Sacred Space

 "No tree, it is said, can grow to heaven, unless its roots reach down to hell.”
-Carl Jung

Mahabodhi Tree, Bodh Gaya, India, Buddha himself was said to have reached enlightenment around 500 B.C. after sitting in meditation for 3 nights under the wide sprawling branches of the Bodhi Tree. In modern times a temple protects what is believed to be the child tree, of the original sacred tree. Glastonbury Tor, England, is a hill located in Somerset, England, which holds deep spiritual meaning for ancient Celts. Glastonbury Tor is believed to be the home of Gwyn ap Nudd, God of the Underworld and King of the Fae folk. Today a 15th century church decorates the horizon of this holy hill. Mount Sinai, Egypt, among the Judeo-Christian-Islamic traditions Mount Sinai is honored as the place where Moses received the word of God, in the form of the 10 commandments. Early Christian Monks dedicated monasteries, to commemorate this place of power. Mt. Fuji, Japan, revered by both the Shinto shamanic people, and Japanese Buddhist, this mountain stands 12,388 feet tall and is named after the Buddhist fire Goddess “Fuchi”. In the Shinto tradition, mountains were said to host the spirits of Gods and Goddess. For Japanese Buddhist, Mt. Fuji was believed to be the gateway to other worlds. Crater Lake, Oregon reaching 2000 feet below the earth, is the deepest lake in the US, and 7th deepest in the world. Crater Lake is located in south-central Oregon and is known by the Klamath tribe as the battleground of the Chief of the Above World and the Chief of the Below World. Crater Lake was formed about 8000 years ago after the collapse of Mount Mazama. Devils Tower, Wyoming, is held sacred by the indigenous people of the Sioux, Crow, Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Kiowa tribe. The oral history dictates that 7 sisters were being stalked by a giant bear, seeking safety, they leapt upon a rock and prayed mightily to the “Great Spirit”. The Great Spirit heard their cries and the rock began to raise, the bears claws dragging along the sides of the rock, leaving the modern-day ridges still visible. The rock rose so far up into the heavens; the 7 sisters became the 7 stars of the constellation, Pleiades. Mount Kailash, Tibet is thought to be the physical location of Axis Mundi, and held sacred by Buddhists, Hindis, and Jain practitioners. Hindu practitioners believe it to be the home of the God and Goddess, Shiva and Kali Ma. Tantric Buddhists tradition believes it is the home of Buddha Demchog. Jains believe it was the sacred earth where the first Jain reached Nirvana.

Image Source by: Wally Pacholka Photographs

Across these vastly different, cultures, spread to all corners of the earth, we see this recurring theme of an upper world and a lower world, a gateway to other realms. “Axis Mundi” is said to be the “umbilical cord of the earth”. Axis Mundi is the energetic connection of all realms, steaming from the roots of the lower realms and branching out into the highest realms of our universal existence. Axis Mundi is described as a sacred tree, mountain, or pillar and is said to be the point of existence that is the shortest distance between the sky and the earth, “where heaven meets earth”. In Buddhism, Norse, and Judeo-Christian-Islamic traditions we find a tree of knowledge. In Hindu, Jain, and Shinto traditions, we find a mountain that serves as a gateway to other realms. Among the Sioux, Lakota, and Anangu people we find sacred pillars. In some cultures, like the ancient Babylonians, the Incas, and the Mayans, “ziggurats” or step pillars were built, that served as the shortest distance between the earth and the sky.

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The sacred number 7 is described as “the union between the Earth and the Sky”. There are 7 colors in the spectrum of the rainbow, 7 notes in the diatonic scale(music), there are 7 days in each 4-week period of the lunar cycle, every 7 years the human body makes a significant hormonal change, there are 7 planets in traditional astrology. There are also 7 planes of existence, also referred to as 7 realms. Axis Mundi is said to be the access point or spine connecting all planes of existence. It is believed that through the great umbilical cord of the earth knowledge and wisdom can be obtained from the upper and lower realms. Where the sky meets the earth, the deepest form of sacred communication takes place. Where knowledge is transmitted and received from all other realms.

“As above, so below, as within, so without, as the universe, so the soul…”
Hermes Trismegistus



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The earth’s electro-magnetic field buzzes about with an infinite supply of free mobile electrons. Physically connecting with the energy of the earth has proven to be essential for the regulation of biological clocks and hormone levels in the human body. Digging our feet into the richness of the earth’s energy neutralizes free radicals and stabilizes the electrical environment of the cells in the body. The inhalation of the oxygen produced by plants, delivers nutrients to our cells needed for survival. The exhalation of carbon dioxide from the body in return provides plants with the carbon dioxide needed for the process of photosynthesis. This sacred exchange of air between plants and animals is not just beneficial but necessary for existence. The warmth of the sun brings seeds of the earth full cycle into edible nourishment for our bodies. Fire brings destruction, with destruction comes the possibility and nourishment for new growth, and in return transformation. In the power of water, we find the abundance of negative ions. It is said that the inhalation of negative ions can alleviate depression, increase our energy levels, bring us a sense of decompression, and all over sense of well being. Our ancestors carried with them the knowledge and harmonization with these elements. They held sites scared in dedication to the elements and associated deities. 

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We can connect with the power of these elements and spirit through meditation, ritual, spending time in nature, and creating sacred space. Sacred space is a dedicated space in our homes or in nature, that falls in alignment with our life and spiritual path. It is a place of retreat and contemplation. A place where we can connect with the magic and fire of our souls, commune with our ancestors, plant seeds of intention, and tap into the power of the universe. In our sacred space, we set intention and put energy into mindfully co-creating our reality. Holding our sacred space in reverence, maintaining the space, keeping it clean and clear of clutter, is pouring our vibrational energy, intention and power into the space its self. Sacred space is an outward representation of the scared space that lays within our bodies, therefore creating sacred space is a deeply personal expression and experience. What you hold sacred may differ from another.

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Our outward sacred space is a reflection, of our inward sacred space. Our physical bodies are merely a vessel, housing the energy of a divine being in the midst of an earthly experience. When we set the intention to care for our inward sacred space and show it the same sanctity as our outward spaces, we are directing our energy towards what we want, and we providing our bodies set of instructions to follow. Caring for our vessels is action that reinforces our original intention. Fueling our bodies with healthy food, building strength in the muscles that move us thru physical activities we enjoy, sleeping when we are tired, these are all ways we can care for the sacred space of our physical vessels. Every time we treat our vessels like a scared temple, we put energy into what we want from our bodies and reinforce our intention. In doing see we are setting the intention in our bodies as sacred space. Just like our outward sacred space needs to cleansed and free of clutter so does our inward sacred space. If we don't purposefully clear our inner sacred space we will accumulate, clutter and build up of things that no longer serve us. If our inner sacred space is heavy with things that no longer serve us, old ideals, self doubt, other people's emotions, worry about the future, worry about the past, demeaning self talk etc... We will not have space to manifest what is beautiful. We will not have room to create the inspired works of the universe and manifest them into reality. We can clear our internal space through shadow work, energy work, grounding, Chakra work,ritual, and psychological work.

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Like the 7 planes of existence, there are also 7 Chakras in the body. The number 7 representing the “union between earth and sky”. Chakra work is an intuitive way to dive into the emotional baggage that we are carrying. Often when their is a Chakra blockage, pain, injury, or sickness will manifest in the body. Each Chakra corresponds with points in the body and points of emotional pain. Looking at our physical symptoms and the body part affected, will translate to emotional baggage that needs to be healed. Our Root Chakra is our foundation and is how we ground our energy into the earth. In our Root Chakra we hold our ancestral lineage, our survival instincts, our trust, safety, and our physical nature. The body parts associated with the Root Chakra are the legs, feet, adrenal glands, anus, back, and bones. The Sacral Chakra is where creativity is birthed from our energetic wombs. It is our pleasure center and storage space for our emotions. The body parts affected by the Sacral Chakra are the sexual organs and genitalia, the hips, lower back, stomach, bladder, large intestines, pelvis, and kidneys. The Solar Plexus Chakra is our power center. In the Solar Plexus Chakra is where our sense of personal power, and ambition our stored. The mid-spine, stomach, liver, adrenal glands, pancreas, and spleen are affected by the Solar Plexus Chakra. The Heart Chakra, our heart center. In our Heart Chakra we hold unconditional love, compassion, and universal connection. From the Heart Chakra we empathize with one another, we choose the collective over our selves. The spine, ribs, heart, diaphragm, circulatory system, shoulders, arms, hands, and thymus, are associated with the Heart Chakra. The Throat Chakra, the center of voice and personal truth. From the Throat Chakra, we find self-expression, and communication. The throat, neck, shoulders, thyroid, and parathyroid glands are the body parts affected by the Throat Chakra. The 3rd Eye Chakra is the center for our intuition. From our 3rd Eye Chakra we have access to our Clair gifts, wisdom, dreams, creativity and discernment. Problems with the sinuses, perception, discernment, and rigor of thoughts are associated with blockages in the 3rd Eye Chakra. The Crown Chakra is the center for our connection to spirit. Our energy in our crown chakra brings enlightenment and vibrates at our highest frequency. Problems with depression, wisdom, discernment, and spiritual development are associated with the Crown Chakra. Body parts associated with the Crown Chakra are the head, pituitary gland, and cerebral cortex.

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Our divine line runs from the Root Chakra all the way up through our Crown Chakra, providing us with a direct connection to source energy. The lower Chakras hold the pain, fear, and resistance associated with our emotions, past lives, and loss of power. Blocks in the lower Chakras cut us off from the wisdom and power found in the upper Chakras and our connection to source energy. When we lose connection to our Crown Chakra and source energy, we lose connection to our highest authentic selves. Losing this connection can make us feel lonely, and hungry, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Living in harmony with the elements and nature, maintaining our outer and inner scared spaces, and living in alignment with our bodies and our own internal rhythms, provides us with access to our own personal Axis Mundi. 

“Be the energy you want to attract.” Anonymous