A Place to Return To

Creating a home practice that becomes part of how you live.

We spend a great deal of time creating homes that are beautiful to live in. We consider the furniture, the lighting, the kitchen, the garden and the places where we gather and entertain, but perhaps there is another question worth asking: does my home also support the way I want to feel and live?

There is something deeply restorative about coming home, particularly at the end of a full week. Think of a Friday afternoon when you close the door behind you and know almost immediately that you don't want to go anywhere., you just want some peace and quiet, to take your shoes off, put on some gentle music and allow the week to begin falling away. Perhaps dinner is something simple and nourishing, the lighting is softer and your phone can wait for a while.

Instead of automatically reaching for a glass of wine or another familiar way of switching off, imagine having a place in your home that is already there for you. Your mat doesn't need to be pulled from the cupboard, your cushion and blanket are nearby, and there is somewhere comfortable to sit. Everything you need for five minutes, twenty minutes or an hour of practice is within reach, so all you need to do is arrive, take a breath and begin.

This is one of the things I love most about a home practice: it is available when you actually need it. Wellbeing doesn't always need to involve an appointment, a class or another place to get to. Some of the most useful practices are those we can reach for within the small spaces of an ordinary day, particularly when they are already woven into the environment in which we live.

You might come home feeling overstimulated and spend ten minutes with your breath before making dinner, or sit there first thing in the morning before the rest of the house wakes. You might return before bed, or in the middle of an afternoon when you notice that your thoughts are moving faster than you would like. Having a dedicated place removes one of the smallest but most significant barriers to practice: having to begin from scratch every time.

Over time, the space becomes familiar, you know what happens there. The simple act of going to that part of your home can become part of the rhythm of slowing down, breathing, moving your body and bringing your attention back to yourself. The more regularly the space is used in this way, the more familiar the ritual of returning becomes.

Your practice space doesn't need to be an entire room, nor does it need to look like something from Pinterest. A quiet corner can be enough, and the space itself can begin gently. Start with somewhere you can comfortably sit or lay down a mat and, where possible, choose somewhere with natural light. Morning light through a window or the softer light of late afternoon can add something beautiful to the experience without requiring anything more.

For early morning or evening practice, consider softer lighting rather than bright overhead lights. A small lamp can create a warm and comfortable atmosphere, and an unscented candle can also be lovely if it can be used safely. Keeping fragrance to a minimum can help the space remain gentle on the senses, particularly at times when you are already feeling overstimulated.

Simple and uncluttered doesn't need to mean sparse. This should be somewhere you genuinely enjoy spending time, so have your comfortable cushions and pillows, keep a beautiful blanket nearby and leave your journal and pen somewhere you can easily reach them. You might have a small table for a cup of tea, a book you're reading or your laptop when you're following a guided practice. The intention is not to fill the space, but to choose what makes it comfortable, useful and inviting.

There is also no need to create the whole space at once, just begin with what you already have and allow it to develop slowly as you learn what you enjoy and what supports your practice. You may find a cushion you love one month, add a lamp later, bring in a plant, or eventually realise that another corner of the house works even better. Let the space grow alongside your practice, rather than turning its creation into another project that needs to be completed before you can begin.

There is something quietly powerful about allowing wellbeing to have a permanent place in the home rather than fitting it in only when circumstances are perfect. When the things you need are already there, taking five or ten minutes for yourself becomes easier, and practice can become part of everyday life rather than something reserved for a class or a particular day of the week.

Our homes can be more than places where we sleep, eat, work and keep our belongings. Our homes can become part of how we care for the quality of our lives: a place to eat well, a place to rest well, a place to gather with people we love and a place to gently return to ourselves.

Sanctuary can be something we create within the life we already have, it can begin with a small space, a familiar practice and the simple knowledge that there is somewhere in your home you can return to whenever you need it.

with reverence,

Sam xx