A Place To Pray

The time has come for me to move my prayer space inside.  During the warm months, I love to sit on the little patio outside my kitchen, where I have a couple of comfortable chairs, a nice table, and a little terra-cotta image of Mary holding the child Jesus.  I picked up the round ceramic piece in a shop in Florence, Italy, and I love its simplicity.  It’s a great mediation piece for me to look at as the sun comes up.  Emmanuel, God is with us.

But winter will be here before you know it, and it’s time to get a little sacred space going inside.

Several years ago, House and Garden magazine surveyed people on what they considered necessities in their house.  Surprisingly, 82% of respondents said they wanted a quiet place for meditation and/or spiritual contemplation.  Wow!  I guess I’m in good company.

So, where do you start?

• If you can dedicate a whole room to prayer, that would be great.  If not, choose a corner.
• Remove everything in the room and clean it well.  You might consider painting the room a neutral shade.
• Put only what you need back in the room.  Think minimalist.
• Choose comfortable furnishings.  Pick your artwork carefully, and don’t make the space to busy.  I have several pieces which I rotate throughout the seasons.
• Candles and a small tabletop water feature can transform the space into a soothing oasis.
• Have a cd player/ipod dock handy. I don’t know about you, but music always helps me get into a prayerful mood.