Sacred Spaces

sa’ cred adj. [Orig. past part. Of ME. Sacren to consecrate, fr., OF., fr. L. sacrare, fr. Sacer sacred, holy]  2. hallowed by association with the divine or the consecrated; hence, entitled to reverence and respect 4. Inviolable or inviolate; not to be profaned. 
 
My desk is a sacred space.
 
It isn’t showy or very spacious or an heirloom. But it is made of teak wood. In the pool of light under my desk lamp it glows a reddish brown. The top is one solid piece with woodgrain in a horizontal pattern ridged enough to feel when you run your hand across it.
 
There is room for the lamp and a couple of mementos besides my laptop and a book or two. The computer is used for both the mundane and the creative. Email is checked, bank statements reconciled and calendars consulted. The day-to-day management of life’s circumstances. And also, the desk is where I write letters to beloved family and close friends, intimate thoughts in a journal, fiction and these blog posts.
 
To be authentic in any creative endeavor, it helps to have an energizing workspace. Objects that resonate with something positive in you.  A memento from your past, inspiring artwork or a photo. I’ll share mine:
 

• A photo of my wife. She’s walking casually along the quayside in Nauplio, Greece at dusk. Her smile is set against lively port waves that buoy two sail boats. She is happy and confident.

 

• A small diptych Orthodox icon. The two wooden halves depict on one side Christ and the other the Panagia Glykophilousa.

 

• Tizio desklamp. A gift from my parents, this lamp was designed by German industrial engineer Richard Sapper for Artemide. A true meeting of form and function.

 

• “Today Will Be Awesome” name plate.

 

• Bowl of cherries. One of a run of, I’m sure, thousands that were sold at Z Gallerie in the mid-aughts. This still life hung in our living room for many years. Now, behind my desk, it reminds me to think of the sweet moments of life.  

 
Those surroundings energize me and allow me to focus. These give me a bit of inspiration. You can do the same with attention to whatever it is that helps you. And I’m sure it will be different. You might like early Pink Floyd albums blasted at high decibels or a series of Picasso line drawings. Or maybe you fill your space with scents from a diffuser for essential oils. Whatever works.
 
And true, I’m lucky that I have control over my environment. You might not. A nurse or waiter or even a teacher has less control over their surroundings. But you can wear a bracelet your sister gave you or keep that cute photo of your dog on your phone.  
 
You also live your life in a body that needs adequate sleep, nutritious food and, at minimum, a walk around the block on the regular. That is also your workspace. Try to keep it running smooth.
 
And your ultimate canvas is the space created by your innermost thoughts and what is in your heart. That is where it can all go right. Pay attention especially to those sacred spaces. 

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