OctPoWriMo 2022: Day 21 - Sanctuary Within

 

I read a lot of Jostein Gaarder and Paulo Coelho as a teen, and was also introduced to the works of major philosophers via the highly accessible 'The Consolations of Philosophy' by Alain de Botton. The bitesized maxims of Khalil Gibran and Marcus Aurelius also deeply appealed and my religious studies lessons were a further source of sanctuary, wherein we learned about the six major world religions (Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Sikhism). Buddhism's focus on meditation was particularly attractive as it took me away from the tumultuous hormonal changes of adolescence. I would spend hours practising what we might today call 'mindfulness' and reaching 'flow state', not just through writing poetry but also through the sensory enhancements of music and incense. I also spent many an hour in private prayer and contemplation.

I would also find physical places of sanctuary, whether in church, in a trusted teacher's office, in a letter to a friend, or within nature. These experiences are so valuable to teens and I urge parents and teachers today not to question this, dismiss it, or shut teens out: they are sorely needed. We might call them 'safe spaces' today.

Though no longer religious myself, I still greatly value the practices of yoga, meditation, mindfulness and hypnotherapy - all of which constitute a form of sanctuary, along with writing. Silence itself is a type of sanctuary too.

So my question to you is - what is your sanctuary (mental or physical)? What does it look like? What does it feel like when you are there?

The notion of sanctuary, and its associated 'flow state', lends today's poem well to a free write scenario. Just sit down somewhere and let the words flow - you can always reshape them later.

Word prompts

Heartbeat

Time

Peace

Breath

Resurface

Remember, our prompts are only suggestions: you can find your inspiration wherever your muse leads you. Please visit the other participants, share the hashtag #OctPoWriMo on social media, and share your link in the comments below. Let us know how this journey into poetry is going for you and if this is your first year or if you have been with us from the beginning.

Happy writing!

Bianca