Holy Spaces

San Fernando Cathedral was founded in 1731 and is the oldest, continuously functioning religious community in the State of Texas. In other words, it's freakin' old. When I am downtown, I like to go there to meditate for a bit.

As soon as you enter the cathedral, you feel the hush. Say what you will about the Catholics who colonized this area, they understood viscerally how to inspire the awe necessary to any House of God. The smell of incense permeates the very bones of this place. There is no doubt that you are in a holy space, whatever your religion. The interior is cool and quiet, a sweet blessing on a hot day. There's something comforting about the permanence of a building that has been here for so very long.

I like to sit in the back. As I kneel, I can sometimes feel the prayers of the millions of worshippers who have come through this cathedral over the centuries whispering around me. When I add my prayers to theirs, it feels like my ghostly fellow penitents give my prayers more power, as my words seem to rise like the smoke of incense into the air above me.

What are some holy or sacred spaces that bring you peace?