Inner Sacred Space

Imagine a pool at the centre of your inner garden...

In the last session we made a start with creating and recognising outer sacred space and this time, in our fourth session for Autumn on 16th November 2011, we began to take this further, with a meditative exercise to help create inner Sacred Space

If you want to practise this exercise at home, remember to 'work up through the worlds'! So start by setting aside some physical space and time in which you won't be interrupted and take a little time to settle into a relaxed and upright posture with a straight spine. You might like to settle into meditation with a few minutes of simply breathing and letting the body settle. Even just reading through the exercise below slowly, with time given to relax and take a few slow breaths between each paragraph, will have some benefit. Once you have read it slowly through a couple of times, the simple structure will settle into your unconscious so you can recall and work with it in your own meditation time.

Visiting the Inner Garden

Once you are physically settled and your awareness has stabilised at least a little, start to imagine yourself standing on an inner ground. Let it be a natural wilderness place and take time to find your inner feet, to look all around, below and above you. Allow this inner landscape to reveal itself to you and trust your inner senses which may take any form. You could see images but you might equally well get energetic impressions or feelings, hear sounds or emphasise another sense such as scent or taste. Stay in touch with your breath and try to calmly observe whatever arises, even if it is unexpected or unpleasant. You can stop at any time and return your focus to your body and the outer world if you wish.

Once you are settled in your inner landscape, look for a path. Know that this path will draw you on towards an Inner Garden. 

Take time to move along the path and look around you as you breathe and move along. It may be that you will see something of interest or significance or that you may encounter someone or something along the way. This may seem like a blessing or a challenge, which you can engage with and move through. If you need help, inwardly ask for it and you will receive what you need.

Further along and looking ahead, you see your companions, each converging on the doorway to the Inner Garden from their own paths. Together we stand in front of the door and take time to sense or see it. One of us steps forward to open the way and we each consciously cross the threshold into the Inner Garden.

We take time inside to get our bearings. We have a sense of being within a sacred enclosure. Three paths lead from our feet. One goes towards the left side of the garden, which is shady and cool. One goes towards the right side, which is sunny and warm. One leads straight up the centre of the garden towards a circular central pool and then continues on the far side of the pool to a spring source at the top of the garden.

In our own time, we follow 'the Kabbalistic path of the lightening flash', moving first to the central pool. We take time to gaze into the water and notice whether it is smooth or moving and to gaze at any reflections there or glimpses of below the surface.

We then move towards the left side and take time to experience this cool shady side of the garden and notice our responses to it. We may find a message or token from this side…

We then cross right over the right side and take time to experience the warm, sunny side of the garden and notice our responses to it. We may receive a message or token from this side…

We then move up to the top of the garden where pure, cool water flows from a spring source and sparkles in the light. We take time to drink or bathe in these waters of the spirit and in the light. Spend as much time here as you wish.

When it is time to return, we walk down the central path, following a stream of water that flows along it from the source. We follow as it leads back past the central pool and back towards the door where we came in. Consciously we step out of the Garden and one of us closes the door. In our own time we each make our way back along our own path. As we move and breathe, gradually our inner senses fade and we focus back simply on the breath and the body, until we are ready to open our eyes and move our awareness firmly back to the outer world.