WHERE IS YOUR SACRED SPACE?

ansel adams photographing Yosemite, 1942 , cedric wright

I started thinking about sacred space and what that means to each of us. Not just as a refuge from the minutiae of everyday life but a buffer from the distractions that steal our focus and cloud our creativity. We all yearn for a haven in which to hone our crafts, succor from the critics that crush us so easily, a little corner of our own to nurture our fragile ideas. When the sky’s the limit, where would we go? Maybe you dream of “the city of light”, a small atelier in Paris in which to paint to your hearts content, or an apartment in Montparnasse witness to your artistic struggles, and miraculous breakthroughs as you toil away at your craft. Or maybe it’s an isolated cabin high in the mountains or deep in the woods, a place to hide away comforted by the bliss of simple living. Or maybe your sacred space isn’t a destination but an intangible pocket within your mind, one that seems more real than any place you’ve visited countless times. Most of us believe the answer is obvious, that when we’re allowed to dream, we dream big. But I think we’d be surprised to discover that our choices more often than not are dictated by immediate needs rather than a true excavation into the dark continent that is the self. For instance, if you can’t ever seem to escape from noisy abodes, or are plagued by nonstop interruptions while working, then maybe you wish for quiet and solitude. But what if your wish was granted, and suddenly you find that you lack inspiration because you need the stimulation that being in a bustling environment gives you. We all have our own distinctive catalysts that help us tap into the well of creativity that lurks within all of us. Whether it’s order or chaos, solitude or camaraderie, a quiet cabin or a bustling urban sprawl, a desk at home or a local cafe, the options are more than just personal tastes. It's what the soul craves, and hungers for. As Joseph Campbell said, "Your sacred space is where you can find yourself again and again."

new york, rudy burchhardt via kimmco

Le Dôme, Terrasse abritée, by séeberger freres, 1931

henry miller hangout

via millerwalks

HEAVEN CAN'T WAIT

This heavenly pie lives up to its name. During WWII, one-crust pies became popular because of rations on shortening. Many were filled with JELL-O gelatin or pudding, easily accessible at the time.

Dream Pie

2 envelopes Dream Whip Whipped Topping Mix

2 3/4 cups cold milk, divided

1 tsp vanilla

2 packs (4-serving size) JELL-O instant pudding & pie filling, any flavor

1 9-inch baked pastry shell, or graham cracker or chocolate flavor crumb crust (6-oz)

1. Beat whipped topping mix, 1 cup of the milk and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on high-speed until topping thickens and forms peaks, or as directed on package.
2. Add remaining 1 3/4 cup of milk and pudding mixes; blend on low speed until blended. Then, blend an additional 2 minutes on high speed, scraping bowl occasionally.
3. Spoon into pastry shell. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Recipe by: JELL-O Posted to recipelu-digest Volume 01 Number 390 by ctlindab@... on Dec 21, 1997

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