Creating Sacred Space for Creative Inspiration

Today I wanted to talk about creating your own sacred space in order to do your creative work.First, let's define what a sacred space is:A sacred space is a dedicated space to do whatever it is you choose to do there.  It could be religious, but it doesn't have to be.  In this case I'm talking about a dedicated space to do your creative work.You can create a sacred space in your home where you do your creative work or it may be a place you find out in park or out in nature where you can get away from the other demands of your time and be able to think.I have two separate places: one where I go to recharge and get inspired and one where I actually do the work.Recharge and Get Inspired:I discovered a beautiful little spot in nature that I can walk to that has a big rock to sit on, a creek flowing by and a lots of trees.  It's also not too far off a trail, so I still feel safe, which is important.I am inspired by nature and especially by water, so it calms me and gives me time to think.  Sometimes I have a notebook with me; sometimes I don't. Just the act of being in the space recharges me.And furthermore, it's a bit of a walk to get there, so the act of walking, I think, is also great for my creativity.Do you have a place you like to go to recharge and get inspired?If not you can find one.  Start by taking walks and discovering the landscape around you.  You'll find a spot eventually.  I feel a sense of peace and calm when I'm there.Doing the Work:Where I actually do my creative work is in my home.I live in a small space (by choice!)  So I no longer have a dedicated craft space.  I did have a big area in my previous home that not only included a studio with tons of storage, but also another room with even more storage.  I missed it when we first moved, but now I'm so grateful.  I have cleared out a significant amount of crafting supplies.  Since we have less room I can't keep tons of stuff "just in case I ever need it."It's changed my creativity in wonderful ways.  I have to get creative with less stuff.  And frankly, I had way too many supplies anyway. Now I focus on the top 4 or so creative activities that I really love.  And I can focus on mastering them.  (See the 4 Phases of Developing Creativity.)I do have a dedicated space for my office and a shelf for my supplies.  Plus I have this awesome work table/storage cabinet on wheels that I do all of my creative work on. The side comes out to form a nice large work table and goes back down and I can roll it into a corner and out of the way and it just looks like a piece of furniture.It also stores all of my most used supplies for art journaling so whenever the inspiration hits I can just start.Your sacred space does not have to be an entire room in your home.  You don't need to build a studio.  If you can do that or do have that, that's great, too!  You just don't need it.Don't let not having a dedicated space stop you from doing creative work!  You can create a sacred space in other ways.How to create your own sacred spaces:Finding an inspirational sacred space:As I mentioned before, to find an inspirational spot I highly recommend walking.  Go for walks around your neighborhood and see what you find.  If you can't walk for long distances, that's fine.  Go for short walks.Are there hiking trails nearby?  Perfect.  If not, just explore where you are.Alternatively, you can drive to a park and explore there if it's too far to walk to.  Is there a tree that's particularly calming to you that you can sit under?  Maybe there's a spot by a creek where you can sit.Doing the work:If you have a room that's dedicated to your creativity, that's great!  Make it as inspiring as possible.  Make sure everything that you use most often is right in your reach.If you don't have a dedicated room, there are lots of things you can do to create a sacred space.As I mentioned, I have a mobile work space that opens up and closes so I can put it away.I highly recommend finding something like this.  It is sacred because it's only mine and it's only for my creative activities.  Even when it's closed and stored, nothing goes on it.  My husband does not put anything in or on it either.  It's 100 percent mine and 100 percent for my creative work.(By the way, I got my little cabinet/work table at a thrift store, so I don't really know where to tell you find something like I have.  It was the best $9.00 I ever spent!)If you can't find a mobile workstation or don't want to purchase anything right now, think about what you have that you can use.  Before I had my workstation, I simply pulled out a folding table to work on.  When I was done I put everything away and folded the table back up and put it out of the way.I have a shelf that holds my supplies, but if I didn't have that I would find a cute baskets or boxes to hold my supplies.  I'd put my most used supplies and tools in one basket that I could grab easily.Other Ways to Make a Sacred Environment:If you don't have the room, instead of thinking of it as a sacred space, think of it as sacred time.  You're doing your creative work and nothing else can come into the time that you've dedicated to it.You can choose a time each day that is your sacred creative time and let your family know.  Maybe it's first thing in the morning or perhaps it's right after dinner.You could choose some inspiring music to play while you're creating or any music that you like.I like to light a candle with a favorite scent when I'm doing creative work.Anything that signals to yourself (and perhaps to people you live with) that this is your sacred creative time.I hope that helps you find an inspiration space and a sacred space for your creative work.My Rediscover Your Creativity & Make Jewelry eCourse is full of creativity activities and tips about creativity.  You also learn jewelry skills and get 18 jewelry projects.Learn more about this fun eCourse here.  (It's only open for registration once or twice a year!)