Creating Sacred Space: What is it and why do we need it?

There's something different about a Yoga class, no doubt.
You felt it the first time you practiced, no?
How was that cultivated? What is it and why do we need it?

In today's society ritual has become a long-forgotten art. From meals to self-care, instant access to information matched with longer work days and less outdoor connection leave us with a dissonance to the rhythms of every day life. We can easily find ourselves searching for the present moment online; looking up recipes to eat healthier and then forgetting what went into our mouth last. A short 100 years ago our ancestors lived by the sun and the moon. School summers and daylight savings times were established to protect routines of the farmers as time began to rule. Everyone did the same thing every Sunday. Those who practice Ayurveda begin to consciously invite in the return of ritual through Dinacharya, the daily routine.

A Yoga class is often our only link to ritual each day. We unroll our mat, we collect our props, we focus on our breath, we move our body in conscious rhythm.

As a teacher and a student, a Sacred Space begins to unfold through this ritual. LIke Pavlov's dogs, our body knows what to do the moment we enter a room for practice. The more structured the routine, the faster your body will begin to respond. Here, the unwinding and subsequently recreation of yourself begins; physically, mentally, spiritually.

So whether you find yourself chanting Sanskrit or simply arranging your blocks and props, the intentionality behind your setup for practice begins the process in itself. There's a big difference between doing this consciously, with presence, and on auto-pilot. The whole basis for your practice is centered around fostering the former, whether you realize it or not. Yoga is the union of self to the conscious, present moment.

Adapted from the Structure of Vinyasa, 200hr Manual, Creating Sacred Space

Om Namah Shivaya Gurave