Make a Time and Place for Healing | Sister Dang Nghiem

Make a time and place for healing.

Whether or not we have sympathetic supporters for our healing.

We always have ourselves.

We can be our own soulmate.

Choose a place and time to be with yourself

and reflect on healing for just 15 minutes daily.

Meditation instruction will come later.

But for now, just think of finding time in your day.

Sometimes it is helpful to reserve time for reflection at the beginning

or the end of each day on waking or when going to bed.

Think of it as an appointment with your soulmate.

You may like to sit up to reflect in a special place,

like in front of an altar,

or you may like to lie down and relax.

You may like to stand under a tree,

or to take a regular walk outdoors.

In a retreat in the Plum Village tradition,

we create time for meditation in all four of these postures,

sitting meditation, deep relaxation,

standing meditation and walking meditation.

Think about how you would like to practice.

Find a notebook to write in

and keep it by your bedside or on your desk.

If writing is difficult,

you may find an app on your phone,

in which you can record your voice,

which then transcribes your words for you to read at a later time.

Your writing may take place as a journal,

a poem or a story,

whichever form is most fluid for you at the moment.

Bringing poetry and music into your practice

can infuse your being with joy, lightness and mindfulness.

Let yourself create freely

without the need for form or appraisal.

This is time for yourself.

Set an intention for healing during this special time in your day,

when you will practice self-love

and self reflection.

Identify who in your family

or circle of friends may be safe to share with

in a one on one conversation.

If there is no one with whom you feel safe,

don't feel alone.

Many survivors are in this position.

This is just an indication

that you may need to look outside of your current community for support

and companionship on the path.

In this case, consider joining a group

dedicated to healing from trauma.

Your Sangha,

the Buddhist word for spiritual community

is also a wonderful source of support.

The collective energy of practitioners

can help us gradually feel safe in our ourselves

and in the presence of others.

This is essential to our healing.