Sanctuary and Sustenance

How are you out there?

No, I mean it.

How are you really?

Because I’ve been feeling a little stressed and strained. I wondered if you might be feeling it too.

I’ve been having these weird moments of heart pounding anxiety but nothing is really wrong. I suspect I’ve been taking in a bit too much of the outside world. So I’m going on a special diet this weekend – a three day social media cleanse, with no screen time other than typing this to you.

I am reminded at times like this that I also need the truth and experience of sanctuary. I don’t just talk about this message. I lean into the meaning of sanctuary for myself.

This past week I’ve been working remotely from our cottage in the NC mountains. The forest has been quiet, filled with falling leaves and the kind of autumn chill that has me reaching for another sweater. But it’s been a wonderful temperature contrast to the late summer heat of Southwest Florida. We even had a chance to use the fireplace.

With the cool air has come my typical craving for warm, comforting foods. Cooking big pots of soup and warm, cheesy casseroles soothes my ragged edges, which I’ve needed desperately. I wanted to share my experience this week with you in case you also need a little soothing or just a fun inspiration for an autumn meal.

I picked up this cookbook recently:

Inside on page 28 is an absolutely delightful recipe for fire roasted, stuffed pumpkins. My family swooned with happiness when I served them. Here are some pictures of our feast:

Basically you take small pie pumpkins and roast them a bit, then fill the empty cavities with a homemade cornbread, sausage, onion, herb and cheese stuffing. I cannot tell you how adorable they looked when they came out of the oven and how sublime they tasted. It was comfort in a little, orange pumpkin bowl.

And it wasn’t just the eating that brought ease, joy and comfort – it was the actual making of them too.

I am going to digress for a minute and talk about creativity. Just stick with me – it all ties together at the end.

I find it funny that when I talk about creativity, most people tune out and say the same thing: “That’s great, but I’m not really a creative person.” This is simply not true.

We are ALL creative.

There are so many forms of creative output. It’s not just visual art like painting, sketching, photography or collaging. It’s not only dancing, acting, singing or playing an instrument. It’s also gardening, it’s reading. It’s journaling, organizing, repairing broken things and in my world, it’s COOKING.

I love to cook.

I wasn’t good at it when I started. I was quite terrible, in truth. But over the years with experience, time and a genuine love for food and drink, it’s become a hobby and an outlet for my creativity.

Creative expression, in every possible form, is at the heart of sanctuary. Not just that we need a space of sanctuary to exercise our creative muscles, but as a sanctuary practice. Putting the truth to work, using our hands, making something new. This is how we commune with our higher self. This is how we commune with God or whatever we perceive the Divine to be.

This is sanctuary in action.

And it works.

It worked on me just last night. I woke up today feeling more grounded and calmer than I did the previous days. Sanctuary in my life this week has also been sustenance. It’s been creativity and cool mountain evenings. It’s been comfort, cooking and connection with myself and with my family over a hot meal.

If this resonates, find just one little way you can be creative this weekend. Nurture your own connection and make something new. It might just make you feel a little bit better too.

With love and gratitude,
Lisa