To the Edge and Back: Healing in Sanctuary

It’s Philip here.

You may have heard we’ve had a crazy couple of weeks.

While recuperation from my open heart surgery continues, I wanted to write a note to thank those of you who have sent encouraging notes, both to Lisa and myself. Each one is deeply appreciated.

I might be the most fortunate patient in the world. I’ve been recuperating in a sanctuary environment like none other. There is a sense of peace, a sense of wholeness, a sense that everything is going to be okay about the space that Lisa has created in our home. This is the underlying background energy that sanctuary provides. And it speaks to the soul of the patient (in this case me) and supports healing in subtle and yet pervasive ways.

As has been the case, our home is a laboratory of sanctuary, and this adventure has been a chance to try to some new things.

One of them is grounding, or simply being outside for a period of time with my bare feet in the grass. This may sound super-simple, but many of the tenets of sanctuary are. And while in truth, we have used this technique before, connecting with the Earth in such an elemental way has brought a sense of tranquility to my inner being at a time I need it most. Recently we watched a documentary about earthing and the potential health benefits are astounding. While there is still so much to research, a few studies have come forth that document what practitioners have claimed for so long. The natural world provides the most healing energy possible. So I’ve been tapping into that most amazing energy and I really notice how much better I feel after even just a few minutes outside in my bare feet. 

Another thing we tried was a pillow system that really supports my body while recuperating from such an invasive surgery. When we’re resting is when we truly heal, and having the complete support to rest comfortably has made all of the difference in my recovery. I can rest easier, sleep more deeply and be cradled in the comfort of delicious pillows. All of the stories you’ve heard about designers and their pillows? They’re true. 

A third tool we’ve used these last two weeks has been Himalayan salt lamps. Some say they create negative ions that counteract positive ions created by electronics and other sources. I don’t know if that’s true, but I do know that the warm glow they create brings a sense of well-being wherever I see them. And Lisa tells me that salt absorbs negativity. More of that, please. 

So I’m healing. I’m getting back to myself. And as I’m recovering, I’m thinking about a quote I recently read from the brilliant Alain de Botton:

“Crisis…is an attempt to dislodge us from a toxic status quo and constitutes an insistent call to rebuild our lives on a more authentic and sincere basis.” 

That’s me — rebuilding my life, regrouping after a crisis and finding that sanctuary provides a path back to my authentic, sincere self. 

With love and gratitude,

Philip