Cityspace: Spaces to breath and reflect in the city of Edinburgh



Values and Guiding Principles

An overview of Cityspace’s values and guiding principles:

What Cityspace values

  • encouraging space and silence in the city
  • providing opportunity for reflection
  • allowing activity to emerge and grow from quiet, expectant waiting
  • offering gift through quiet presence
  • reflecting God’s unconditional love and acceptance
  • Christ centred spirituality (remaining open to the spirituality of other faith traditions)
  • welcome, openness and simplicity
  • activity which helps make connections
  • serving people where they are
  • working ecumenically
  • embracing diversity

Facilitating not initiating

Cityspace gathers information for people in the city wanting to access events and spaces of a specific tone or nature. Cityspace centrally promotes what is already offered by organisations and spirituality/faith groups, including churches. Cityspace facilitates opportunities for new spaces or events to emerge. Cityspace does not host or initiate spaces or events.

Cityspace is for people of any faith as well as those who hold no religious/spiritual affinity - anyone is welcome to attend events and spaces promoted by Cityspace. Cityspace is particularly for those in the city wanting or needing to find a place for a bit of undisturbed rest - a breathing space.

Guiding Principles

Cityspace is committed to highlighting reflective events and spaces. In addition, we recognise that some people accessing these spaces may appreciate the opportunity to explore their journey and reflections further in conversation. Cityspace thus also highlights suitable access points to trained spiritual directors and prayer guides.

Organisations offering reflective spaces and events in harmony with the Cityspace criteria can use the website to promote them. This includes, but it not limited to, Christian organisations. 


Cityspace Glossary

Definitions of some terms used on this website:

  • Reflective - on this site 'reflective' refers to space, events or conversations which provide a place for someone to freely explore what is happening for them rather than one in which they are told what is happening in/to them or what should be happening in/to them.
  • Spiritual conversation - on this site 'spiritual conversation' refers to a conversation that is focused on exploring a person's relationship with God/ the Transcendent/ Mystery (however they may conceive God). Spiritual conversation encourages reflection on this interaction or relationship, and explores how this impacts the way they live and make choices
  • Trained prayer/spiritual guide - on this site 'prayer/spiritual guide' refers to someone that simply listens and accompanies a person as they explore how God/the Transcendent is acting in their life. Cityspace advocates that these guides are trained and receive ongoing supervision.