Where Is Sacred Space?
In 1994 I was invited to speak to a group of men incarcerated at Englewood Federal Prison, Colorado.
They were a group of men who had been part of a meditation and discussion group, and their leader had attended some of the meetings I was holding in nearby Boulder.
It was a thrilling meeting for me. The gut fear in my body as I entered the prison behind heavy locking doors gave way to wonder. In this small chapel with this group of fifteen to twenty men, at least most of them with horrific backgrounds and guilty of crimes against society, I discovered the passion for truth. I discovered that people in all circumstances, when they are willing to face both the failures and successes of their lives fully and ruthlessly, find peace and redemption in their hearts. It was deeply moving to me in that moment and in the subsequent visits there and in other prisons in other states, and it is alive in me now.
Looking at those mostly tough, mostly black men, meeting them heart to heart, I discovered we are all the same in the core. For me, a relatively sheltered white woman raised in the 1950's in Clarksdale, Mississippi, during the time of deep segregation, this was a life confirming moment.
I had worked for civil rights in the 1960's, and knew through spiritual experiences that we are all one, but this was concrete and immediate in a way I had never experienced.
When my meetings continued in Boulder, and I shared my experiences with the mostly tender, mostly white audience, I felt electricity in the room. It was such good news to hear that our brothers in prison could be free in their hearts and minds. We benefitted from them!
And when I returned to Englewood, and shared the news and enthusiasm from the Boulder group to the prisoners, the prisoners beamed with the knowledge that even from prison their lives and inner discoveries could serve others. The union that gets severed by categories of them and us was reconnected. The joy and support could flow through any barrier.
Partly as a result of those visits and the support of the "outside" community, one of the former inmates, Kenny Johnson, now leads his own program and foundation. Kenny's story is a story of redemption and service. It is his foundation that gives the theme of this article its name: This Sacred Space.
Years earlier in a small coastal town in Northern California I first consciously felt, "This space is sacred." It was on a cliff side, nestled in between large supportive rocks and sweet wild flowers. I would often visit it, and there I felt myself at peace. I could unburden my mind of its craziness and my body of the accompanying emotional and physical stress. It was a power spot, in the language of the 1970's.
After discovering that place, I began to look for such sacred spaces whenever I was in nature. Whatever part of the world I found myself, I could find some spot in nature that was a sanctuary of peace, a place of wholeness.
The beauty of the place played a part, but sometimes the place didn't conform to my idea of beauty. Maybe it was the feng shui of the place, or the spirit, or the age, or the history. Finally I couldn't say. I just surrendered to the truth of it, and allowed my whole being to be nourished.
In 1990 I was in India, in a very humble room with mildew on the walls. Strange unpleasant smells and sounds drifted up from the street below. Yet in that most unlikely place I discovered the nature of sacredness. The teacher I was visiting, HWL Poonja, pointed everyone in that room to the sacred cave of our own hearts. The sacred space of peace and love inside us all.
At first this experience of sacredness seemed too simple and available to be true. I attributed it to the power of his personality and the foreignness of the setting. But I allowed myself to follow his instructions, "Discover what is always present. Discover what doesn't change."
This simple and challenging instruction has guided my life since. Emotions of all kind come and go, thoughts of all kind come and go, situations of all kind come and go. And what is still always here, present through it all?
In the core of our imperfect bodies, imperfect minds, and imperfect situations, there is the sacred space of welcome and sanctuary.
Those prisoners in Englewood discovered it, and so can you.
Where is your sacred space? Your comments are very welcome!
Gangaji is holding meetings and retreats this summer in Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Berlin, Baden-Baden, London, Dublin, and Dorset. Read more about Gangaji's events and catalog of books and videos online.
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One important sacred space in my life is a beautiful country path where I've been walking my black lab-mix dog Bailey for 8 years. It feeds my soul. I ask questions pertaining to my path and seem to get answers..answers that are profound and yet simple. Two small yellow birds cross my path and startle me - awaken me. Five raccoon babies scamper up a tree, stopping to observe me and Bailey. Strong breezes, people stopping for directions - all signs for me to take in, observe and reflect. I get direction to help me fulfill my journey and live life to its fullest.
As a feng shui practitioner, sacred space is an important topic of study. Having these sacred spaces in our lives is so important. Introducing children to sacred spaces, giving them time to be alone, hear natures signs, is so important for healthy development.
I just heard about this new website dedicated to exposing children to nature. http://www.greenhour.org/ A long-time fan of Richard Louv (The Last Child in the Woods), this site seems to be a great resource for all!
My dear Gangaji,
How lovely is to meet you in my life. Every thing in my life turn to be more and more in that sacred space.
When I walk in the morning throug the woods and I hear the birds singing and the light shining through the trees , That is sacred. I bring to my moment that what you said in one of your talks about silence; there is a silence behind every thing and more and more I feel connected with that silence; that bring me to that sacred place; all of a sudden in the midst of traffic there is silence and I smile...
My love to you
Monica
Beloved Gangaji,
Where is SacredSpace?
Meeting-You: A dream led me to you in Australia, our eyes meet, hearts melt as ONE.
Market-place: Loud music, people everywhere; I noticed a tree; delicate branches-intricate leaves; Suddenly, everyone-everything was ONE.
Ordinary-moment: Walking along, causeless joy-laughter abounds.
Lying-next-to-the-toilet-meeting-death: Overcame with nauseous, I fell onto bathroom floor; Gasping for air, body convulsing for survival. Facing last moment of life, mysterious silent "WHO AM I" was "heard". Suddenly, No-bodyNo-mindNo-painNo-thing...Silent-All-Seeing-eyes of boundless Awareness aware of ITSELF.
Suicidal-moment: Lost my baby in-utero, drowning in bottomless grief-pain. Wanted to end my life to end suffering; Justifying my intent as Nothing-really-happens anyway, there's no death in TRUTH. Suddenly, the same All-Seeing-eyes of Awareness radiates behind my eyes & through every pore of my body &beyond. I've yearned for SELF, yet IT has always been HERE.
Everywhere-No-where: "What doesn't go when everything goes?' SacredSpace. IT is our True Nature;IT is always HERE, at the core of everyday dramas; You can never step-out of IT; IT cannot be found; mysteriously, IT finds you. Spontaneous-causeless joy-love-peace.
Mind's imperfections continues, life flows in deepening discovery of SELF, in vigilance as Silent-Witness-All-Seeing-eyes.
Traumatic &joyous 9months, my baby's due soon; she kicks my ribs, mind perceives separation between us; yet, baby-&-I meet HERE, ThisSacredSpace, as SELF. MT{1+1=11}
Sacred space within my self, Earth and Sky , Light and health
Blessings of the God and Goddess shine, Please fill me with your light divine
As above it is below ..now (peace and love) around me grow
Be I Angel, Witch or Elf, Sacred space I call myself
So mote it be
-author , M. Lyons
I needed this at this moment and thought i would share
-
See Ed and Deb Shapiro's Profile
Beloved sister Gangaji,
You are so real, so clear and so dear.
It is truly a blessing for all who meet you!
We are delighted that YOU are in our new book published Nov. 3rd
BE THE CHANGE - How Meditation Can Transform You and the World
along with HH the Dalai Lama, Robert Thurman, Marianne Williamson, Ram Dass, Michael Beckwith, Jane Fonda, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Byron Katie, Russell Bishop, Ellen Burstyn, Jack Kornfield, Joan Borysenko, Krishna Das and others.
Big Love,
Ed
There is no such thing as a sacred place. Everything is sacred. People waist time in search of sacredness, they will never find. All they look for is their idea, a concept of what sacred should be in their mind. They miss the sacred right where they are.
Relax your mind. Don’t judge. Be still.
Whatever thought, it’s fragile, small.
Don’t claim yourself to know God’s will,
That, which existed, not at all.
To claim you know of this world,
You miss more precious things than gold.
You can not even really know me,
For I can never be, that which you think I am;
That what you want or think that I should be.
There is no "ME", no “US”, not even “THEM”,
To know this, is to be truly free. Be free!
I AM the sacred space of Awareness, that which never changes, universes come and go like dandilion seeds in the wind, and still i remain sacred in space. There is nothing that has ever arisen outside of this space, nothing can arise without the ground of being, which is Awareness, which i am also, or better Awareness is me, it comes first, whatever happens after is never separate.
Many are the places where I deeply felt, as you say, "This space is sacred." Now the space that I call sacred is not a place, it is not a feeling, it is not a location, and it is not an idea. This place is so sacred so pure so holy nothing can touch its vast expanse. It is simply always Here.
There are no words to adequately express the gratitude I feel for your endless pointing to That which no prison made of thought or metal can ever contain. As Papaji says, "Discover what is always present. Discover what doesn't change." What mind blowing sacred space is This!
Love to you...
Jill
Thank you Gangaji for your deeply moving account and blessing of a life. We are ever discovering the womb of sacred space. I am an awed witness of grace, your embodiment is lovely as ever. Where is my sacred space? Where ever You are. Love to All, Karie On
My sacred space is in you, with you, and for you.
What did John Lennon say: "I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together."
You, Gangaji, are my scared space.
My sacred space is usually found in the realm of paradox.
As you say, Gangaji, we can go inside anytime to discover sanctuary at the core.
Paradoxically, that core is also, one discovers, the awareness that surrounds all notions of outside vs. inside.
Atman magically becomes Brahman. Where the borders dissolve. That's sacred space to me.
- I LOVE YOU GANGAJI... YOU ARE 'THE BOMB'..! IN A VERY GOOD WAY, THAT IS..! :-}
WHEN WILL YOU COME DOWN TO SOUTH FLORIDA..? THIS REGION CAN ALSO USE A BIT OF 'THE BOMB', YOU KNOW..?
I JUST WANT TO SHARE A GREAT, BIG 'THANK YOU' FOR ALWAYS POINTING TO THE ESSENCE OF LIFE WITH SUCH PIERCING AND LOVING SIMPLICITY... KEEP IT UP, SISTER..! - (WOW, IT'S CUTE TO SEE HOW JUST A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO I WOULDN'T HAVE CALLED YOU 'SISTER' EVEN IF YOU PAID ME!)... BUT THAT WAS 'THEN', AND NOW IS NOW.
;-)
Your post reminds me of a very powerful experience that I had a number of years ago when I had a small software company. We went to Las Vegas to do a pre-Comdex show where I was going to spend the day in my company's booth speaking with the public . This is not something I'm particularly comfortable with. To make matters worse we were staying about 30 miles outside of Vegas in a small hotel/casino. We opened the front door of the place and all we could see was a lot of cigarette smoke and lines and lines of slots. The check in desk was at the back of all of this. I was filled with discomfort and dread.
Thank God the rooms were clean and smoke free.The next morning I decided to meditate for a few minutes before going down to breakfast. I'm not a regular meditator so I wasn't expecting much. However, immediately to my great surprise, as soon as I closed my eyes, I feel into a very deep space.
In that moment I know, sacred space is everywhere.
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