We are calling out for healing spaces.
Cultivating space for sanctuary provides much-needed mental well-being. The spaces you inhabit are a continuation of who you are. They reflect how you feel internally.
The title of this article was inspired by poet, philosopher, psychologist and professor Bayo Akomolafe who teaches global courses like “We Will Dance with Mountains: Let us Make Sanctuary.” He invites us “to open up new places of power and responsivity; to make space for the otherwise; to help in the partial recuperation of your vital connections with land, place and people; and, to live a small, intimate life.”
Creating a sense of sanctuary means reconnecting with your body’s need for reflection, connection, and creativity. Life is a creative process and mental health is a human right. Working with these ideas directs progress toward positive change.
With constraints comes creativity. When you are aligned with your deeper self, the space you are in can help you connect with the larger collective. It can support your introspection and ability to move through internal and external change.
Cultivating sanctuary can happen in 5 steps. First, you highlight your joys and establish a sense of playfulness. Reflect on your connection to the people, plants, animals, and minerals that bring you joy.
Cultivating sanctuary can happen in 5 steps.
Second, invite balance by being in relationship to the earth’s rotation. How are you situated in relation to the four directions of the earth? What is in the North, South, East, and West? Notice where the sun rises and sets in your space.
Third, become aware of the sounds in your space. A space expresses itself with the echo of life and the amount of oxygen in the room. When do you hear which sounds, and how can you metabolize them? Seeking connection with soundscapes helps us orient ourselves with nature.
Fourth, work with the flow in your room. How can it reflect authentic love for ourselves and others? Sonya Renee Taylor says “systems of oppression thrive on our inability to make peace with difference and injure our relationship with our bodies.” Is your space turbulent with unexpected barriers? How can it better foster a sense of calm and peacefulness?
Finally, connect to vitality. Arrange your life around welcoming meaningful exchanges with yourself and with life. How can your space better support opportunities to connect deeply? We can inhabit areas that foster relationships and collaboration. From those roots, we can move toward innovation and deeper insight.
We are calling out for healing landscapes. Your spaces can be so much more than efficient or entertaining. They can support mental wellness and facilitate connections. You can create the sanctuaries you need.
