Stories From the Journey:
Transforming Sacred Space, by Kinlen

From the very beginning of my shamanic journey, I remember loving the act of opening Sacred Space, calling in the Directions. I loved feeling the energy of support and vitality all around me. I practiced with others in my classes as we worked together on each new bit of medicine we learned. We called to the winds of the South, the West, the North, the East, Pachamama (Mother Earth), and IntiTaita (Father Sky). We faced each direction in turn, held up our hands, sprayed our Florida water into the air and whistled to each. We made our invitation for the archetypal energies of Serpent, Jaguar, Hummingbird, and Eagle, to join us on our journey, to protect us, to help us grow in our skills and relationships.

Over the years, Wake and I became more fluid in how we called in sacred space. Instead of following the words from the paper we had first been given, we called in energies specific to the ceremony or work we were doing. I brought in prayers I had learned from fellow shaman that Wake and I had worked with as we taught classes around the world. I loved practicing the wonderful way the Q’ero shaman open sacred space. Instead of turning to face directions, the Q’ero started with their hands extended up, they called in the energy of Wyracocha (the source of the sacred spring), stars and galaxies, the sun and moon. Then opened their hands wide and invited in the energy of lightening, rainbows, and the great Apus (holy mountains). They stretched their hands out, fully open, as they called to the trees, animals, all creatures. And then, they reached down to lovingly touch the earth, and called in their most precious connection – Pachamama. They opened an all-inclusive, full circle of life-giving energies.

After years and years of opening sacred space and then closing it again, week after week, for meditation after meditation, class after class; I began to realize that I had built relationships with all of the energies I was calling in. The elements and archetypes, Earth and Sky lived within me. I realized that I was now walking in sacred space all the time, whether I opened it intentionally or not. I realized that all that practice, all those openings and closings, were helping me to absorb the awareness that the energies of creation and life, the very Love Plasma of the Universe were with me all the time, have always been so. It had taken all those repetitions for me to really grok that I am inextricable from the sacred space I sought.

I still love calling in sacred space. It centers me, settles my mind before starting a meditation, a session with a client, or a ceremony. It reminds me that everything I do in a day matters, that it is sacred because I am part of the sacred web of life and creation.