Creating a Safe Space
A Safe Space is Created
The message of creating a safe space has come up in many areas of my life over the past week or so. The beauty and simplicity of a safe space has come up in my office with clients, within myself, and even in nature.
Some of these messages have been gentle nudges and others literally flying head first into a window.
I had a couple clients this week that really struck me with their amazing souls and the trauma these beautiful souls have navigated. As each of them shared with me, each in their own way, a feeling of safety - I felt honored to be part of their journey. They portrayed a feeling of being able to let out whatever came up, a permission to laugh, cry, scream, move or even punch the pillow if they were guided to. A feeling of a safe place for body, mind and spirit.
Earlier this week, I found in myself a restlessness when I tried to sit down to work. I couldn't focus, and my thoughts and insights were just not as deep or profound as I wanted - as I needed them to be. We have settled at my parents cabin for large parts of the summer to soak up all the goodness the short MN summers have to offer - but I hadn't created for myself a safe space to work. When I spent some time with this, spent some time at home alone and created a space at the cabin to work things fell back into place for me.
One of the times I was working at the lake this week, I had settled in front of the big picture window facing the lake. My mom has various bird and squirrel feeders among the trees in our front yard. I heard a loud thud and realized that a bird must have flown into the window. I checked outside and there on the ground looking very stunned was a young woodpecker. There are various predators (including our dogs) that could have harmed this bird as it recovered. I slowly sat down a safe distance away and just held space for it (doing my best to make sure no harm came to it). The bird slowly started moving its head, its constant blinking slowed down and it started moving its wings. Eventually it flew to our neighbors tree and was safely on its way again. Another lesson in creating a safe space.
Healing takes Safe Space
As I took time to just feel into these messages and listen it struck me that in our own ways we each need this safe space. It also came to me that we have to respect and honor that this will look different for each of us.
What is a safe space for you? In what ways can you foster this in yourself and others? I always love hearing from you, so share with me what your safe space would look and feel like...