We all experience times when we feel the need to take time out to recharge our batteries and calm our minds. All too often, we leave it too late and find ourselves overly stressed, leading to emotional overwhelm or even burnout. And while retreating to a comfy armchair with a cup of tea is a great way to unwind sometimes we need more than that. Purposefully taking the time to recharge our batteries sets a powerful intention with the cosmos.
‘We know that negative environments drain us of energy, while positive environments help boost our energy and support the transformative repair and recovery process in mind, body, and spirit.’
It’s helpful to know that we can manipulate our environment to create a tailor-made, aesthetically pleasing, high vibrational space, where we know our energy will instantly be raised to a higher frequency. Research shows that having a dedicated healing space evokes a sense of cohesion in the mind, body, and spirit.
Sensory Awareness
‘A healing space should be uncluttered and peaceful.’
We are sensory beings; we absorb our environment through our senses. The sights we see, the sounds we hear, what we touch and feel, and the smells and tastes, all inform our brain, creating a mental collage of the present moment. The brain believes whatever it sees, and the body responds accordingly, meaning that if our brain experiences our environment as negative, then the body is pumped full of stress hormones. If our brain experiences our environment as positive, it floods the body with feel-good chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin that trigger sensations of pleasure and positive emotions.
Creating a healing space
‘Creating your own healing space helps ensure you have somewhere to go and everything you need to hand for when you decide to take time out for healing.’
- Identify the perfect space: Finding the ideal healing space within your environment, where you naturally feel comfortable and relaxed, allows you to feel safe enough to open up to your healing space within. Ask yourself, ‘Where am I drawn to when I want to spend quiet healing time?’ Follow your inner guidance and let this be your identified healing space. It may be a corner of your lounge or bedroom. It may simply be a cushion or a chair.
- Declutter: Your environment will very much influence your inner world. Having a space that’s free from clutter will allow your energy to flow more freely.
- Plan your layout: Spend some time in your healing space and identify the perfect arrangement. What seating do you require? Will you require a blanket and cushion? Will you need a table and lamp? Will you need to be by a window and access fresh air? Will you need to be near an electric socket to play your music?
- Create the environment: As everything is energy, the best way to enhance any environment is by bringing in the Four Elements; Air, Earth, Fire and Water. Not only will these enhance your healing space, but they will also support your energy during healings.
- Feathers represent the element of air. Air relates to intellect and space. It’s our connection to the universal life force. Wind chimes are also a powerful reminder of the element of air.
- Soil represents the element of earth. Earth relates to our connection with Mother Earth and our ability to feel safe and secure in life. It helps us remain grounded in the present moment. It also represents our ancestral inheritance as the foundation of life and the cycles of death and rebirth as we evolve and grow. Find the perfect potted plant, stone or grounding crystal.
- Candles represent the element of fire. Fire represents our passion and inspiration. It helps strengthen our connection to our personal power and inner strength. Candle gazing is a wonderful tool for deep inner transformation.
- Water represents the element of water. Water relates to our emotional state. Still water represents calmness and wisdom, and flowing water represents emotional release and our ability to let go of the past. Water is also represented through inner reflection enabling greater self-regulation and opening us up to deep wisdom through intuition. A water fountain is an excellent representation of the water element.
- Soothing sounds: Soothing music can help diffuse background noise. If you choose to listen to music, use sounds that soothe the soul and relax the nervous system. Listening to recordings of the sounds of nature, such as wind chimes, rainfall, the ocean waves, the sound of leaves blowing in the wind, or the crackling of a fire, all help to bring in the elements and nurture the soul. You may wish to try out different sounds to identify the music that suits you best.
- Setting the mood: Candlelight, or soft lighting, helps create a soothing atmosphere. Ensure you have a safe, fire retardant surface to hold your burning candles.
- Cleansing the space: Smudging with incense sticks such as Palo Santo (holy wood) is a traditional method of clearing negative energies. It’s also an excellent way to raise your vibration in preparation for healing or meditation. A bowl full of sand is helpful when extinguishing the smudge stick after use.
Using Your Healing Space
‘Regularly taking time out for healing helps train your mind to support your body and promote wellness and wholeness.’
- Gather everything you need, such as water, a journal, pen etc.
- To reduce any noise, you may wish to use earplugs. Or you may opt for soothing music. Switch off phones or tablets to help eliminate distractions and ask that you’re not disturbed. If you’re using your phone for music or as a timer, then remember to switch it to silent or vibrate only mode. Alarms now have beautiful healing sounds to help indicate when your time is up.
- Light a candle and set your healing intention.
- Smudge your energy and the energy of your healing space.
- Settle yourself into your preferred healing position. You may choose to lie down or sit; either way, ensure your spine is straight.
- There’s no right or wrong way to heal. Whatever you do will be perfect for you. Allow yourself to be intuitively guided on the best healing for you.
- You may wish to connect inwards with your light within.
- You may wish to focus on your breathing.
- You may wish to place your hands in the mudra position.
- You may wish to hold a healing crystal of your choice.
- You may wish to chant AUM.
- For those attuned to Reiki, you may wish to allow the Reiki energy to flow through you.
- You may wish to read a positive, uplifting book or poetry.
- You may wish to write an open-hearted letter to yourself or a gratitude letter.
- You may wish to paint a mandala or draw scenes from nature.
- Or, you may wish to do nothing but sit in silence.
- When finished, open your heart in gratitude and thanks for the healing you’ve experienced. Having an open heart of gratitude helps raise your energy vibrations and signals to the cosmos that this is the energy you resonate with.
- Journal your experiences before you get distracted and forget. Note any images, feelings, emotions or thoughts that surfaced for you and any bits of insight or ahh moments.
- Ground your energy. It’s important that we’re grounded throughout our healings but very important that we ground after our healings. Holding a stone or a grounding crystal or touching a plant will help ground you back into your body in the present moment.
- Drink a glass of water to flush out the toxins and support the healing process.