Mind Body & Spirit

From where I sit, constant, low-grade anxiety seems to be the prevailing mood in the world today. The news is bad, and getting worse. Economic hard times, spiraling energy costs, impending global environmental disaster…it’s a miracle we manage to get out of bed every morning! We’re on edge, wondering what’s next and waiting for the proverbial “other shoe” to drop. As parents, we want to provide a sense of security and stability for our children. Even in ordinary times, this is a challenging task. Nowadays, it can be especially daunting. Children of all ages have remarkable radar. They can sense our unspoken fears and negativity, regardless of our attempts to put on a happy face and hide our feelings.

I certainly can’t claim to have all the answers to the problems faced by the world today. However I do that know when I can “hold my center” and maintain a sense of peace within myself, I have a better chance of providing my children with the comfort and emotional stability they need. The trick is to actually keep myself grounded! I stumbled, by accident (story of my life!), on one way to help.

A few years ago, I had the joy of visiting a very special place in England: an ancient sacred spring surrounded by exquisite gardens. This centuries old holy well had real “presence”, and touched me deeply. I felt a profound sense of peace and abiding love there. After returning home, I put a few photos of this place on my computer, as my desktop background. I discovered, when the nightly news seems particularly bad, I tended to pause often to look at the photos while I worked. I found comfort in knowing the waters of the ancient spring were still flowing. I found a sanctuary, even though it is thousands of miles from my desk.

Connecting to something greater than ourselves can offer us a sense of perspective in our uncertain world. The waters of that spring have flowed for thousands of years, and show no signs of stopping any time soon. Kingdoms rose and fell; countless battles and wars were fought and eventually forgotten; millions lived and died, and through it all the waters flowed. It’s the same with ocean surf, mountains, medieval cathedrals, ancient painted caves… They simply continue on, as they have done, for so very long.

Each of us can find a personal sanctuary of the heart. When we need to take a mental break from the seemingly endless stream of bad news, we can re-visit our sanctuary and reflect on its timelessness and beauty. No matter where we are, or what is happening around us, our sanctuary can be there. Where is your sanctuary? Find it. Visit it often in your mind. Visit it in person when you can. Breathe deeply, close your eyes and be there. Share it with your children, and encourage them to find their own special place. In doing this, you will model for them strategies for maintaining a healthy perspective on the wider world.

As I write this, the waters of “my” sacred spring still flow. And somehow, it is enough.