Sacred Homemaking

[qos]

This is from Beyond Words: 15 Ways of Doing Prayer, by Kristen Johnson Ingram, which my spiritual director loaned to me this week.


Since you spend a lot more time in your house than you do at church, home should be your first, basic worship space. You may have a small altar or prayer corner, but your whole house is a sacred space, where you live and pray and think and create. So "interior decorating" becomes a spiritual process where you create areas that shimmer with what's holy.

I can't say that much of my house is "shimmering" with the Holy right now, but I really like the way Ingram encapsulated what I'm trying to work toward in my approach.


I've spent all my life living through words and with my focus on internal/interior things: contemplation, fantasy, imagination, philosophy. . . All of which are wonderful and good and have resulted in riches. But for me to continue to grow, I need to get out of my head. If my spiritual life is going to grow, I need to get it out of my head and into my body, my home, my lovelife, my work.

Today was focused on making _storyteller_'s new apartment a welcoming place when he arrives tomorrow. I didn't want him to be greeted by empty, beige rooms and a barren hearth. As I had fun creating sacred space, it occurred to me more than once that I need to bring the same kind of playful, loving, nurturing, spiritual energy to taking care of my own home.

It's easier with a blank canvas to work with, but the principles, the pleasure, should remain the same even after the home has been occupied for several years.

Lots to think about.

Ha! There I go again: thinking about something.

Lots to try out, to play with, to dabble with.

Comments

[toesontheground.livejournal.com]

Ha! There I go again: thinking about something.

Hah - I can relate to that! :,)

[bookchick.livejournal.com]

I like that idea....hmmmm.....

[professor-mom.livejournal.com]

What goes along with this is keeping my place clean. I always tend to let my housework slide until I get company. Then there's a flurry to get everything clean. I had the thought last time I was doing this that I would like to be treating myself with as much honor and respect as I treat my guests. And I've been trying to clean as much as I would for a guest. Some of the time anyway.

[queenofhalves]

i like the phrase "doing prayer," and your alternative word choices at the end. :>