Creating Personal Sanctuary

The concept of sanctuary is integral to human nature—gathering in safe spaces, building spiritual havens, and discovering who we are beyond our mundane daily life.

A sanctuary is steeped in intention, reverence, and peace. It is often a physical place of refuge where the imprints of truce exist.

Generating space within our homes that is kindred to us and alive with hints of the sacred is wildly healing. Be it a seasonal centerpiece on the dining table, an altar that reflects the elements, a fresh bouquet, oracle cards, or relics from your ancestors—we are reminded by the beauty of life. Having a journal by your bedside to capture your dreams, release your stressors and triggers, and express your morning and evening gratitude’s naturally grows a sanctuary within.

Being mindful of the media you consume is also an essential factor in creating a sense of personal sanctuary. Practice being in silence. Clean food, proper hydration, and a healthy balance of work-to-play is essential. If you are not able to care for yourself, your inner sanctuary will become messy and disorganized.

Nature offers sanctuaries, too: mountain peaks, old growth forests, the lull of the ocean’s tides, the expansive sky painted with ephemeral cloud formations. When we tune into our external ecosystem, we naturally come home to our inner self. The nervous system calms, the mind clears, and our whole body recalibrates.

When we cultivate intentional soul-care rituals and spaces, the sense of personal sanctuary envelopes us. We receive what matters most in the moment. This is the divine working its magic, blessings our lives, and giving us faith to carry on.

In Nature

Find an outdoor sanctuary, or a “sit spot”—a place you can return to in order to find solace and revel in the elements. Leave your phone at home and practice the art of witnessing your surroundings. Be in silence. Take in the colors, sounds, scents—notice the shifts in plant and animal life during the different seasons. If possible, go to your sit spot several times weekly. This practice becomes a sanctuary for the soul, an immersion in nature that brings peace and rejuvenation.

At Home

Create an altar in your home with candles, plants, crystals, images, or positive affirmations based on your needs. Re-create your altar each month to encourage inspiration and connection to what is meaningful to you.

In Your Mind

Begin a daily gratitude journal practice. Include your dreams and your “letting go’s”—the art of shedding negative self-talk is powerful. By tracking your thoughts, you become more self-aware, and can catch yourself when negativity begins to take over your life. Journal about your thoughts, redirect them, spend time in nature, move your body, and get proper rest.

In Your Body

Stay current with what kind of movement or exercise feeds your soul and nourishes your body. Get to know what kind of food best serves your lifestyle. The most impactful practices are to lower stress levels and to let self-love become our baseline. We are always evolving. Staying present with our current needs is essential to finding the sanctuary within.

Tuning Into Your Personal Frequency

The frequency of your personal sanctuary expands when you become ready, willing, and open to wholeheartedly receive the present moment. We generate beautiful spaces, gather our spiritual tools and practices, and follow our beloved faiths when we access the energy that comes from within. There is an energy that comes from within; it is unconditionally accepting and aware of the grace that surrounds us. Yet if the vibration within is fragmented, then the sanctuary awaiting us will not fully be received.

The energy of our thoughts, actions, words, and the way we listen becomes our reality. What we feed our body and mind becomes our frequency.

Do we want to take on the negativity that may be surrounding us, or can we attune to our inner wisdom and discern what is true for us?

This is how we create a living personal sanctuary within. We tune in daily, purify our minds and bodies, practice the art of letting go of what no longer serves, and begin again. Leaning into the “sacred pause.” Each breath is the next opportunity to embody a new perspective.

When we can welcome both struggles and peace and understand each experience as a part of the whole journey, we have discovered the sanctuary within.

Self-Awareness: The Path, and The Process

Visualize stepping stones across a river, each uniquely weathered by its history on Mother Earth. Every step is precarious, yet full of possibility. Think of life in the same way. The challenge is to open our awareness to receive the treasures within each sanctuary we create along the way.

By creating personal sanctuaries, moments of the sacred will come alive within and around us. Our self-awareness heightens, and we understand when we are feeding negative energies. Our attitude shifts, our vision becomes expansive, and we turn towards the beauty of each moment more readily.

Read on for more ideas on how to prioritize your own sacred space.