Rules of the Sanctuary Road
I love Julia Cameron’s book The Artist’s Way. So many truths, so much wisdom. I read it several years ago but many of her suggestions stuck with me, such as her daily writing practice. In fact, it’s part of my own Daily Sanctuary Practice. I try to write those three pages, longhand, in my notebook every morning. Something about writing away the dross that clings to my mind, something about airing my big ideas, my grievances, my thoughts of every kind is both healing and balancing.
Do I write every day? No.
But I’m always glad when I do. I get so much out of it when I take the time.
Do you have a Daily Sanctuary Practice? Some sort of ritual that you do to get back to yourself? To recover your own sense of equilibrium? To just feel better?
I find that by holding the world at bay for a period of time when I first wake up, my entire day is better. It’s so powerful. I’ve shared this before, but I’ll add it here in case you might find it helpful to know what makes up MY Daily Sanctuary Practice:
- A walk outside to wake up, exercise my dogs and watch the sun rise
- Meditation — sometimes on my own, sometimes guided
- COFFEEEEEEEEEE
- Write morning pages
I don’t turn my phone on until I’m done.
I don’t always have (take) time for all of it. There are morning meetings, vacations and house guests. There are also late nights the night before when I’m just too bleary to get up that early. But I aim to do the things on this list every morning. I don’t always achieve it all, but this is what I’m shooting for.
Julia (clearly we’re now on a first name basis) also includes a list of what she calls Rules of the Road. In it, she includes her thoughts on creativity, writing and a life well-lived. I thought it would be fun (and maybe helpful) for me to write down some Rules of the Sanctuary Road, thinking they might shed light on the truths of a Daily Sanctuary Practice. Give them a read and let me know what you think — love to hear any additions you have!
- Sanctuary is for everyone — young, old, rich, poor, EVERYONE.
- You cannot do a Daily Sanctuary Practice wrong — it’s whatever activity you think will nurture you and your mind/spirit at that moment. It is how we commune with ourselves and the divine within us.
- If you want to try meditation but haven’t been able to meditate in the past, there are many guided meditation apps for your phone, YouTube videos and other resources that can offer pre-recorded meditations to try. Also, moving meditation is powerful (think Tai Chi, Qigong, yoga, going for a run or taking a walk on the beach).
- If you fall off the bicycle and out of your daily practice, get back up, dust yourself off and climb back on that bike. This is a no judgement zone. It happens to all of us. There have been times where it has taken me a couple of weeks to get back in the habit. The power is in prioritizing yourself and getting back to it.
- If your Daily Sanctuary Practice becomes rote or loses meaning, change it up! Do something different. Switch up the order. Make it fresh again.
- Think of your daily practice as a way to feed your mind and spirit. You take time to feed your body every day — this is the same and vitally important.
- You. Are. Precious. Treat yourself as such. You are worth it. You deserve this time and focus.
- A Daily Sanctuary Practice is an investment in yourself, the day ahead, and the future. You will reap untold rewards from this investment.
- While your daily practice is for you, everyone around you will benefit — your family, friends, co-workers and community. There is a ripple effect that you will see over time.
- A Daily Sanctuary Practice is a time to look forward to. It’s a time to show up, to rest, to reflect, to regroup. It’s about you and where you are in the moment. It’s a come as you are party. You get to meet yourself exactly where you are.
Full disclosure: When I travelled to Ohio last weekend I got off my rhythm. Finally, this morning I did my whole morning routine and It felt sooooooooo good. What are you ready to get back to?
With love and gratitude,
Lisa