This topic has been on my mind for some time now. Why? Partially because I have been renewed in my own ability to do such a thing. But also because I have watched so many people arrive to the ever-growing world of spirituality with their own agendas and inability to do just this very thing.
Last month I listened to a webinar with renowned speaker, Marianne Williamson. I remember first seeing her on stage present her ideas on A Course in Miracles about twenty years ago or more. Not only is she captivating and a brilliant storyteller, but she has the ability to hold space for people. She talked about this very thing in our coursework, and I was pleased to hear that I held all of the same thoughts about this as she did. Our ideas are the same: you have to be fully present, grounded, and coming from a place of love in order to hold sacred space for others.
This is a deeply important offering for people. People trust you with, as Williamson stated, their soul and their deepest longings and fears. You cannot begin to hold space for people if you are not at the right place to do so.
Yoga teachers, especially, I believe, have an important role in holding scared space because the practice of yoga is a spiritual one at its core. You may be good at achieving postures and showboating them in the front of the room, but that is not teaching yoga - and that is not holding space for others. You social media ranking may be quite high and you have a lot of "followers," but that has nothing to do with holding space. In fact, all of those things really only say that you are in it for yourself and coming from either a very large ego - or quite a deflated one. The reality of needing to advertise aside, I want to express my deepest, most heartfelt plea to all the numerous amount of yoga teachers, healers, Reiki practitioners, and all others in the spiritual community to do some self inquiry to see if you really are at a place where you should be holding such space for others.
Everyone has the capacity to hold space for others. Very few are good at it. And some may never grasp it.
Not that holding sacred space is a checklist kind of thing, but I will attempt to put it into such a list for those of you who are hosting events, owning studios, or creating space for people to express themselves, grow, and transform.
1. Be Grounded. Sounds simple, but...I see it all the time. Are you connected with the earth element? Grounding in your being? Able to be still, relax, and listen - sometimes intuitively while other times audibly - to others? This is not something everyone is connected to. In fact, those on the spiritual path may at some point find themselves so up in their heads or on a spiritual plane, that their feet never quite touch the ground, rendering themselves unavailable, quite physically, to others. We have to be anchored in our body because, right now, that is our vehicle in which to move about on this 3D, earthly plane. And while moving about in the 5D planes may be exciting work, it isn't going to allow you to help others, if in fact that is your calling. So, plant it. Get rooted and grounded. Be.
2. Listen. People will tell you everything that you need to know in order to help them grow, if you just listen. Listen with your ears, of course. But, listen with your eyes. Listen with your intuition. Listen with everything you've got. People are always telling you a story and sometimes it isn't a blatant form of storytelling. Those who teach spiritual practices are used to talking a lot during classes, sermons, etc. Sometimes we forge to listen. Listening is more important, because when you know what it is that someone needs, you will then be able to give it to them...but not if you're too busy trying to tell them in the first place.
3. Have Your Own Consistent Spiritual Practice. Yup, when was the last time you took a yoga class for yourself, if you are a yoga teacher? When was the last time you opened a new book on your field of study? When was the last time you prayed, meditated, created a ritual, practiced the holidays in the spiritual tradition that you practice? When was the last time that you did a seva - a selfless work for another? Maybe it was yesterday. Good. What about today? If it was last month, last year...not so good. Your spiritual practices will keep you connected to the divine play of the Universe, and truth. It's also good to try new spiritual endeavors and reach beyond your comfort zone form time to time. Challenge yourself so that you remember what it is like to be a student or have that beginner mindset. Then you can relate better to your students too.
4. Come from a Place of Love. Keep that heart center OPEN. When you have your own agenda like, "Today, we are going to learn the Camel pose," and half the people in your class are actually experiencing low back pain, but you push that agenda because it was the plan...you are teaching from your 3rd chakra - your ego center. And there are similar examples for other spiritual careers as well. You must always come from your 4th chakra - your heart center - all the time. Even when a student pushes one of your buttons, you must come from a place of love. Never force anyone to do anything. Always offer alternatives in which they may feel more comfortable doing. There is no "right" way to anything - unless it is the way of love.
5. Show Up Early. Very early. You cannot run into a space, slap on some music and get to it. You have to ground yourself and then create the space. Always arrive 30, 60 or more minutes before the event so that you can create the space that is necessary and that you are prepared. And, be prepared.
6. Know How to Create Sacred Space. What is sacred space? It is a place where people feel safe to explore the depths of their own being. A place where they can feel okay crying, laughing, or expressing their true selves. A sacred space often is created with specific energy and intention behind it.. There may be spiritual figures present in the space or Ascended Masters. Often there is some sort of light - a candle, perhaps, to represent the light of Spirit. Sometimes there are greater rituals at hand to remove negative energy or increase positive vibrations, such as smudging or energy clearing. Often you will find an alter, where you focus your spiritual intentions daily for the space.
7. Know When to Step Back. If you aren't in the right place to hold sacred space, then know when to pull back from it. We often have the best intentions in mind, but aren't grounded or able to listen or connected to spirit enough, to do it. Have the integrity to know when you are in over your head and ask for guidance from one of your own teachers. Or, take a sabbatical, or spiritual retreat, to do your own inner work. Nobody will think ill of you for doing such a thing. But resentments can arise when you don't.
Holding Sacred Space for people to release or grow and transform is an art form that takes much effort to do properly. But when you do, people will know. And more people will seek to work with you for it. And then, you can help more. It's a cycle. We don't do it for the rewards, we do it because we are called to. So, I guess we can add that as our last point - know that it is your calling.
I hope that this helps many of you who may have been thinking about starting to teach or hold sacred space for others. And for those who already are but have been feeling a little lost, no worries. Take a breather and ask yourself the above questions. And to everyone, know that I am here for you, to mentor and help guide you along your journey.
In Love & Light
Tracey
Last month I listened to a webinar with renowned speaker, Marianne Williamson. I remember first seeing her on stage present her ideas on A Course in Miracles about twenty years ago or more. Not only is she captivating and a brilliant storyteller, but she has the ability to hold space for people. She talked about this very thing in our coursework, and I was pleased to hear that I held all of the same thoughts about this as she did. Our ideas are the same: you have to be fully present, grounded, and coming from a place of love in order to hold sacred space for others.
This is a deeply important offering for people. People trust you with, as Williamson stated, their soul and their deepest longings and fears. You cannot begin to hold space for people if you are not at the right place to do so.
Yoga teachers, especially, I believe, have an important role in holding scared space because the practice of yoga is a spiritual one at its core. You may be good at achieving postures and showboating them in the front of the room, but that is not teaching yoga - and that is not holding space for others. You social media ranking may be quite high and you have a lot of "followers," but that has nothing to do with holding space. In fact, all of those things really only say that you are in it for yourself and coming from either a very large ego - or quite a deflated one. The reality of needing to advertise aside, I want to express my deepest, most heartfelt plea to all the numerous amount of yoga teachers, healers, Reiki practitioners, and all others in the spiritual community to do some self inquiry to see if you really are at a place where you should be holding such space for others.
Everyone has the capacity to hold space for others. Very few are good at it. And some may never grasp it.
Not that holding sacred space is a checklist kind of thing, but I will attempt to put it into such a list for those of you who are hosting events, owning studios, or creating space for people to express themselves, grow, and transform.
1. Be Grounded. Sounds simple, but...I see it all the time. Are you connected with the earth element? Grounding in your being? Able to be still, relax, and listen - sometimes intuitively while other times audibly - to others? This is not something everyone is connected to. In fact, those on the spiritual path may at some point find themselves so up in their heads or on a spiritual plane, that their feet never quite touch the ground, rendering themselves unavailable, quite physically, to others. We have to be anchored in our body because, right now, that is our vehicle in which to move about on this 3D, earthly plane. And while moving about in the 5D planes may be exciting work, it isn't going to allow you to help others, if in fact that is your calling. So, plant it. Get rooted and grounded. Be.
2. Listen. People will tell you everything that you need to know in order to help them grow, if you just listen. Listen with your ears, of course. But, listen with your eyes. Listen with your intuition. Listen with everything you've got. People are always telling you a story and sometimes it isn't a blatant form of storytelling. Those who teach spiritual practices are used to talking a lot during classes, sermons, etc. Sometimes we forge to listen. Listening is more important, because when you know what it is that someone needs, you will then be able to give it to them...but not if you're too busy trying to tell them in the first place.
3. Have Your Own Consistent Spiritual Practice. Yup, when was the last time you took a yoga class for yourself, if you are a yoga teacher? When was the last time you opened a new book on your field of study? When was the last time you prayed, meditated, created a ritual, practiced the holidays in the spiritual tradition that you practice? When was the last time that you did a seva - a selfless work for another? Maybe it was yesterday. Good. What about today? If it was last month, last year...not so good. Your spiritual practices will keep you connected to the divine play of the Universe, and truth. It's also good to try new spiritual endeavors and reach beyond your comfort zone form time to time. Challenge yourself so that you remember what it is like to be a student or have that beginner mindset. Then you can relate better to your students too.
4. Come from a Place of Love. Keep that heart center OPEN. When you have your own agenda like, "Today, we are going to learn the Camel pose," and half the people in your class are actually experiencing low back pain, but you push that agenda because it was the plan...you are teaching from your 3rd chakra - your ego center. And there are similar examples for other spiritual careers as well. You must always come from your 4th chakra - your heart center - all the time. Even when a student pushes one of your buttons, you must come from a place of love. Never force anyone to do anything. Always offer alternatives in which they may feel more comfortable doing. There is no "right" way to anything - unless it is the way of love.
5. Show Up Early. Very early. You cannot run into a space, slap on some music and get to it. You have to ground yourself and then create the space. Always arrive 30, 60 or more minutes before the event so that you can create the space that is necessary and that you are prepared. And, be prepared.
6. Know How to Create Sacred Space. What is sacred space? It is a place where people feel safe to explore the depths of their own being. A place where they can feel okay crying, laughing, or expressing their true selves. A sacred space often is created with specific energy and intention behind it.. There may be spiritual figures present in the space or Ascended Masters. Often there is some sort of light - a candle, perhaps, to represent the light of Spirit. Sometimes there are greater rituals at hand to remove negative energy or increase positive vibrations, such as smudging or energy clearing. Often you will find an alter, where you focus your spiritual intentions daily for the space.
7. Know When to Step Back. If you aren't in the right place to hold sacred space, then know when to pull back from it. We often have the best intentions in mind, but aren't grounded or able to listen or connected to spirit enough, to do it. Have the integrity to know when you are in over your head and ask for guidance from one of your own teachers. Or, take a sabbatical, or spiritual retreat, to do your own inner work. Nobody will think ill of you for doing such a thing. But resentments can arise when you don't.
Holding Sacred Space for people to release or grow and transform is an art form that takes much effort to do properly. But when you do, people will know. And more people will seek to work with you for it. And then, you can help more. It's a cycle. We don't do it for the rewards, we do it because we are called to. So, I guess we can add that as our last point - know that it is your calling.
I hope that this helps many of you who may have been thinking about starting to teach or hold sacred space for others. And for those who already are but have been feeling a little lost, no worries. Take a breather and ask yourself the above questions. And to everyone, know that I am here for you, to mentor and help guide you along your journey.
In Love & Light
Tracey
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