Stories of Spirit…The Backyard Temple

There is a Sacred Circle in my yard and I visit it often.  It is the creation of years of love and devotion, simple yet powerful.  My husband designed the fire pit in the center with large stones marking each of the 4 directions.  The hedge that marks the exterior of my circle is simply brush and trees that I have allowed to grow; giving the circle a true feeling of separateness.  Separate in that it is not a place of everyday burden, it is a place of homage.  The  Ley-line that enters my circle is marked in Quartzite from the large outcropping behind my house; the same line runs through the outcropping as well, connecting the two places of power.  My Altar sits in the north of my circle a large piece of slate sitting on a stump.  I have held large ceremonies in my Sacred Circle & many intimate ones in which it was just me & the Powers that be.  When the Moon is full I sometimes find myself just drawn there to sit and contemplate the workings of this world we live in.   My backyard temple is a place where I can connect with God in any way I like…in silence, with loud voice, naked or bundled up around a fire.   I do not put on airs for other attendants, or worry about the reprimand of those designated as higher then I.  For my relationship with the world, the beings in it and the Gods is just that…Mine.

This year I have noticed a great need among people to find a personal connection with the Divine, to feel the bond that we as a people could have & should have with the world around us.  I believe the desire for personal connection is there no matter how we see God.  I personally see God/Goddess in everything & have a great respect for peoples individual right to find the face of God in whatever way fits them.  I know that that we are all connected and that the silly rules of religion that keep us separate are just that…silly.  I am constantly encountering people searching for the way/a way to feel that bond; a personal bond.  It’s not as hard as it might seem, for I believe the Creator is not half as judgmental as man would have us believe.  After all…why create so many people and give them free will if you expected them all to step into place and be just like the one next to them.  I guess that is why church never really fit for me.  Not because I didn’t love God/Goddess, but because I am not that good at following the rules of Normal.  And I have always, since childhood talked to God myself instead of asking someone the right way to do it.

As a Medium I meet with people of many religious beliefs.  I do not see the differences when speaking to them for their Beloved Dead, but more I see the similarities.  We are all looking to connect; we want to feel that their is a bond between us and God.  More so…we want to know that we will be connected to those we love once again when our time to pass is upon us.  We want to know that the Creator cares about us, that we are more then just a set of chemical interactions…that  we matter.  When we make time and space for personal worship; whether it be with God/Goddess, our Ancestors or Nature, we are inadvertently setting aside time for ourselves.  We are saying to the Universe that we matter & that we are connected.  After all, most religions talk about the fact that we are created by or part of the whole.  I really try to stay out of religion, as I don’t like to step on peoples toes and I truly do have great respect for others beliefs.  So I am hoping you can walk away from this read, hearing the story I am truly telling.  The story of need and personal commitment.

When we commit to a Spiritual path we are asking to grow, expand our consciousness and become more so.  By more so, I mean we are hoping to become more ourselves.  Having a place to connect cannot be over rated.  If that place for you is a temple/church/synagogue/mosque/grove then all the power to you.  If you have not found a place for yourself to feel connected to a higher power, then create one yourself.  It does not need to be fancy, but you do need to put some care into it; after all it is a place of worship.  Gardens, back yards & extra rooms in the house are ideal as they give you privacy and the ability to create.  But I also have a great love affair with special places in nature; along hiking trails, near lakes, in the town park…whatever works for you.  Just remember what you put into is often directly connected to what you get out of it.  Have faith, be honest with yourself and the Beings you are choosing to connect to.  There is not point in even trying if you are not ready to be honest.  There is no right way…there is no wrong way.  Stack stones, arrange flowers, display lanterns & candlelight; glittery angels  & fairy wings.  It is not for me to decide what Sacred looks like for you.  You cannot fail if you are truly trying, for the Sacred resides in your heart.  As always I hope you have enjoyed the read and find this helpful.

spreading love-salicrow