When we wish to become a better person, location is likely not a major factor. You don’t need to be in a specific temple, or travel to a distant holy site. What truly matters is your practice—right where you are, in the midst of your daily life.
In fact, I doubt any place was “sacred” from the very beginning. A place becomes sacred because someone treats it with reverence, dwells there with a clear heart, and acts with grace. It is through these accumulated actions that a space is transformed. This seems a much more natural way for holiness to emerge.
So, what specifically should we practice?
First, respect others. In some cultures, people bow or join their hands toward one another. This is an act of honoring the “Buddha-nature”—the inherent dignity deep within the other person. Everyone possesses something profoundly precious. Recognizing this is the essential first step.
Next, practice a little self-discipline. Try not to be swayed by shifting emotions, or succumb to a bad mood. Keep your mind calm and clear. Continue your own efforts without comparing yourself to others.
Almost all of these practices happen within the mind. They are invisible, and may go unnoticed by the world. However, by refining your inner self, your mind becomes peaceful and unnecessary friction with others begins to fade. I believe this is the very process by which you—and the small world immediately around you—become a sacred space.