Creating Sacred Space

People in the West think of sacred spaces as designated holy places—churches or temples, or perhaps a beautiful spot in nature. But the shaman understands that he or she can create a sacred space anywhere and at any time by focusing attention and summoning the power of the four cardinal directions and Mother Earth and Father Sun. In doing so, the sage is able to come into relationship with the four shamanic organizing principles of the world: South as the place of the serpent; West as the place of the jaguar; North as the place of the hummingbird; and East as the place of the eagle. The sages believe that these animal archetypes are more than symbols; they are primordial energies with qualities and powers of their own.

[images from the Mystical Shaman Oracle Deck]

Each of these animals can be seen as representing one of the four fundamental forces of nature, described by physics as the forces of gravity, electromagnetism, and the strong and the weak nuclear force. Biologists also recognize that all of the poetry of life is written with an alphabet containing only four letters: the four letters, or base pairs, of DNA. The only difference between the shamanistic view and the physics view and the biological view is that the sages believed they could summon and interact with these forces of nature, effectively communing with the biosphere. For this reason, shamans always begin their meditations and ceremonies by creating sacred space. Even if you do not use the words in the prayer below, turn to each of the four directions and feel a connection to each of the animal archetypes. Help your educated, logical brain understand that these are ancient personifications of the forces of nature. As you give yourself permission to connect with the four cardinal directions and heaven and earth, imagine the luminous web that connects you with nature and all of life. Sacred space is holy and safe. You might imagine it as a shimmering cupola above the room you are in. This is a palpable space where you can lower the defenses of your older brain, a place where you can rise above its predatory consciousness. You might notice that others feel the calm and beauty of this space, too, as it defuses conflict and makes conversation easy and significant. Creating Sacred Space is an experiment in the power of intention that enables you to summon the healing faculties of nature and come into right relationship with all the forces of creation.

Exercise: Invocation to Create Sacred Space The opening of sacred space consists of an invocation, calling on the four cardinal directions of South, West, North, and East, and on Mother Earth and Father Sky. An invocation such as this is used by shamans around the world to connect with the living energies of the biosphere. Use this invocation until your own prayer reveals itself to you. Opening the Sacred Space Face South and say softly: To the winds of the South, Great Serpent, Teach us to shed the past the way you shed your skin, To walk softly on the Earth. Face West and say softly: To the winds of the West, Mother Jaguar, Teach us the way of peace, to live impeccably. Show us the way beyond death. Face North and say softly: To the winds of the North, Hummingbird, Ancient Ones, We honor you who have come before us And you who will come after us, our children’s children. Face East and say softly: To the winds of the East, Great Eagle, Show us the mountains we only dare to dream of. Teach us to fly wing to wing with the Great Spirit. Touch the ground where you stand and say softly: Mother Earth, We’ve gathered for the healing of all of your children. The Stone People, the Plant People, The four-legged, the two-legged, the ones that crawl on the Earth, The ones that fly and swim through the waters, All our relations. Reach to the heavens and say softly: Father Sun, Grandmother Moon, to the Star Nations. Great Spirit, you who are the unnameable One. Thank you for allowing us to sing the Song of Life. When you have finished your opening invocation, be sure to close the sacred space. Closing the Sacred Space Repeat the invocation for opening the sacred space in the same order—briefly addressing the South, West, North, East, then Mother Earth and Father Sky. Thank the archetypes—Serpent, Jaguar, Hummingbird, and Eagle—for being with you and release their energies to the four corners of the earth.

Looking for more ways to restore and rejuvenate your energy? You’ll find additional shamanic practices combined with practical, leading-edge scientific tools that will help you take the steps you need to achieve your potential and utilize your own healing energy in Power Up Your Brain.