Creating A Prayer Space

This morning I have a zhu zhu pet village on my kitchen floor, a Batman cave sitting on my coffee table,  barbies all over the couch, and laundry piled high on my dining room table.  Finding a space in my house that is somewhat quiet, uncluttered, and conducive to prayer is hard to come by, so when a mother tells me that it is hard to find space in her own home just for her, I can definitely relate.  When it comes to developing and fostering a life of prayer, we do need to find some type of space where we can consistently go to and open our hearts to God.  As we open our heartspace to God, it helps to have a physical place in our homes that reflects what is happening on the inside of us.  A prayer space is very simple to create, doesn't have to be "fancy" and can be very inexpensive.  For starters, you need a comfortable place to sit.  A comfortable chair, a pillow on the floor, or your favorite spot on the couch will do.  Secondly,  it helps to have something near that space that calls you to prayer and draws God near you.  A shelf or an endtable nearby can hold a sacred object.  Any object that causes you to feel loved, prayerful, and faithful is perfect.  There are no objects that are "secular" when they cause you to connect with God-in-you. The obvious objects are lit candles, icons of saints, and the bible.  The not-so-obvious objects could be anything from nature.  Maybe you went hiking in the mountains and found a beautiful rock that you just love and reminds you of God's strength.  Or perhaps you love the season of autumn and you found a multicolored leaf reminding you of the need to let all that isn't of God to fall to the ground.  A picture of loved ones might sit in this place or a picture of your favorite vacation spot on the beach could rest there.  There are many words that you can now buy to hang on the wall or sit on a table or shelf that might be conducive to prayer.  Words like hope, faith, forgiveness, amen, and blessed are just a few that are very conducive to prayer and can express a quality you hope to express in your life.  Angels are always popular and are symbolic of the illumination of our thoughts and aligning our thinking with God's.  A favorite scripture verse from a card might sit near your prayer space.  Something else you might consider is a piece of cloth that evokes peacefulness or joy in you, something on the order of a table runner that might lie on your table and is a backdrop for your sacred objects.  Creativity and prayerfulness should be a part of planning your prayer space.  Mothers may want to put artwork there that their children have done in Sunday School or from their art class.  Mother's Day gifts might be perfect to pray with.  Notes that your children have written to you are perfect to pray with.  A small plant near your prayer space is especially symbolic of growth and new life.  The plants can change from season to season.  During Lent, a small cactus can be used to symbolize our "desert experience".  There is a plant called a Prayer Plant that is inexpensive and folds its leaves at night.  Both children and adults love this plant.  Plan your prayer space with prayer and creativity.  Part of praying can be the "setting up" of your prayer space.  If you have young children around, and you don't want to risk the objects of your prayer space getting lost or broken,  place your objects on a coffee table tray so they can be put up somewhere else until you are ready to pray in your chosen space.  Bringing the tray in and arranging the items prayerfully can begin to prepare your heart to enter the holy realms inside of you.  As you prepare your space, ask God to prepare your heart to receive his enlightenment and emanations.  As you pray over time, you will change and what you need in your prayer space will change.  A prayer space carries the energy of God and when that energy starts to wane and fade, you might want to consider changing up your prayer space to speak to your needs.  If you are feeling empty, you might place an empty cup in your prayer space.  If you are needing to be liberated from something, you might place a feather in your space, symbolic of flight.  If the verse, You will reap what you sow speaks to your heart, place a packet of seeds there.  The purpose of the prayer space is to reflect the spiritual place that you find your self in that moment.  A prayer space can be the catalyst for talking about your faith with your children or friends if it is in a place where it is seen.  You can teach your children how to create their own prayer space, or you can create a family prayer space as well, having everyone contribute something of value to that prayer space, where your entire family can gather to pray.  The ritual of preparing and gathering to pray in that space is so important to individual members, couples, and entire families.  Finally, one last thing, you might want to consider keeping near your prayer space is music.  Of course you can use your ipod or you can use your favorite CDs.  Whether you choose "religious" or "secular" music is up to you.  Pray with all types of music.  I even pray with Christmas music in the summer if that is where my spirit is at.  Classical, instrumental, spirituals, gospel, or contemporary is all good.  Music is the language of the soul, and God can speak to us in all types and varieties of music. There are no written rules to follow when it comes to creating a prayer space.  Your spirit is your guide to planning your space.  They can be as simple or elaborate as you would like as long as when you are there you are drawn to God and God is drawn to you.   Next week:  Throwing a Prayer Party