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Sacred space is perhaps something that few of us actually feel we have
the area to accommodate. We think in terms of a room or corner of a
room that, once cleansed, would feel perfect for our spiritual work.
However, sacred space is a "must have" for any who consider meditation
or spiritual work a part of daily life.

Life is busy, home space is full or in short supply. So what do you
do? Here are a few unique types of temples, all workable and all
designed for efficient use of the space you have. Construct your
temple, cleanse it and use the power it will draw. Temples have a
psychological effect as well as energizing our soul. We let the
mundane world drift into the background as we reconnect with the power
within us. Feed your soul. Give your soul the space it needs to grow
within you. Compliment your spiritual self by setting up a sacred spot.

- The Corner Temple - usually constructed in the corner of a room,
using a triangular shelf set up for efficient space. The main shelf
should be roomy enough to accommodate a bowl of some kind or chalice,
a small container of salt and perhaps an incense burner and pair of
candles. Make absolutely sure the candles have plenty of room above
them for fire safety. Use a smaller shelf, mounted much further up,
for storage of magical temple items that you don't need to display on
the main temple altar, such as a bell, censor or herb/parchment/ink
storage.

- The Kitchen Temple - often if we try, we can make space in a
kitchen, on shelves, cabinets, microwave stands or windowsills.
Placement of candles, little pots of herbs, a cheer water container
and perhaps a small bouquet of fresh flowers can help convert a tired
old spot into a vibrant area of light and peace. Kitchens naturally
lend themselves to cheery and nature-based design. Make sure to
incorporate herbs of your choice, wheat as an earth representation and
water or tea. I use the most wonderful sun/moon tea pot for my water
container. It lends itself to my kitchen magical area.

- The Temple Bath - nothing is such a treat as a long hot bath with
all of the surrounding atmospheric enhancements. To sink into the
water element, immerse yourself in the heat, inhale the lavender
aromatherapy candle and let your mind and soul relax entirely. Work
out something with the space around the tub itself. With a little
ingenuity you can do wonders with odd places. Incorporate hanging
shelves and use the three-tiered wire basket to place your sacred
items. I use one that I hang from the shower rod that surrounds our
tub. In the small top basket, I've placed a mesh pouch of herbs I
like. The steam from the bath rises and releases the herbs' scents. In
the second, I have bath items such as aromatherapy packets, body
washes and such. In the largest basket, I have a stoppered bottle of
purified water to rinse with, an incense cone holder and cones and a
spare unlit candle. The candles I do light are well away from any
material or overhead obstruction.

- The Window Temple - one space often overlooked is the window sill.
Along with the sill, you get light, both sunlight and (usually at a
specific time of year) moonlight. If you are lucky enough to have four
inch sills or more, you can place an altar nicely there. Hang packets
of herbs or stones from the window frames, use a long narrow container
to do a crystal garden and grow a plant or two in that window. These
lend the earth element as well as fresh oxygen for maximum space
cleansing. If you really want to fancy it up, use stained glass or
other semi-transparent hanging decorations for your window. Prisms are
wonderful and draw light in through magical angles, creating rainbows
in your home.

As you can see, temple space is not hard to achieve once you put your
mind to it. Using oddly shaped shelves, crates, nooks and crannies,
you can create a place of tranquility and escape for your head, your
heart and your soul.