Life is busy and full! Amidst the craziness of life, it is important for us to stop and pause. I think it is even more important for us to be aware of a physical space that we can daily enter that provides us an avenue to pause. Entering into this physical space allows us sacred time in our daily lives.
Three of mine:
1. Getting ready in the morning–the bathroom and closet–Honestly, there are some days that this is the only alone time I get. Many days this time can even be interrupted by a child’s needs. However, somewhere in that getting ready process in the bathroom or my closet I can stop and pause and acknowledge God’s steady presence.
2. Our deck outside- I step outside onto our deck and take a few minutes to just gaze out at the trees, the yard, the openness. Acknowledging the beauty of nature instantly connects me to the Mystery of God. There are days, as a mom, that a one minute pause outside on my deck does wonders for my patience and soul!
3. A chair in our living room that looks out a window- One of my favorites for in the morning or early evening. Sometimes I just stop and sit in this chair and pause and look outside. I soak in the beauty of outside and soak in the noise of my children playing (no matter how loud it can get).
Knowing where my “sacred spaces” are in my house, allows me to nourish my spiritual life in brief 60 second increments throughout the day.
Do you have a space that allows you to pause and feed your spiritual life? If so, where is it?
Where are the physical spaces that could provide a brief moment of prayer to soak in the wonder of God or acknowledge God’s presence?
Becky Eldredge
Becky is an Ignatian-trained spiritual director, retreat facilitator, and writer. She is the author of the Busy Lives and Restless Souls (March 2017, Loyola Press) and The Inner Chapel (April 2020, Loyola Press). She helps others create space to connect faith and everyday life through facilitating retreats and days of reflection, through writing, and through spiritual direction. With nearly twenty years of ministry experience within the Catholic Church, Becky seeks to help others discover God at work in the every day moments of people’s lives by utilizing St. Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises and the many gifts that our Catholic faith and Ignatian Spirituality provide.
Hi, Becky.
I don’t often have time (or take time) to read all your writings. But this one caught my attention and resonated especially with me.
City Park is a place where I always have a ‘home’ feeling with its many oaks that seem to call me. I’m looking for new sacred house/home spaces these days, but my new house is in the “needing-Me-still stage”. I hope that will soon change and I can find a niche that has settled into ‘mine’. (Maybe that comes when ALL the contents of still unpacked boxes have found ‘their home’! ) 🙂
But one thing I have found that gives pause to calm for me is hosing down my driveway into the street. These 5 or so minutes have a calming affect on me and I feel somehow refreshed. (in this case its, mol every other day.) 🙂
Good writings, my Dear!
Mila