Sept. 19, 2022: Issue #3
by James M. Burke and Linda L. Pierce
We write this as it is Monday again, which seems to propel us unconsciously into the mind space of work, chores, responsibilities, and obligations (unless you are taking the week off or on vacation). When we think of our time in buckets – five working days and two weekend days, we have a relationship with time that is programed by which day of the week it is.
What if we turned that around and developed an intention of finding a bit of time, every day, to do something that you love, something that nourishes you, that provides you comfort, or a space for creativity, or a focus away from the external demands of the day?
Joseph Campbell said, in The Power of Myth “You must have a room, or a certain hour or so a day, where you don’t know what was in the newspapers that morning, you don’t know who your friends are, you don’t know what you owe anybody, you don’t know what anybody owes to you. This is a place where you can simply experience and bring forth what you are and what you might be. This is the place of creative incubation. At first you may find that nothing happens there. But if you have a sacred place and use it, something eventually will happen.”
A friend wrote that every day she rises early and greets the day. She gets out of bed, gets dressed, brushes her teeth, and goes outside. During this time she doesn’t read any messages or emails, doesn’t check voicemail or social media. She describes this as her special, sacred ritual.
Making space in your day to be in your sacred zone is not selfish. In fact, it is the opposite. It is preparing you for what comes next in your day, or, if your space is at the end of your day, refreshes and restores you for another day.
A sacred space could be a porch, your study, a walk or run, or five minutes of meditation. It doesn’t have to last long, but it does need to be yours. This verse from Eliza Lamb of Hopewell, Virginia describes her sacred space:
I wake before the rest of the house.
I breathe in the quiet and search within my own walls.
I check in on the trees, and they check in on me.
I say my morning prayers.
I boil my water.
I stir my tea.
I hold on, and I let go.
Activity: Think about creating a sacred space routine for yourself. When do you need restoration in the day – mornings, mid-day, evenings? Jot down a few ideas about when you will be in this space, for how long, and where. Be kind to yourself knowing that new routines take time and practice to develop. Try to practice your sacred space several times this week noting what works and what didn’t and how you felt throughout the day when you were successful and when you were not. Keep a record of this in your journal.
To bring our best selves to those whom we love and to the work that we do, we need to invest a bit of time on ourselves. Think of your sacred space and time as an investment in your well being and in your relationship with the world.
As always, we would love your comments on this newsletter and topics for future editions.
Stay curious, stay well,
Jim and Linda
https://teoconsulting.org/
Listen to Joseph Campbell talk about this here:
* Ka-tet - A group of people bound together by ka (destiny) for a sense of purpose. Credit: Stephen King from his novel, The Gunslinger.