Sanctuary when we're sick

It’s a rainy, chilly Saturday as I write this post and I’ve been home sick all week. I was able to get work done — many of us became experts at working remotely during the various stages of lockdown. Over the past few months I’ve been out moving through the world more — working, traveling, and rushing around. But over these past few days I’ve reveled in being home, in my personal, private sanctuary.

I’ve missed being home. 

Why is that? 

Because my home is my sanctuary and it’s especially suited to nurturing ME. And this week I have been noticing the way it has been supporting my return to wellness and health. 

What in my space is attuned to encouraging my recovery? Several elements play a part, so I made a list, in case you find yourself coming down with a cold, flu (or worse) in the coming months and want to spruce up your own space (or that of someone you love) to be a sanctuary for healing:

• Rest: my bed is a nest of feather-down-deliciousness, with a system of pillows from Pandora de Balthezar that is designed for recuperation in bed (my husbands Philip mentioned this in his post about recovery from heart surgery). My bed is a little slice of heaven and the softness of it encourages me to linger, rest and relax. Good quality sleep is a big part of getting better as well as ongoing healthy living.
• Nourishment: my kitchen is well-stocked with healthy foods. I’ve cooked every single day, multiple times. I’ve listened to what my body wants and created comforting, tasty meals for myself. We know that eating well is how we fuel our bodies. With the advent of grocery delivery services, we don’t even have to worry about taking our illnesses into stores any more. It couldn’t be easier to procure what we need and have fresh options on hand.
• Beauty and the Natural World: my living spaces all look out onto trees, a lake and a multitude of flowers, birds and sky. It was temperate enough that most of the days this week I could open the doors and windows, letting fresh air sweep through my rooms and clean the air. Mother Nature is the most effective of healers and I spent time with my bare feet in the grass. I know this is a rare treat for Floridians and in many places it’s much too cold to be outside, if you can even find grass under the snow. But still, there is power in the natural world, even if you have to keep your shoes on.
• Relaxation: my reading chair is next to a bookcase filled with wonderful options for reading and enough space for my sweet dog Maggie to snuggle with me while I’m sitting there. My blood pressure stays low when she is on my lap and sitting still is a form of rest.
• Calmness: soft music makes the atmosphere of my home gentle and loving — we heal faster when we aren’t stressed.
• Using Science: my freezer is filled with several containers of homemade bone broth — something in the chemical makeup of chicken bone broth breaks up mucus and helps us recover more quickly from nasal and respiratory sicknesses. My grandma knew what she was talking about! I have a fresh batch in my slow cooker even as I type this.
• Employing Tools: my favorite tools to create an atmosphere of peace, calm and harmony are candles, crystals, incense, essential oils and salt lamps, to name a few. You may have others you like — indulge yourself.

My daily sanctuary practice has been different this week, morphing to fit my needs and my schedule. I’ve had Zoom calls in warm socks and a sweater. Hot tea in the morning and hot toddies at night. This has been a week of self-care and deliberate choosing to slow down. I’m grateful that I can work from my sanctuary, rest as I need to and get myself back into a state of wellness. 

Our spaces can help us, support us and come to our aid if we set them up in the right way. How do you use yours when you’re not feeling well? I’d love to hear — share with me in the comments below.

With love and gratitude,

Lisa