m a big Apple fan!), keep those devices that are least used tucked away, ideally in a desk drawer where they can be easily accessible. Most people can’t be parted with their mobile phones, so yours is usually on you. Word of caution - you may want to keep your phone off of your person ie, don’t carry it in your pocket. Although small, the electrical currents carried do not serve your body. Back to your workspace Sit in your chair and ask yourself what could make you feel happier in this spot. What would brighten your area up? What would inspire you to do your most creative and effective work? Then let the ideas flow! Here are a few ideas to get you started. Fresh flowers - they not only bring color and life into a room, but often fragrance. Quotes - these may be from a spiritual deity or leader offering blessings. Or they might be from your favorite business leader offering you encouragement on your path. Photo - of loved family members whom may very well be why you’re working! Of friends whose presence reminds you to celebrate at the end of the day or week. Of nature - peaceful scenes to relax your mind and body. Of your passion like a ballerina posing an arabesque or a football player making a touchdown. Incense - appeals to your sense of smell. It also has spiritual associations and helps to restore relaxation. Crystals - each have their own magnetic healing properties. Learn about them and find one or more that bring you the benefits you seek. For instance amethyst may act as a natural tranquilizer, relieving stress and balancing your mood. It is known to activate spiritual awareness and intuition. Citrine is aligned with your third chakra located in your solar plexus also known as your power center. The crystal may be used to strengthen self esteem and empower any project you may be working on. How to activate them? Take several deep breaths in and out. Allow your eyes to relax while maintaining focus on your crystal, and set your intention. “I now bring positive energy around my project, my day, my self!” Have fun and place a candle next to your incense and crystals. Allocate an area of your desk for just these items. Place your flowers, photos, and quotes in another area. Your computer in the center. You’ve just created a sacred work space! Alana Cahoon is the Amazon #1 Best Selling Author of Mindfulness, Mantras & Meditations: 55 Inspirational practices to Soothe the Body, Mind & Soul. www.AlanaCahoon.com.
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Imagine floating on the surface of a placid, crystal-clear pond. Or diving deeply into an aqua-marine pool. One is calming to the nerves, while the other is exhilarating; both enticing the senses to a place of pleasure, perhaps even health and wellness. Have you ever wondered what it is about water that is good for you? Certainly the benefits of drinking water makes sense. It purifies your internal organs and hydrates your entire body. But floating on water or swimming within its depths, what exactly does it provide other than pleasure? I was meditating recently - imagine that - when the imagery of snakes appeared. At first I was frightened. What could they possibly mean? Knowing that whenever imagery appears in a meditation, it is a symbolic message, I began to search for answers. Unfortunately symbols often take time to decipher, whether it is moments, hours, days, weeks or even months. It wasn't until I shared my experience with a spiritual advisor that I learned its profound meaning. Water Nagas. According to the knowledge base found at Wikipedia, “The Naga are divine, splendid, and proud semi-divine deities that can assume their physical form either as human, partial human-serpent or the whole serpent.” In this case, they were the whole serpent. About eight of them. “Their domain is an enchanted realm filled with gems, gold and other earthly treasures called Naga-loka. They are often associated with bodies of water, including rivers, lakes, seas, and wells, and are guardians of treasure. They are known to have guarded wise beings of Asian descent.” Super cool! Love it when symbols are this sacred. You can take the meaning of the nagas to a variety of places, I suppose. But I’ve learned it is wise to find the positive angle, in this case - guarding me and my treasures! Which could very well be the health & wellness of my … mind, body & spirit. Lesson learned: When meditating near a body of water, honor the water nagas. Ask for any messages that may benefit your well-being. Then be receptive. Another way to unveil the healing secrets of water is to look at the beginning of our time here on earth, our conception. As we grew into our own physical nature, our fetus was nurtured in the womb of water. These waters were loaded with nutrients & love! Is it any wonder then, that swimming and floating on water is pleasurable. Elements of hydration that increase one's healing include the minerals found in natural springs. These can be found all over the world! Here are a listing of just a few: Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas This was my first introduction to natural hot springs! Surrounded by cascading waterfalls and greenery. The springs are a testament to waking the senses and healing the muscles. Joshua Tree National Park, California This has been on my map of places to go for sometime now. If you've been there, hit me up. I'd love to hear all about it! Pagosa Springs, Colorado Located within a half hour of Tara Mandala, Tibetan Buddhist Retreat Center. This is a luxurious ending to a long meditation program! Each natural pool has its unique listing of healing minerals and elements as well as its level of heat, sometimes exceeding 100° Blue Lagoon, Iceland Imagine visions of ethereal icy blue waters with clouds of steam gently rising above. These geothermal waters begin1.2 miles below surface. Saratoga Springs, New York There are 21 public mineral springs scattered about the area. But wait. These springs are for drinking since they are all carbonated. IDK. A little bubbly in your bath might be good! There are many other health benefits of water. The acronym ‘SPA’ is an abbreviation for the term "solus par aqua" which means health or healing through water. I used to love lingering in the steam room. It is an excellent practice to open the pores of your skin and release toxins. It can also be used to lose weight, most likely … water-weight! Personally I enjoy walking along the shoreline barefoot, feeling the coolness of the water, crushing the seashells beneath my feet; and listening to the call of the seagulls, and the rhythmic patterns of the waves rolling in and out. Another mythical creature of the water is none other than the nymph. In his poem, The Water-Nymph, Alexander Pushkin describes the sad life of a lone friar, digging his own grave, so lonely that death is appealing to him. He is awakened by the lifting of a fog and the appearance of this magical water creature. In the romantic language of poetry, we watch this man come back to life, curious and enchanted by the naked beauty of the water nymph with long flowing hair and playful ways. The ending? Well, you’ll have to read the poem. Alana Cahoon is the author of Amazon Bestseller, Mindfulness, Mantras & Meditation. She coaches individuals to grow their businesses, expand their minds & heal their souls. www.AlanaCahoon.com. Read the article on page 316 of the July 2021 issue of RochesterWomanOnline |
AuthorAlana writes her monthly column 'Mind, Body, Spirt' for RochesterWomanOnline focusing on the balance of all 3 in a creative manner, filled with inspiration. Archives
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