During this time of “Lockdown” it is vitally important to create a home that feels safe and spiritually balanced.
Even going to the grocery store is stressful so be intentional about setting up your home to be a relaxing relief from the anxiety and stress of the world right now.
When designing a home, I always design a space for people to be alone (especially young mothers). This could be a private office, a comfy chair in the bedroom or a beautiful window seat. The size and view do not matter but what does matter is that it is a space that can be quiet and private. In your home now, if you don’t have a designated space – create one today. We all need a space to recharge, reflect and be alone. Speak with the members of your household and establish perimeters around access to this space. For example, in my home if I have the office door closed, don’t even knock unless it is an absolute emergency (and they know I’m serious).
I recommend having a daily routine of self-care that takes place in this space. It can be listening to quiet music, praying, inspirational readings, meditation, journaling or just quietly reading a book. What not to have: children or the TV on! In this space here are a few things I recommend you have:
- Plant
- Candle
- Crystals
- Smooth Stones
- Diffuser w/ essential oils
- A soft blanket
- Or…Something to represent the 5 Elements: Earth, Fire, Air, Space, Water
This space will allow you the mental capacity to relax, learn and grow. Here are a few of my favorite resources that you can explore to see if there is a good fit for you:
- Wonderous Encounters by Fr. Richard Rohr
- Anything by Brene Brown and here is her new comments on Coronavirus, Look for her Podcast: “Unlocking Us”
- Contemplative Outreach
- St John’s Episcopal Church Daily Reflections
- Nadia Bolz Weber and subscribe to “The Corners”
- Read Real Love, by Sharon Salzberg
In the rest of your home I recommend a few key components to keeping the spiritual theme going:
- Candles – always lit when home.
- Plants – Jades require very little attention
- Soothing music playing during the day (the calm app has wonderful relaxing music you can download)
- Diffuser w/ essential oils
- Watch children’s movies, even if there are no children in the house. They are lighthearted and usually have a wonderful lesson to learn. Frozen 1 & 2 AND Peter Rabbit are my favorites!
- CLEAN YOUR HOUSE. A messy house makes for a messy mind. It doesn’t have to be clean like you are going to eat off the floor but pick up the piles and mess that clutter your mind. This is a great time to train your family members about respecting other people and we should all clean up after ourselves.
At the end of this, it’s my hope that you will keep all of this in mind. We will need to take away all the good that we created while in lockdown and make it part of our daily lives.