Ever come home ready to pull your hair out? Or perhaps the stress IS at home! You need a place of refuge to spend a few minutes in!
Nature has a wonderful way of soothing our psychics! Who can resist the pause to smell a spring lilac? Are there times you go for a walk to think things through? As we discussed in February 28th’s blog, sacred spaces/healing spaces are places of refuge, places to think, places to pray or play. A place in your yard is often the best for this if done with some planning.
To be effective, the sacred/healing space needs to fit the user’s needs. Ask yourself, what will this space be used for? Who will be using it? What time of day will it generally be used? If you’re a person who sunburns easily, you may want to plan this space in some shady spot; but if you love to sit quietly and look at the sky at night, best not to have shade trees overhead!
These yard areas need some privacy. Plan ahead how that will be accomplished. (Remember good design can be had on any budget. Some string and a packet of castor bean or morning-glory seeds can be had for under five dollars.) The path to this space should have soft curves and of natural materials. (One very cost effective material is a thick layer of pine needles.) Once you walk there, you’ll want a place to sit. It could be a comfortable chair, a hammock or swing, or a large tree stump or rock to keep the natural feel.
Delightful places of refuge like this can easily be made within an 8 x 8 space. You will probably spend more than five or ten minutes here. You may want to think of some type of water feature, flowering plants, aromatic plants or shrubs, a weatherproof container to hold writing or drawing materials, perhaps a soft wind chime.
Have some fun planning, and please do share your ideas with our readers and myself. Your idea may be someone else’s springboard to their own idea.
Let’s get together again on March 30th, and see where everyone is at. Until then—
Blessings and Love to You–Sharon
The relationship of nature and healing in terms of wilderness therapy can be helpful in several ways. Especially for the many youth these days that have rather taken up more city and computer activities.
Here is more information:
http://www.teenwildernessprograms.org/teen-wilderness-programs/the-healing-power-of-nature-wilderness-and-healing.html