Beautiful colors, textures, art, candles, scents, music, flowers, and other parts of your environment support your healing. While everyone benefits from a healing environment, people with the internal challenge of cancer especially need support with their external surroundings. This includes both cancer patients and caregivers benefiting from holistic cancer support in a healing environment.
Barbara Lang, a Stage IV breast cancer survivor originally diagnosed 17 years ago, shares some of the beauty in her healing environment.
"Let the beauty we love be what we do." -Rumi
Last week after several emergency diagnostics, radiation treatment in the hospital and a change of chemo regimen, I made a conscious decision that I wanted to live with beauty all around me. I got out many vases to make huge bouquets of white peonies placing them everywhere to perfume the whole house. I wore my nicest comfortable clothes and jewelry that I love. Neil Young sung to me on the player, "But theres a full moon rising, lets go dancing in the light..." And my husband and I went dancing outside with our view of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks in the distance.
The birds were everywhere looking for mates and building nests. Later when it was dark we opened the front door and could hear the peepers across the road, one of my favorite sounds in the whole wide world.
I chose beauty over everything and something magical happened. I found myself in a state of bliss.
A 13-year brain tumor survivor, my supportive sanctuary of healing reflects and nurtures my heart, soul, and spirit. A sacred, serene space, my environment nurtures me into deeper nourishment.
Beautiful photos from my travels, images of light, nature, spiritual healers, an altar, art, candles, poetry, my favorite words written on my walls, paintings, books, and photos of loved ones includes some of what visually holds me in my healing environment. Glimmering light into my apartment from the Sausalito hillside also helps create my sacred space. Shifting light patterns whispering communion between the visible and invisible mesmerize me into expansion.
Along with what I see, I'm passionate about what I smell. Aromatherapy with Frankincense, Lavender, Clarity and other Young Living essential oils is part of my daily life. I cherish the calm, stimulation, creativity, movement, deeper breath, and other forms of support from the oils.
What I hear also supports my wellness. When I'm working on my computer, I sometimes listen to soft drum music by Gabrielle Roth and the Mirrors. Some of my other favorite tunes include world music, Peter Gabriel, Sarah McLachlan, and Johnny Clegg to rock, inspire, shift, and even connect me more with my soul. And sometimes my favorite sound comes from silence.
Mary Isham, an islet cell pancreatic cancer survivor diagnosed over 15 years ago, touches on aspects of her healing environment that also tends to other areas of whole person health care.
Pairing
While challenges and difficulties are inevitable, some can be anticipated, some not. Regardless of challenges in my home, doctor's office, hospital or anywhere else, I try to change my environment when I need a transporting energy during confrontations with unpleasant situations. It may be going to a museum, gallery, body worker, walk in nature, or lunch with a friend. I always strive to do something that reminds me that the realm of my personal strength and being is greater then my difficulties.
Creative Expression
I have cultivated many resources for expressing through creativity, including a local program called Art For Recovery at the hospital, art space in my home, free or low fee classes in the community, and others. My favorite practices are painting with my hands, working with multiple art mediums and exploring tart experiences I have never tried before. I also perform improvisation movement with storytelling of my life that helps me connect with myself through joyful play and deep release of feelings.
Gratitude Practice
Each day I express my gratitude either directly to someone in the moment it occurs or at day's end by recognizing those things that were offered to me. I sit quietly in front of a small scared space in my house taking the time to reflect on what has touched me, perhaps guided me, and/or allowed me access to my feelings. This practice helps me stay in the present more fully and enriches my life.
Let your healing environment mirror what you love and provide holistic cancer support. Depending on what you are feeling, create your environment to meet your needs. For a boost of energy, play some rockin' music. Use tunes to balance and even shift your rhythms. To slow down and feel nurtured, light a candle and rest on cozy furniture or take a bath. Get a massage or walk in nature. If nature is not nearby, look at images that sooth you with natural beauty. Know that the specifics of each healing environment are as individual as the individual. Make your space unique and special to who you are. And know that holistic cancer support is part of integrative cancer care.
People affected by cancer also cultivate holistic cancer support through a healing environment within themselves and through how they connect with other people. Kindness and presence help cultivate incredible, deep, profound healing nourishment. You can learn insightful perspectives about kindness and presence, as well as touch, smells, sounds, and sights, in our Healing Environment section. Also explore other areas of our integrative cancer care resources for the whole person.
What surrounds you?
How do you create your healing environment?
What do you want to give yourself? |