Sacred Space Design

The shape of the Labyrinth is similar to the combination of the circle and the spiral. However, it is a maze with no dead ends, making the Labyrinth unique. 

The symbolism of Labyrinth tells us a deeper story about our life and spiritual journey.

I read several books and articles on the topic and will share my understanding with you today.

Don’t forget to check my previous article on spiral symbolism. 

What did Labyrinth initially mean?

The Labyrinth comes from the Greek word “laburinthos.” It was designed in Cretan by the great artificer Daedalus in ancient Greek mythology.

A Labyrinth originally meant a maze with a single entry with no dead ends. The access is also the exit from the maze.

This represents the path of human life. It reminds us that after many twists and turns, we return to the place from where we came.

Labyrinth has different meanings from different perspectives. Later in the article, I will be discussing in more detail the Greek Labyrinth.

For now, let’s correctly understand the actual meaning of Labyrinth:

Celtic Labyrinth meaning

Labyrinth is seldom mentioned in Celtic cultures. But a little mention has a deep meaning of the Labyrinth.

The Celtic Labyrinth is a branchless maze leading to the center from the start point. It represents the soul’s journey to the center of the uterine underworld – the soul’s return toward rebirth.

Glastonbury Tor – Ynis Witrin – has a maze similar to Cretan’s Labyrinth. It was mainly designed for ritual purposes. Later the druids use the maze for their initiation ceremonies.

Meaning of pan’s Labyrinth

Pan’s Labyrinth: The Labyrinth of the Faun by Guillermo del Toro and Cornelia Funke is an excellent dark fairytale.

If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend you purchase the book and read it. After reading the book, you may ask, what does Pan’s Labyrinth mean?

The pan’s Labyrinth says there is no place for innocence in the war between good and evil. Instead, it tells a dark story about war’s trauma and after-effects.

I will not spoil the books for you by going into the details. However, it’s a book worth reading, and you will understand more about the Labyrinth once you read it. 

Meaning of Labyrinth in Christianity

The Labyrinth has always been seen positively in Christianity. It is a path of life between birth to death.

The first Christian Labyrinth was designed around 324 A.D., on the floor of St. Basilica of Reparatus in Algeria. It is a symbol of hope that tells the church is always there for the wanderer of Labyrinth’s path. 

However, the Labyrinth in the French Chartres Cathedral is most popular among Christians. It was built around 1230 AD and had 11 circuits counted from the outside to the center.

It has a 6-petal rosette in the center, representing six different kingdoms, including angelic, animal, divine, human, mineral, and plant.

The rosette also symbolizes healing and the flowering union of feminine and masculine power.

Entering into the Labyrinth clears your mind and improves your focus on God. It frees you from earthly attachments.

But does the Bible mention the Labyrinth?

Meaning of Labyrinth in the Bible

I did not find any bible verse that mentions Labyrinth. But a few verses had similar meanings.

One of such Bible verses is:

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 

(Corinthians 5:7)

When we enter the Labyrinth, we step forward with faith. Our eyes will not help us to find the way out. It’s all faith.

What is a Labyrinth used for?

After knowing about the basic meanings of the Labyrinth, you may want to know the use of Labyrinth.

A Labyrinth is used for several purposes to help you with personal growth, psychological improvement, and spiritual transformation.

Some of the most popular uses of the Labyrinth are:

• Labyrinth walking: Labyrinth walking is an ancient practice. You can do this by entering a Labyrinth and walking slowly. It provides a unique spiritual experience as it gives you a more profound feeling of being on a spiritual journey. The path of a spiritual journey is unknown and full of surprises, and a Labyrinth offers you the same experience.
• Meditation: Many people also enter the Labyrinth to do the meditation uniquely. You can stand still, sit or lie down to do meditation.
• Rituals and ceremonies: People in ancient times used to do many rituals in the Labyrinth. Its unique structure is a great place to take vows at the wedding.

What does a Labyrinth symbolize?

A Labyrinth symbolizes hope, fear, life, path, spiritual journey, hell, redemption, and wholeness.

People often fear they will be lost in the maze. But some people also know they can find a way out.

One can also use the Labyrinth to symbolize the journey of life. Our life has a start point; we go through some exciting experiences before the end. A Labyrinth gives you the same experience.

The Labyrinth is hard to navigate, and that’s why it is also called hell sometimes. However, it is also seen as a source of wisdom, and a journey through the Labyrinth makes you whole.

However, the Labyrinth symbolism mainly originates from Greek mythology. So, let’s learn more about Labyrinth symbolism:

What does the Labyrinth symbolize in Greek mythology?

The Cretan Labyrinth is one of the most ancient symbols known to humankind. It was built to capture the half-human, half-bull beast Minotaur.

The Labyrinth sometimes means “the house of the double ax.” In Crete, the double ax is an assistance to the goddesses.

What does the Labyrinth symbolize in Theseus and the Minotaur?

The story of Theseus and the Minotaur in Greek mythology is fascinating.

According to the legend, Minotaur was an offspring of the wife of the King Minos of Crete.

The king sent the Minotaur into the Labyrinth and sent numbers of Athenian virgins and young warriors to fight the beast.

Eventually, Theseus defeated Minotaur and found a way out of the maze that the Minotaur couldn’t find in years.

What is the spiritual meaning of a Labyrinth?

A Labyrinth makes your spiritual self whole through the ups and downs.

When journeying in a Labyrinth, sometimes you become excited about making the right decision, and the other time you are hopeless about making the wrong decision.

Labyrinth’s spiritual meaning tells you there is always a way out. It has no dead ends, which means your spiritual journey is full of progress if you know your path.

Chartres Labyrinth’s spiritual meaning

The Chartres Labyrinth is a symbol of pilgrims. In addition, this site is the home of the Virgin Mary’s tunic during Christ’s birth.

The spiritual meaning of Chartres Labyrinth means the start of your spiritual journey.

What is the spiritual significance of a Labyrinth?

A journey to the Labyrinth is a journey from life to spiritual awakening to death. Therefore, it is essential for every human being to go on a spiritual journey.

The Labyrinth awakes your spiritual self. Walk in the Labyrinth or meditate to find your inner self.

Conclusion

The Labyrinth may seem confusing, but we are never lost in it. Sometimes we are close to the center and sometimes far away.

So take a step into the Labyrinth to make yourself whole.

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The symbolism of the spiral has various meanings in numerous cultures worldwide. For example, it is found in the Celtic cultures, art, Buddhism, geomancy, Christianity, etc.

But what does the spiral symbolizes, and what’s its significance in your life?

After reading several books and articles on the topic, I have gathered good knowledge of the spiral symbol.

Let’s find out the meaning of the sacred spiral, its symbolism, and its spiritual meaning:

What is the sacred spiral?

The sacred spiral is a representation of growth and evolution. It follows a specific pattern of rotating around a particular point.

The spiral continuously grows around the point endlessly and represents eternity.

However, the spiral has more profound meanings. So let’s dive into the detail to understand what is the sacred spiral:

Sacred spiral meaning

Human life goes through a specific cycle of birth, growth, death, and reincarnation. The sacred spiral meaning is a reminder of our life cycles.

It signifies our growth in this eternal world. Our physical body and mind evolve throughout our lives, resembling the perfect spiral.

The spiral also represents the creation of earth and time. At the center, it is the start of everything, and the eternal lines indicate continuous time.

Celtic spiral meaning

Spiral has a great significance in Celtic symbolism. Therefore, you will find the spiral a lot in Celtic art.

One of the most common interpretations of Celtic Spiral art is the sun or the radiation of ethereal energy. The etheric energy field indicates the lowest layer of our physical energy.

Plus, the Celt Triskele or the triple spiral represents the inner and outer worlds. It unites your physical, mental, and spiritual self and signifies the universal theme of birth, death, and rebirth.

Moreover, the three spirals in the Triskelion represent the Gaelic universe’s three realms: land, sea, and sky.

The ancient Irish tale Táin Bó Cuailnge explains these realms as the following:

“Is it the sky that breaks or the sea that ebbs or the earth that quakes or is this the distress of my son fighting against odds on the Foray of Cuailnge?”

Spiral meaning in art

Spiral art was carved on stones worldwide a long time ago. For example, one of the oldest petroglyphs was carved on stone in around 3200 BC.

It shows that the spiral has been a vital sign since ancient times. But yet, the meaning is only speculative.

Most people argue that spiral art means the sun, while others say it’s a gate to the spiritual world. But, perhaps, it’s a sign of life and life beyond the physical life – eternity.

Spiral direction meaning

The spiral direction can be clockwise or counterclockwise, depending on whether you trace it inside or outside the center.

A clockwise spiral starts at the center and increases beyond the outer limit. It represents expansion and cosmic energy.

Counterclockwise spiral meaning

A counterclockwise spiral usually indicates the manipulation of nature in the form of nature. It can be both good and bad.

What does the spiral symbolize and represent?

The spiral symbolizes the cycle of rebirth, mother goddess, growth, expansion, eternity, a portal to the spiritual world, and spiritual development.

Plus, a spiral represents a connection to the divine that leads you from the outer consciousness to the inner soul. That means it frees you from materialism, external awareness, and ego and enlightens you with cosmic understanding and unseen essence.

It’s a journey from the outer world to the inner world that represents the evolution of humankind.

You will see the spiral symbol mainly on the belly of the mother goddess or the spiral goddess. It represents the power of women to produce life.

However, spirals in different cultures and different forms have countless meanings. So let’s try to understand those spiral symbolic meanings:

The symbolism of the black spiral

Most modern spiral arts today are black. However, I didn’t find any specific information about black spiral meanings.

However, the color black often indicates protection from the devil. I guess a black spiral also symbolizes protection as it grows around a specific point. The black spiral protects its center, which can be us.

The symbolism of spiral in Japan

“Tomoe” is the common name for a whirl or spiral in Japanese that translates as “comma.”

It has various forms, and the most common is the “mitsudomoe,” which appears in a set of three. The mitsudomoe is associated with the Japanese God of War, Hachiman.

Fibonacci spiral symbolism

The Fibonacci spiral symbol, also called the golden spiral, is an aspect of sacred geometry. It is often seen as a symbol representing the connection between mathematics and living things.

The Fibonacci spiral also symbolizes the map of spiritual growth. You are the center point at the beginning of your spiritual journey and start to spiral out as you understand more about your spiritual self.

The symbolism of spiral in native American

The spiral shape is massively found in the Southwestern area of the United States. In addition, the spiral symbolism is often associated with the sun in Native American cultures.

Several tribes use the spiral as their tribal symbol in Native America. However, depending on the tribe, the meaning can vary.

For example, the Maya people use the spiral as a symbol of an uninterrupted endless cycle of life and energy.

Spiral symbolism in Buddhism

The center of the spiral symbolizes the center of the world in Buddhism. It is a hidden place in the Himalayas full of wisdom and knowledge.

However, some Buddhists also interpret the spiral as a sign of life’s struggle. They believe a straight line represents balance and harmony in life.

Spiral symbolism in Christianity

The spiral also has religious significance in Christianity. It was used as a rich and decorative architectural frieze in Gothic Cathedrals.

Some people believe that the spiral represents the connection between humans and God. It means a person who forgets selfishness and opens up to God to achieve a higher grade of wisdom.

What does the spiral symbolize in spirituality?

The spiral is a perfect symbol to represent the stages of spiritual growth. When you start your spiritual journey, you instantly do not get to your highest self.

A spiritual journey is a sequential progress. In a spiral, you are the center, and rotation symbolizes your progress in the journey.

What is the spiritual meaning of a spiral?

The spiritual meaning of a spiral indicates that you can enhance your wisdom and enrich your spiritual self through a particular process.

You can harness the energy of the sacred spiral in your spiritual practices to understand the universe better and reach your destination. 

Growth is a sequential process. British photographer Julia Margaret Cameron quotes:

“Growth is a spiral process, doubling back on itself, reassessing and regrouping.”

A spiral is your path to reach your destination in your spiritual journey. It can act as a gateway for you to connect with your ancestors.

Conclusion

A spiral symbol is a great way to connect with your inner self. It’s time to forget the external matters and focus on your inner soul.

Understanding more and more about the symbolism of the spiral will help you more to progress in your spiritual journey.

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Lately, I wrote about what worship is and now I would like to answer some of the frequently asked questions around the places of worship. As I am a big fan of creating sacred spaces and connecting in my sacred space to the One via rituals, I see this question of what is the place of worship important.

A sacred space is a place of worship for me. So one can say, what is sacred then. For me, sacred is the unspeakable which appears in the middle of the two realities. Those moments where I am aware of the continuous talk of the universe to me, I am aware of the appearance of the sacred as well.

Sacred is the unspeakable because I am unable to explain what I am experiencing at this moment. I can invite these moments to my life for guidance and meaning in a sacred space or a place of worship. Moreover, these moments can appear in the flow naturally independent of the place of worship. These are the times when any place in the world converts to a place of worship.

Why places of worship are important?

Worship, in itself, is a soothing and cleansing process. It hugs you just like a mother hugs her kid. You find the warmth, love, satisfaction, and a sense of protection always engirding yourself during the worship. Consequently, the place of worship contains high respect, regard, and importance. Thus, for its eloquence, dignity, and a feeling that it belongs to you, it is important.

Additionally, a place of worship serves as a community center for the people of every religion. People gather there and have the opportunity to share and know about each other, the welfare, and the sufferings. Hence, a worship place represents a religious worship area as well as a means of communication and unity among people.

Place of worship key features

Every place of worship is clearly a beautiful coalescence of religious and cultural architecture. Weaving the meaningful symbolism within, a place of worship has different features as per every religion. Following are some:

1. Domes – domes are very much popular in churches, mosques, and Buddhist stupas. For churches, they represent heaven. On the other hand, at mosques, domes indicate the oneness of Allah. Moreover, in Buddhist stupas, domes denote water, one of the five pure elements.
2. Towers or minarets – towers in churches represent heaven. Minarets in mosques are a source of giving Azaan (call to prayer). Also, conical spires in Buddhist pagodas denote heaven as well as wisdom.
3. Prayer halls – large, spacious prayer halls are the integral parts of the place of worship. As a matter of fact, prayer halls belonging to different religions have different elements accordingly. Specific direction to face during prayer, idols to worship, and images of different gods, all are the prime elements.
4. Altars, Minbars – the altar is an elevated platform where clergy in churches sit and give lessons and sermons. Similarly, in mosques, Minbar is the place where Imam sits and gives sermons. Moreover, in Hindu temples and homes as well, different statues of gods are kept on the altars.
5. Office – every worship place has a small office that administers all the affairs. It deals with all the administration, studies, funds, counseling, etc.
6. Store rooms – they are used to keep different religious books, furniture items, and religious stuff.
7. Interior and exterior – beautifully decorated exteriors are common to every worship place. In addition to it, the interiors are adorned well with carpets, colorful tiles, ceramics, and mosaics.

Place of worship restrictions: guidelines for a place of worship

There are, unquestionably, some norms and rules to follow when visiting different worship places. Here, I have prepared a list for you according to different religions.

Muslim Mosques:

• Cover your heads using caps and scarves, etc.
• Take off the shoes outside the mosque.
• Do not sing, dance, or make noise inside.
• Wear proper and sober clothes. Besides, for women, full sleeves, pants covering the bottom of the legs, and covered head are required.
• Cameras and taking pictures are allowed except during prayer times.
• You should smell good and be bathed well. In addition to it, your mouth must not smell bad.

Hindu temples:

• Take off the shoes outside.
• Also, make sure to keep the leather items outside the temple.
• Wear proper clothing, with legs and shoulders decently covered.
• Donate using your right hand.
• Taking the pictures is allowed but permission beforehand would be more polite. Furthermore, a small donation will be a nice gesture.

Buddhist temple:

• Similar to mosques and Hindu temples, clothing must be proper. Besides, ensure to cover your shoulders.
• Take off your shoes and caps/hats outside.
• Pointing towards something makes a bad gesture. Therefore, try to indicate something with an open hand and use your right hand.
• Avoid touching the Buddha statues. Also, females are not allowed to touch the monks as well as to give something to them. In contrast, men are allowed to do that and that too with their right hands.
• It’s bad to turn your back to the Buddha statues. Therefore, the advice is to walk backward till you are a good distance afar from the statue.
• Stand in respect upon arrival of monks and nuns.

Churches:

• Firstly, it’s better to take permission to take pictures in a church.
• Visit with decent dressing and have your shoulders and legs covered.

Jain temple:

• You are not allowed to chew or eat inside the temple.
• You must silent your phones before entering.
• Maintain silence inside, it would be better.
• Bath well and wear washed clothes to visit the temple.

Jewish synagogue:

• Maintain decent dressing. Also, wear full sleeves.
• If you visit Jerusalem, avoid turning your back to the Western Wall while leaving. Thus, walk backward for a good long-distance. Then you can turn around.
• Orthodox synagogues allot segregated spaces for men and women. Therefore, consider maintaining that custom if you visit such a place.
• For men, the advice is to cover your head with specific caps called Yarmulke.
• Finally, during Sabbath day, you cannot take pictures.

How many places of worship are there in the world?

There are as many places of worship as there are religions in the world. Approximately, there are 14 types of worship places in accordance with different religions. But it’s difficult to count the total number of all the worship places existing in this world.

How many worship places are there in India?

There are roughly 3.01 million worship places in India according to the 2011 census.

Where to worship God?

Every religion has a specific place to worship. But, in my opinion, you can worship God anywhere. It’s just about a devoted heart, a beholding eye, and a submissive soul. And then any place will be your sacred space, letting you connect with God. A mosque, a temple, a church, or even a large grassland having trees around can become your sacred space.

Place of worship

Place of worship: A place of trees

And so, here I have some interesting facts for you. Oh yes, about worshipping the trees. Animism, as it’s called, it is one of the most ancient religions. As a matter of fact, specifically ancient European people were the followers. Some stories and customs are:

• For Romans, there was a sacred fig tree that they used to worship.
• Ancient Europeans especially used to go to the forests, cut the trees, and bring them back to their towns. They used to plant them outside their houses or just take them to every door. They did that in order to obtain blessings from the trees.
• Ancient Greeks worshipped the oak tree, linking it to the god Zeus. While ancient Romans considered the oak tree sacred with respect to Jupiter.
• Celtic people also gave high importance to the oak tree as they used its leaves in their religious ceremonies.

Place of worship: A temple

Temple is a term commonly used for the place of worship for different religions. Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Greeks, Romans, etc use this term for their worship place.

Place of worship diversity: places of worship and religions

Indeed, diversity adds beauty, charm, and thrill to this world. Otherwise, life would be dull in any case. The same goes for the worship and its places. Different religions, their customs, and rituals, places of worship, all are captivating and unique at the same time. And learning about them all undoubtedly becomes so much interesting as well.

Which place of worship is this? Place of worship examples

Let me take you to some beautiful places of worship all around this world. Try to guess the name of the place of worship in the photo.

Where Hindus worship? The place of worship for Hinduism

Hindus worship in the temples. They call it Mandir in Hindi. Having a diverse range of gods, there are different temples associated with different gods and goddesses.

Where do Jews worship?

The synagogue is the place of worship for Jews.

Where Christians worship? The place of worship of Christianity

Christians worship in churches.

Where Muslims worship? The place of worship of Islam for Muslims

The mosque is a Muslim worship place. Muslims call it Masjid, an Arabic word that means a place of prostration. Also, big congregational mosques are called Jami masjid.

Where Buddhists worship? The place of worship Buddhism

Buddhist temples – wat, stupa, vihara, chaitya, and pagoda.

Place of worship of Theravada Buddhism

Wat and Stupa.

Place of worship of Mahayana Buddhism

Pagoda, Vihara, Chaitya, and Candi.

Place of worship for Sikhism

Gurdwara is the name, meaning a door to the guru (Gur is for guru and dwara means door).

Place of worship for Confucianism

Confucian temple.

Place of worship Jainism

Jain temple or Derasar.

Place of worship for Zulu culture

Shembe church.

Place of worship of Shintoism

It is a Shinto temple or shrine called Jinja, which means ‘place of God’.

Place of worship for Baha’i

Baha’i temple. Another name is Mashriq-ul-adhkar, meaning the dawning place to remember God.

Place of worship Taoism

Daoguan is the name for Taoist temple.

Place of worship of Greeks

Greek Temple is the name for ancient Greek religions.

Synonyms to a place of worship

As you see the diversity in places of worship is huge. So this also reflects in the names of places of worship for each place in a different faith. The synonyms to a place of worship are; shrine, sanctuary, mosque, temple, church, house of God, monastery, house of worship, holy place, and sacred site, etc.

Place of worship quotes

Finally, let’s talk about some quotes. Following are some wonderful quotes:

Many are the places of worship, but few indeed are those who worship in spirit and in truth.

 Khalil Gibran

When I think of a place of worship, I think of a place where one can sit and be reminded of all the things that are important outside our individual lives. To express spirituality, the architect has to think of the original material of architecture, space, and light.

Richard Meiyer

If you limit worship to where you are, the minute you leave that place of worship you will leave your attitude of worship behind like a crumpled-up church bulletin.

Tony Evans

I looked in temples, churches, and mosques. I found the divine within my heart.

Rumi

 Conclusion

Above all, worship is love. Worship is all that you feel about God and how you connect with Him. Although a place of worship is a key element for every religion, nonetheless, worship oozes from the heart. Therefore, just look inside and find a beholding eye. Without a doubt, you will learn to worship anywhere. Absolutely, you will learn to make your sacred space and enjoy that undoubtedly.

If this article inspired you, you can also read these articles below:

What Worship Is?
Place of Worship for Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam

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Sacred spaces facilitate us to be here and now and connect with ourselves and something bigger than us. In My Sacred Space blog, I write about designing your own sacred space. Whatever your path is for connection, you can get inspired by the sacred space design of other faiths. That is why I am writing about the Place of Worship for Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam.

Let’s look at each of these places of worship one by one.

Christian place of worship

What is the place of worship for Christianity called?

Church, yes it’s the name. Beautiful buildings with a blend of religion and architecture, churches are designed so well. From the inside, they are traditionally designed as a cross if we view them at some height. The central passageway or aisle, and the sitting area depict the vertical part of the cross. The altar and bema form the horizontal part.

An altar is a raised structure usually some steps above the ground, where clergymen sit and give sermons. All the rituals are performed here.

But wait, it’s not only about the designs. The architecture involved skillfully symbolizes different things. Let’s see what these are.

Domes and towers are a rendition of the heavens. A star or an octagon reflects that the church is here for illuminating the world with its holy light. A circle brilliantly symbolizes eternity.

What are the 3 places of worship for Christianity?

Talking about the churches, the three types are:

Basilica – originally a Roman public building for official and court works, the architecture was adapted to build churches afterward. Typically, the basilica is a Roman Catholic Church.

Cathedral – a church where the bishop (Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican Churches) sits, therefore, it is an important church having responsibilities.

Different symbolisms are also in connection with the cathedrals. Let’s check them out.

• The building is very large; the grandeur indicates the Glorious God.
• The traditional ground architecture is in the form of a cross, inspired by the crucifixion of Jesus.
• The main building is named “Nave”, a Latin word meaning ship. It symbolizes that the cathedral is a ship of people dealing with the tides of life i.e. ups and downs.
• A cathedral expertly weaves the symbols of hope and steps towards salvation.

Chapel – the place of worship that is usually smaller than other churches, chapels often do not have a permanent clergyman. Also, smaller spaces inside churches having separate altars are termed chapels. Moreover, chapels are small places of worship built inside different buildings like schools, colleges, hospitals, etc.

What is the day of worship for Christianity?

Christians go to the churches for worship usually on Sunday every week. The reason behind this is that Sunday is the day when Jesus was resurrected.

Where is the place of origin of Christianity?

Jerusalem, the holy city, is considered to be the place of origin of Christianity. Jesus spent his childhood there, became a preacher and healer. His crucifixion and resurrection also took place there.

Buddhist place of worship

Does Buddhism have place worship?

Although, there’s no specific place of worship in Buddhism since Buddhists can worship at home. But yes, there are some places as well to worship. To know what these are, go below with me.

What is the Buddhist place of worship called?

A Buddhist temple is a place where Buddhists go to worship. These temples are different in structure. A Buddhist temple is considered as a pure place of Buddha, spreading peace.

What is a Buddhist temple called?

There are numerous Buddhist temples, therefore, have different names. These are chaitya, pagoda, wat, stupa, and vihara.

Buddhist temple facts

Buddhism, the religion of non-violence, has fascinating temples. Almost all the temples symbolize five pure elements: earth, water, fire, air, and wisdom. Let’s have a look at the temples and some interesting facts.

Stupa – a hemispherical structure used for mediation, a stupa is like a mound. Having a square base and a dome on top, it contains the remains of monks and nuns. Symbolically, different structural parts of stupa represent five pure elements.

Also, the stupa denotes the meditating Buddha.

Chaitya – it is simply a prayer hall containing stupa. A Nepalese chaitya is a small stupa-like monument, usually constructed in the memory of a dead person.

Vihara – it is a monastery with an open courtyard, providing living space to monks. Viharas also provide space for religious work, learning, and meditation.

Wat – a Thai word meaning enclosure, wat is a Buddhist temple in Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, East Shan State, and Yunnan. It must have at least three resident bhikkhus (monks). A big image of Buddha is always present inside. Wat also gives the provision of learning.

Pagoda – a multi-storied building having tiers with upward-curving roofs, the pagoda is a pointed tower-like temple. The number of tiers is always odd. The five-tiered pagoda representing the five pure elements is common in Japan. Pagodas are mostly found in Southeast Asia and Eastern Asia.

Where is the sacred place of worship for Buddhism?

There are four sacred places in Buddhism. They are linked with Gautam Buddha’s life. Buddhists pay pilgrimage to these sacred places:

Lumbini Grove – Buddha’s birthplace (Nepal)

Bodh Gaya – where Buddha attained enlightenment (India)

Sarnath – where Buddha gave his first sermon (India)

Kusinara – where Buddha died (India)

Where is Buddhism practiced?

Buddhism is mainly practiced in China, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Japan, and other Southeast Asian and East Asian countries.

Buddhism place of origin

Gautam Buddha founded Buddism in Bihar, India where he attained enlightenment.

The population of Theravada Buddhism

Theravada or Southern Buddhism has a population of 150 million. It is practiced mainly in South Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia.

Place of worship of Theravada Buddhism

Wats and stupas are the most common places of worship of Theravada Buddhism.

Buddhist holy book

Tripitaka is the holy book, the word means three baskets. It is further classified as Vinaya Pitaka, Sutta Pitaka, and Abhidhamma Pitaka.

Muslim place of worship

Where is the place of worship for Islam and What is the place of worship for Islam called?

In Islam, a mosque is a place where Muslim men go to offer five times Salaah. Muslim women usually pray at home.

There is a specific direction towards which Muslims offer their Salaah. It is called “Qibla”, the direction facing towards The Holy Kaaba, present in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

What place of worship is considered sacred by Muslims?

The Holy Kaaba is the most sacred site of worship for Muslims all over the world. Known as Masjid-al- Haraam (the sacred mosque in meaning), Kaaba is also called Bayt Allah which means Allah’s house.

The Kaaba’s magnificence always makes my heart tremble in awe of the One who is the Almighty, Allah. The place is a blend of splendor and magnificence with spirituality at its peak.

Originally, Kaaba was built by the Prophet Hazrat Ibrahim(A.S) and his son Hazrat Ismail (A.S). A black stone named Hajr-e-Aswad was placed by them at the Kaaba.

As time passed, high and strong walls were built around Hajr-e-Aswad to protect it. And now as we see, it is all covered in Kiswaa, a black silk cloth with gold Quranic verses on it. Every year on 9th Dhu-al-Hijjah, the kiswaa is changed. The whole ceremony is a soul-stirring experience to watch live.

Features of a mosque

A mosque is a beautiful rendition of art, culture, and religion. Its features include:

Qibla wall and Mihraab – a wall with a niche called Mihraab that indicates the direction of prayer.

Minaret – the tower through which Azaan (call of prayer) is given.

Dome – beautiful domes are always part of the mosques indicating the oneness of Allah, and symbolizing heaven as well.

Minbar – it is an elevated platform where Imam sits and gives the sermon.

Courtyard – it is an open space for the people to sit and pray.

Ablution Area – it is the place where people do wudu or ablution before Salaah.

The mosque is decorated from inside with beautiful calligraphy, velvety carpets, and colorful tiles and mosaics. A mosque is a place where people pray, meet each other, and know about their well beings and sufferings. It is a fine means of communication and unity among Muslims.

And it is not possible to talk about the mosques and not mention Istanbul. Istanbul is known as “the city of mosques” having over 3000 mosques. The beautiful Blue Mosque or Sultan Ahmet Mosque, Hagia Sophia, The Suleymaniye Mosque, and others are must to visit.

As I feel, worship is sacred, beautiful, and divine. And all the places of worship belonging to different religions are sacred and respectable for me. Therefore, I hope that you have enjoyed this fascinating and divine ride to different worship places.

But oh yes, if you have gained the true essence and spirit of worship, any place is your worship place. Any time is your worship time. Any day is your worship day. Because the true spirit of worshipping God liberates you from the constraints of time and space. You become a free soul, ever ready to worship your God, any time, any place. You whisper, “O Almighty, here I am, please be pleased with me and let me engulf in your presence”. And deep down in your heart, you know that you are heard and blessed.

Conclusion

Even though the spaces vary, they have many commonalities. They are beautiful, safe and they guide you to remember your connection.

If this article inspired you, you can also read these articles below:

What Worship Is?
What Is the Place of Worship?

Below is a Pinterest friendly photo…. so, you can pin it to your SSacred Space Board!

In Qur’an, there is a verse talking about the reason for the creation of humans and it is directly related to worshipping. It says: “I created the jinn and humans for nothing else but that they may serve/worship Me; I desire from them no provision, nor do I want them to feed Me.” But what worship is? 

As mentioned in Quran, God says that the human has been created to be in servitude, to adore, and to be in worship. It is not that God needs the worship of humans. So, what does this mean for us?

Coma and join me to discover the meaning of what worship looks like in different cultures and religions.

What worship means to me?

Let me start with a hadith, one of my favorites. 

“I was a hidden treasure, loved to be known, and I created realms to be known.”

So worship has something to do with the intention of God to be known. And from here we can go to visit Ibn Arabi’s perception of life;

“Human is as for God, just as the pupil is for the eye, the view is thanks to a human.”

So from here, I come to a result that worship is seeing the artist in the art while living. 

And look what I have found out again with the analogy of the pupil of the eye in the writings of Joseph Campbell the other day: 

“The research for physical immortality proceeds from a misunderstanding of the traditional teaching. On the contrary, the basic problem is: to enlarge the pupil of the eye, so that the body with its attendant personality will no longer obstruct the view. Immortality is then experienced as a present fact: “It is here! It is here!”

In Sufi songs, you always see the lyrics talking about all the creatures of life are continuously saying the name of Allah. Birds are singing his name, doing dhikr all the time. 

Worship for me is being aware of the creator all the time. Whatever I see, is seeing the One and being aware. When I smell a flower, seeing the One there. When I play with my kids, seeing the One in her smile, when I sing and feel the ecstasy, feeling the One inside me. 

Worship means to me being here and now and opening the curtain so that I can realize that I have never been alone.

Worship for me is finding the balance and enlarge the pupil so that I will find the One in the present as it is here!

Maybe the meaning of worship for me is hidden in this poem of Ibn Arabi: 

Theophany of Perfection 

Hear, My beloved! 

You are the reality intended by Becoming 

The center of the circle and its circumference 

Its intricacy and simplicity 

You are the order brought down between heaven and earth 

I have not created realizations for you except that you realize Me in them, 

So when you realize Me you realize yourself 

Do not hope to realize Me in seeing your self: By my eye, you will see Me and your self, 

But you will not see Me by the eye of your self. 

Beloved! 

How often I call you and you do not hear 

Show Myself to you and you do not see

Clothe Myself in fragrances which you do not inhale, 

And flavors in which you do not savor a taste for My sake. 

What is the matter with you that you do not sense Me when you touch 

That you do not smell Me in the fragrance of musk 

That you do not see Me 

That you do not hear Me 

What is the matter with you 

For you, I am rapture beyond any delight 

My longing for you is deeper than any desire 

And I am more profitable for you than any benefit, 

Because I am the Beautiful 

I am the Graceful 

Love Me, Love Me alone. 

Desire Me, ardently. 

Pine for Me, not for another. 

Embrace Me, accept Me, you won’t find an intimate like Me 

Everything wants you for itself, but I want you for your sake 

And you, you avoid me. 

Beloved! 

In drawing close you cannot meet Me half-way 

For My drawing close outweighs a hundredfold the means by which you draw close I am closer to you than yourself 

Yes, your self, where all this is enacted for you, which unlike Me, is created. 

Beloved! 

I am jealous of you from you I cannot bear to see you with others or with yourself 

Be with Me in Me, and with yourself just as you are with Me 

Then, My beloved, you will not even feel the Union, The Union. 

Were we to find a path towards separation, 

We would let separation savor separation 

Beloved! 

Come, hand in hand, 

Stand before the Truth that It may judge between us with the judgment of eternity. 

Ibn ’Arabi

What worship means in the bible?

The Bible doesn’t give any specific definition of what worship is. 

Worship is acknowledging and praising God for his powers and everything he did for you and can do for you in the future. The declaration must come from your lips and your spirit. You can clearly understand that from the following verse from the Bible:

“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” – John 4:24

This is what worship means to God. Many people praise God only through their voices. But they don’t work on their words nor believe the comment they make. For those people, God said:

“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.” – Matthew 15-8:9

What worship is not?

Worship is something that you must perform from your heart. When you truly worship with your spirit, you know God will do something that will make you happy. Like the famous writer R.T. Kendall quotes:

“A vital ingredient of worship is expectancy believing that something good is going to happen.” – R.T. Kendall (writer)

Often people misunderstand worship with prayers. But true worship is not only limited to praying. It is much more than that. Worship is not a routine to follow but a performance to do with the heart.

When worship becomes routine

So, when does worship become a routine? Well, when you only do prayers in some specific times without any passion or belief towards God, it will become a mundane routine in your life. For instance, only performing Salah five times a day is not what worship truly means in Islam.

When worship becomes a performance

When you try to please your creator even if you are not praying, that is when you perform worship. It is a belief that God always sees you; hence you must follow his orders.

Singing in places of worship

Singing in places of worship is also a good practice in some traditions, especially in Sufism, Christianity, and Hinduism. There are many reasons why worship song is important. 

Singing is the shortest way to reach the Creator inside you. It elevates your mood to another level thanks to its vibrations.

“Music is the main means to awaken the soul, there is nothing better. Music is the shortest and most direct way to God.”

Hazrat Inayat Khan

It connects you to God in a unique way. Worship with singing often helps express your feelings for God more efficiently. That’s because when you sing, not only your lip is involved, but also your mind and your heart is. 

“Sufi music is the door to the world of spirit. Music can entertain and serve different social functions, but it finally has another call: to function as a ladder that links the human with the heavenly world, that is, to help the human kingdom to ascend to the world of the spirit.”

Jordi Delclos, “The therapeutic dimension of music in Sufism”

What worship can do and why worship is important?

When you truly worship with your heart and spirit, it can bring positive changes in your life. Below I have discussed why worship is important for everyone:

What worship does?

Worship can purify our hearts. It makes us believe in God and life beyond death. Worship teaches us to express gratitude. 

How worship changes us?

Moreover, worship can change our perspective about the world. When we worship, we learn to value everything we have. We find happiness in everything and focus on doing good things. 

Worship when life is tough

When life is tough, it is essential to worship and seek help from the Almighty. God is the strongest one who can help you get rid of any difficult situation.

Can worship bring healing?

When your heart is broken, it needs healing. Only God can help you with that. And what can be the better way to communicate God other than worship? I remember one of my friends who lost her close ones in an accident. She then focused on worshipping more with a broken heart. Soon, I saw her smiling with happiness.

Worshipping in cultures and mythologies

Different cultures and mythologies worship different divine beings. Some of them are:

Who worships Buddha?

Unlike other religions, most Buddhists do not believe in God. Therefore, Buddhists worship Buddha. He is not a God but still respected and revered in Buddhism.

How often do Buddhist worship

Buddhists usually worship three times a day. They worship by chanting Pali stanzas and suttas taken out from the Cannon before an image of the Lord Buddha.

Who worships Odin?

If you are familiar with Norse mythology, you must have heard of Odin. The Vikings worship Odin the All-father. 

Who worships fire?

Fire has divine significance in many religions. However, it is Zoroastrians who worship fire. Zoroastrianism is one of the oldest religions in the world. Followers of this religion can be found in Iran, India, and a few other countries.

Who worships Ravana?

Ravana was a Demon King in Hindu mythology. He was also one of the most loyal devotees of Lord Shiva. That is why many Hindu people worship Ravana.

Why worship Shiva?

Shiva is the God of destruction in Hinduism. Many Hindus also consider Shiva as the only God who creates, protects, and destroys the universe. That is why Hindus worship Shiva.

Why worship Krishna?

Krishna is one of the avatars of Lord Vishnu in Hinduism. He is the God of protection and love. Hindus worship Krishna for a healthy life and also for prosperity.

How to Worship?

Worship is a common ingredient in all different paths around the world. Let’s look at each briefly. 

How to worship Allah?

Usually, Muslims worship Allah through Salah. But anything you do to satisfy Allah is considered worship or ibadat in Islam.

How often does Islam worship?

In Islam, Muslims perform salah or prayer five times a day. There is a story about salah numbers.

Prophet Muhammad, accompanied by Gabriel, leaves Mecca and ascends to the sky. The prophet saw and was welcomed by Adam, Jesus, John the Baptist, Joseph, Idris, Aaron, and Moses and by Abraham. And finally talked to God directly.

There God said to Prophet Muhammad that people need to pray 50 times a day. On his way back from heaven, Prophet Muhammad saw Moses and Moses asked what was the order of God and Prophet Muhammad told him. Moses said that he should go back and decrease the number as this is a lot for people. Then Prophet Muhammad went back again to God to ask to decrease and Moses said, again and again, finally, Prophet Muhammad after having the number 5 times, decided not to go back as he was feeling ashamed to ask so much to God. 

Even though it seems so hard for us to be unattached from the desires and daily tasks of this world, here is a reminder of Rumi: 

“Your task? To work with all the passion of your being to acquire an inner light, so you escape and are safe from the fires of madness, illusion, and confusion that are, and always will be, the world. When you have acquired this light, then every kind of power, all rank, status, and every conceivable reward the world could offer you will pass like a flash of lightning when they shine on your heart…”

Jalaluddin Rumi

How to worship God?

This story about salah numbers is full of symbols for us to reflect on to understand its deeper meanings. Even though there is always a thread that the form can become first than the meaning, still the form of it has its wisdom in it as well. 

As Yunus Emre said

Sharia, tariqa is the way to reach

Truth is inside the moment. 

So let’s see the different worship ways around the world.

How often do Jewish worship

Jewish worship or pray three times a day.

How to worship Lord Shiva?

You can worship Lord Shiva in both your home and Temple. If you visit a temple, the priest may guide you with chanting to Lord Shiva. You also can sit and meditate in front of the shrine. Besides, chanting mantras and texts from Shaivism are also ways to worship Shiva.

How often does Hinduism worship?

Hindus worship at least once a day, usually in the morning. However, a religious person in Hinduism is expected to worship three times a day.

How to worship Egyptian Gods?

Jung says that if you can connect with your traditions and religion that do that as all the symbolism in your unconscious would let you connect. 

“…Religious traditions are rich in customs and ceremonies for meeting anything that might befall a person. There are rituals to help carry us over a threshold during life transitions such as birth, becoming an adult, marriage, and death. For some people, prescribed rituals still work effectively. Sometimes you can modify a religious ritual to meet your requirements and thereby devise the medicine (ceremony) that is exactly right for your particular ailment- this is the highest form of creativity.” 

But if you can not do so, it is important to listen to your gut feeling. If you are feeling connected to Egyptian Gods and goddesses, you will find your way to worship them and what does this mean for you. Follow your inner guidance and read and get inspired and see the signals and read the symbols. 

Conclusion

In my spiritual journey, I always find the simplicity of the laws of life. All those recipes in different paths are not there to make life harder for me, quite opposite they are for me to live life as a ritual continuously. 

First I do the rituals until I do not need them anymore. Because my act of living converts to worship at some point. 

I wish we can all live life as that fulfilling, as realizing the One in everything, all the time. 

Even though the spaces vary, they have many commonalities. They are beautiful, safe and they guide you to remember your connection.

If this article inspired you, you can also read these articles below:

Place of Worship for Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam
What Is the Place of Worship?

Below is a Pinterest friendly photo…. so, you can pin it to your Sacred Space Board!

If you need some ideas to create your sacred space, this blog post is for you.
Enjoy and get inspiration to create a space that is unique to you.
If you would like to learn more about how to create one, check this blog post here.

Your sacred space could be at home or in the garden. It could be a whole room, or an altar, or a meditation or prayer space. Whatever your choice will be, you will find plenty of ideas below.

Sacred space ideas at home

Sacred space room ideas

1. Colorful corner in the room

This space from Lady Scorpio is full of colors. You can see nice objects that bring joy such as moon shapes, salt lamp, chakra affirmations, crystals, and colorful cushions.

2. Space that invites you for a deeper journey

This space is inviting you to connect to your deeper truth. Once you enter this big space, it reminds you of your inner journey and welcomes you for a deeper one.

3. In the corner under a green plant

Even if you do not have a big space at home, you can create your sacred space in a corner. You can add some nice touches with flowers, candles, carpets, and cushions. You can have your yoga mat as well. And ala, that is done, you can create a defined area welcoming you to connect with the unseen.

4. Sacred space with your singing bowls

Creating a sacred space is about taking care to bring beauty to your living space. Does not need to be a hard one. Just bring those things that bring joy to you and that help you to connect with the unseen. Your musical instruments are always great additions.

5. Peace tent

Let’s listen to Danelle Frisbie, as she explains what a peace tent is in Bamboo Family Magazine: “the small tent they had set up in one corner of their wood-floored, plant-covered, open-windowed den. It was here that the girls went to sit and relax, to get away from the rest of the busy house filled with guests, to daydream, or gaze out the tent opening, through the window, into the stars in the night sky above. This, they told me, was their “peace tent.” “

6. Great combination of plants and cotton

It looks great with the combination of plants, macrame wall hanging, tapestry, and cushions. Natural materials have been used and it brought a soft effect to the ambiance.

7. Clutter-free space

It is crucial to think about all the objects you have in your sacred space. It has to be clutter-free. All those things need to be there for a reason. This is very well done in this space. If you want to check more details of the space get a look at their site. 

8. Let natural light welcome you

You can convert a table to your sacred space. If you can locate it in front of a window then you can get help from the natural light. Then choose those objects that you feel that comes to this space and locate them. Do not forget to have one while creating it. Dwell in Magic, had a lot of fun creating this space, check it out here.

 9. Your sacred space is where your heart is

In this article of Michel Fijn with Tijn Touber, Tijn Touber is explaining his experience with finding sacred space in his own hearth, which is coming back home. Once you begin to come back home and really witness that your sacred space in your heart, then sacred space creation does not become that necessary or you convert all those spaces in your home to sacred ones. Look how beautiful this space is: simple and welcoming to make music from the source. 

10. Cushions and carpet, that is it

Scared spaces are reminders of you that this life is a journey and you are the hero of your life. It is a reminder to slow down and reflect, witness, see, hear, smell, touch, create a relationship with you. A carpet and some cushions, that is it. The intention and consciousness is the main thing. 

11. Convert one of your chairs to a sacred space

Yunus Emre, a great Sufi poet of the 13th century says in one of his poems that ‘those who are looking for a sense, the meaning are the one that drank the wine of Love.” What is the meaning of my life? Where I can start to search for? Anywhere but your heart! How I will speak and listen to my heart. Start with the intention, then show up with your intention in your heart and pray. Sacred space will help you to be consistent in this journey of starting to speaking to your heart, in the search of your inner truth. 

And for creating your sacred space, no excuses. You can convert a chair of yours to your sacred space if you really want. Let tatjanas_world, inspire you.  

12. Tapestry magic

If you have some tapestries, definitely get them out to create your sacred space. You can create magic with them. If you would like to buy some tapestries, check our tapestries in our Amazon stores.

13. Yellow color fits very well to a sacred space

How beautiful this space is. I promise you once you start to create your sacred space then you will witness that you will convert all your house into a sacred one. Your search for beauty will be a habit and you will ask yourself ‘why I was not doing this before?”

The photo is from design files. 

Sacred space ideas for meditation or prayer

14. Start small

If you want to create your sacred space but do not know-how and finding yourself delaying it all the time because of this excuse, sorry but no excuse anymore. Start small. Stand up now and create your sacred space in 2 minutes. Literally. Find your spot, bring cushion/carpet whatever you have. And done. Start and then you will continue to work on it. Look at this one in the picture.

15. Lovely reading hook and meditation space style

Creating your sacred space is a lot about taking care of yourself. It is about prioritizing creating a relationship with you. Close the TV, do not watch another Netflix series or a youtube video. Enough Facebook/Instagram for now. 

Time to be with you. Time to ask yourself what you want and serving you and only you. If you do not ask yourself what you like to do, how you can really know? 

Start creating that relationship with you from today. You are the only one who can create it anyway. Create a sacred space for yourself. Create a nice place for you to be, as nice as the one in this picture. 

16. Yoga and meditation space that reminds you of joy

Bring all the stuff that you have related to your yoga and meditation practice. Get help with some cushions, pillows, carpets, and storage baskets. Valla, you are ready as much as NamastysHay

17. Simple and Beautiful

A flower and a painting are enough to create your sacred space. Do not forget intention is the important one. Just start. Do not overfocus on the format, meaning is the important one. 

18. Green prayer space

Let your prayer mat remind you of the unseen and invite you to the journey of your spirit. This space is a beautiful, green spot. 

19. Re-use those unused areas of your home

In Islam there is the ritual called namaz, to pray 5 times during the day. 5 times slowing down and coming up on your prayer mat, which is serving as your sacred space. Slowing down to check-in, to witness, to remember, and surrender. 

This picture is inspiring to show that you can reuse those spots in your house that are not fully used. 

Creating an altar sacred space ideas

In case you do not have a room, nor a corner in your house to convert to a sacred space then you can consider even using a tray or a little table. Creating an altar can be a sacred space of your choice. You can find how my altar showed that the universe is always talking to me in this article here. 

20. Your sacred space is where you find yourself over and over again

Some crystals and the poster of the definition of your sacred space can help you to focus your energy. 

21. Beauty of a dream catcher

Imagine having such a space with a dreamcatcher, crystals, salt lamb, cushion, sage. Just in front of the window. You wake up and the 1st thing you do in the morning is going there to write your dream to your dream journal. Can you imagine yourself in such a place as in the picture? 

22. Quiet and uncluttered spot

This meditation altar is a quiet and uncluttered spot, with a table, altar cloth, main sacred item, incense, sage, and mala beads as mentioned here. 

23. Just near the window

Having an altar just near the window, the ability to look outside and see nature is a great addition to it. Nice altar from self cremony.

24. Flowers, flowers and flowers

Flowers are definitely adding beauty to any space so consider bringing flowers to your sacred space as in the example here in this picture. 

25. An altar inside a tray

Lately, I have also created a moving altar for myself. For my morning rituals, I liked to have a spot in the living room. With kids around it was not easy. So I put all those that I wanted to include inside a tray such as in this picture and moved around. 

26. An altar with a crystal shelf

A triangle shelf for your crystals can add a lot to your sacred space. 

27. An altar for your tarot practice

This altar seems great for your tarot practice. Having all, ready in a place to convert your routine to a ritual. 

28. A little altar 

A little altar like this is enough to bring you beauty and remember you to continue with your inner journey. 

29. This cabinet is an altar itself

Look to this beauty. The moon and the sun cabinet. If you do not have any space at all to create an altar in your home or you have little kids that you would like to create a space where they could not reach, maybe you can consider such a cabinet. This is very beautiful.

30. Altar on a little table

This little table altar is so cute and showing that not having space is not an excuse not to create one

Sacred space ideas at the garden 

31. A Garden labyrinth

This garden labyrinth is a sacred space designed by a designer to help the healing process of a couple who lost their son. All the details have been thought accordingly. You can read the details of it here.

32. An altar with a flower in a garden

In your beautiful garden, you can create a beautiful spot to remember, to slow down, to witness, and to reflect.

33. A statue altar in a garden

You can bring a statue and your stones and create a sacred space in your garden.

As you see there are many different ways of creating sacred spaces. Do not forget, your sacred space is unique to you. You do not need anything but listening to yourself to create one. If you want more help about how to create your sacred space, you can read the post here.

Below is a Pinterest friendly photo…. so you can pin it to your Sacred Space Board!