Finding Sanctuary
Notes on finding safety within and externally
The idea of places of refuge are not new. For centuries those in need sought peace and safety from places deemed sanctified, holy and respected. The fugitive was immune, the abused mother was protected, the one without food or home had a place of rest and peace.
The word sanctuary has many meanings that flow within the many aspects of life. Benefiting nature and human alike, sanctuaries take on many forms and in a current world divided by a lack of peace and understanding, finding sanctuary inside and outward is a privilege people rarely get to experience lately.
Perhaps another iteration of the word brings you to Superman’s Fortress of Solitude or Sherlocks Holmes inner world. A sanctum, demonstrates itself as an internal resting place often represented externally by a person’s domain, including the things they hold dearest and most important in their lives.
Between the ages of 13-17 my parents moved us so much that I never felt quite settled or able to make any place my real home, let alone a sanctum. I remember at one home we rented, my mother encouraging me to paint the walls, and how hard it was for me to tell her that I had no desire because I did not think we’d be there long. For me, sanctuary has always meant stability, grounding and consistency, a luxury I did not get to access when I was younger.
And now, at 32, I find myself leaning toward nesting, building and grounding myself within and outwardly. A recent move provoked me to make my new home my place of wellness, a home for my creativity and overall a place where my head and heart could relax from the battle it has fought for the past 10 years. I am aware that peace is a privilege that not everyone has access to, and I think for me, not having it for so long in my own circumstances, that knowledge of privilege makes me appreciate it all the more.
The spaces we create for ourselves can be spiritual, rooted within us as beings made from a Creator who’s existence is infinite. And even if you’re not a spiritual person, the idea of knowing that you’ve made something special that defines you, uplifts you and holds space for you and your deepest needs is the most satisfying feeling in the world. Everything in your home has its place, its own energy, that you created by making it so. Each knick knack and item arranged just so that you can feel its presence in the space you have created it to exist in.
But the real beauty of sanctuaries is the magic that comes from sharing them. Imagine your most prized and loved possession, the space you have earned and created as an external form of you, representing your safety, your existence and your deepest nature, being shared to those who you deem worthy of the space. The truest honor is being invited into someone’s built and personal home, and being seen as not just a guest but worthy of existing in said space. As if you are one with them and the stability they have created.
Rebuilding who I am in the new home I am putting together for myself has been an act of coming back to who I am. Every piece I build on the outside is a piece of me being rebuilt on the inside, allowing my heart to heal and my mind to feel safe and breathe. A spiritual experience indeed.
In life we are encouraged to be distracted and manipulated by everything meant to disturb our peace. However we find peace by building within us and externally, places of peace and refuge for mind, body and spirit.
A balcony, a sustainable habit, a sewing practice, hand washing the dishes, the reading of a book in a moody lit corner of a room…
We find sanctuary in the rituals we create that ground us despite the upheaval that threatens to upend.
As the thaw commences on my mind and body within the realm of my healing, I am happy to share the spaces and sanctuaries I am creating for myself. One day at a time.
Updates:
Re: THE RESALE
I am happy to (finally) share a small collection of curated vintage and vintage style clothing items. Some were stumbled upon, some are from my own closet and no longer serve me. In any case I’m grateful to be able to share them with you. These pieces have been on the site for quite some time but I am just now announcing them to you so you can be the first to grab them at a discount. Use code RESALESTACK to get 15% off any purchase within the collection.
Until next week,
Alexis