Rituals Equivalent to Sacred Space: The Continuous Struggle for Discipline & Presence

You all the know Meyers Brigg Personality Typing (the inventory that speaks to if you function primarily introverted or extroverted, sensory or intuitive, thinking vs. feeling, judging vs. perceiving)?

Dependent on the year,
or hour
or minute rather, mine changes.
This is true for most of us, I feel.  <  FEELER ALERT  ;]

I have been settling into the possibility that I might be a judger living more a preserver’s life.  If you are unsure what this looks like, J’s-- as they call ‘em-- are typically more “type A” people.                 Lists!-Concrete!-Black!-White! kind of persons.                      P’s are more    
                                                                                      ```` fluid.

Thinking of myself as not  a person “to go with the flow” seems laughable :]
But getting into the habit of being a little more intentional with my days,
and being surprised by a little more rituals sinking in;
pondering how I want my life to form,
who I really am,
how I can let her out,
I find myself craving more drawn out moment’s structure --with a lot of room for movement within.

I think what the Meyer’s Brigg is attempting get across is to reveal how we best function as an individual. And clearly my past few years of reaction based living hasn’t left me in the most thriving of mind spaces as of late. 
Too heavy on the concrete ways of living have not either.
As the Buddha, the middle route is to be sought.
And a more ritualistic way of living is called for my balancing act.

No wonder I am so drawn to religion and the various patterns of persons’ spiritual living.
I am beginning to see the holiness in a more ordered way of living;
And that this life is more about how we are to discover our own peace inducing rituals, whatever they might be.
Many routines are born out with specific intention behind them --whether that specific expression of sanctity stays with the person as their practice habituates is a different story ( & remember, its never too late to change). 

Thinking up and setting out to creating sacred space and to revere the sanctity of moments again in my life allows for a feeling of fullness…

I find myself attempting to reveal the intention in even the little routines more and more now (as that feeling of aliveness is almost addicting), i.e.
Changing my clothes before bed; brushing my teeth.

Acknowledging that I am there,

and when needing the reminder,

that I am doing that act out of love for myself,

the act itself,

and all those who have and will ever be a part of me.

Realizing when I am not there, not appreciating wholly what act I am participating in, my mind is starting to get accustomed to pinning that act/thought of disengagement and graciously asking,

“Why?
Why be anywhere else?”

which usually quickly taking me back into the meditation of the moment.


Why do I want to be anywhere else?
When I think of what it’s like to think of something--countless somethings!--  while doing something  not on the list one of somethings I’m thinking about…

Chaos, right? 

I feel there is an increasing need in our generation, and maybe even broader social spectrum, for finding our sacred spaces: mind, body, soul, environment...
setting apart every thought and action for the sake of a peace of mind and peace of others.


At the art show I did the other night, I realized a theme in my set up pattern, unconsciously induced. There is an element of sacred space to them…

It often takes a hell of a lot of stress to get it there,

But I believe that this is a part of my longing for sanctuary I have not been the best at giving myself or others, to the degree in which I pray to;

a part of my inner self letting herself out…

Here’s to finding that sacred space in all its forms,

Whether it takes more discipline to get there, or less, if you are unlike me… 
& Yes, these ashes will be going into my next project :}