Security is not an address. It's something you carry with you wherever you go. -Roz Ryan
Feeling safe, secure, and protected is a basic human need. We must be proactive and intentional in our efforts to create, find, choose, and nurture safe spaces in our lives. Sometimes we are able to make those frequently occupied spaces in our lives (e.g., work, school, neighborhood, relationships) more safe through asking for what we need, advocating for ourselves, and social justice activism. It is important, when we can, to make intentional choices about where and with whom we spend our time, making adjustments to our lives as needed to enhance our sense of safety and security.
However, there will always be systems, environments, and people that are dangerous and toxic; we won't be able to eliminate them completely from our lives. While we are in the process of transforming the circumstances and conditions of our outer lives, we can simultaneously attend to the safety of our inner lives. The quote this week speaks to the importance of cultivating internal spaces that are safe and protected. Establishing and strengthening secure inner spaces of love and care is critical for our well-being. We must recognize when there is an enemy within that is threatening our inner safety. Being a compassionate presence for ourselves means meeting the enemy within with love.
I like to think of this inner space as my soul sanctuary, a place within where I can find refuge and rest. This space help me access my resilience, reconnect to spiritual and cultural resources, remember who I am, and find my peace. Being intentional about nurturing this inner protected space of safety and security has made it easier to find over time. When I need it, I turn inward.
It is powerful to know that we can access this space wherever we are because we carry it within us. Cultivating and spending time in safe spaces in our external daily lives, and surrounding ourselves with people who lift us up both can help to strengthen our inner safe space. Bathing our consciousness in affirming and validating messages helps to cultivate that space. And, of course, meditation and other contemplative practices create opportunities to develop and contact the space of refuge within.
What will you do to strengthen the space of inner security and safety within?
With Peace, Love, and Soulfulness,
Dr. Shelly Harrell
