When I first envisioned Spirit Garden many years ago, I always thought of it as a place of Sanctuary – a safe harbour, a refuge, a retreat, or hideaway.  Lately, I have a sense of it as being an oasis ministry – creating time and space for sacred pauses in our lives so that we might catch our breath, replenish and keep going.

Recently, I have been reading Parker Palmer’s book, On the Brink of Everything:  Grace, Gravity and Getting OldIn it, he speaks about the importance of creating sanctuary in his own life.  He likens it to a kind of spiritual survival in order to carry on.  He says:

“Sanctuary is wherever I find safe space to regain my bearings, reclaim my soul, heal my wounds, and return to the world as a wounded healer.”

Over the years, Spirit Garden has taught me that I cannot create sanctuary for others if I do not create it on a regular basis for myself.  In a world that is often moving at a pace that is faster than my soul can integrate, I need these moments of sanctuary more than ever.  In a world full of hurting people and an earth that is crying for our care and attention, I can find myself overwhelmed and I know many others do as well.

This is why it is so important for us to know how to create sanctuary in our daily living.  For me, sanctuary can be found in the small moments I build into my day, it can also be found in friends and places.  These are some of the things I turn to for sacred space that feels like a sanctuary and safe haven:

  • Lying on my yoga mat – bringing all of my awareness to my breath and the movement of my body.
  • Going for a walk in the woods.
  • Sitting on the beach and listening to the waves.
  • Curling up in my favourite chair and reading a nourishing book.
  • Meditating in the morning.
  • Reading from sacred texts.
  • Writing in my journal.
  • Heart to heart conversations with close friends.
  • Creating space in my life for silent retreats every few months.

We all need those moments, people and places that feel like sanctuary to us.  Our souls need these time outs in order to find balance and restoration.  Below is a link to a Reflection sheet to explore what sanctuary is for you.

Each of us, in our own ways, provide sanctuary for the people in our lives.  May we be good caretakers of our souls and create sanctuary moments in our own lives, so that we can carry on with our good work in the world.

With love and blessings,
Kathy