Mental Peace: An Actual Place
Part Two of Exploring Sacred Spaces series
The New Moon messages I reflected on most recently unlocked a new perspective on Sacred Spaces. When we talk about safe spaces… When we talk about wellness and stability… Why aren’t we chatting more about mental wellness as a safe space and safe haven?
Let’s take a stroll through this cute nearby neighborhood, look at nature, and talk about mental peace as a safe space. All images are captioned with the names of the plants. Hashtag: Cunty Earth Witch FTW
What is mental peace for you?
For me, I think that mental peace is a place within my mind and heart that I can retreat to. It is a place that exists both within and outside of time. It’s not always a quiet place, but it is always a fantasy that fulfills what my heart is needing. Usually, mental peace is about creating a safe space and a specific vibe or energy that is absolutely unfuckwithable.
Having grown up in an unstable and abusive home, the ONLY space that I could consistently rely on was my mind. I could go on vacation. I could decorate houses. I could have the career of my dreams. And all of these scenarios offered “spaces” of safety when my parents were fighting or even worse, when I was the target of their unresolved rage.
How can we create mental peace?
For me, I am not a meditation girlie. I wish I was, but that shit is boring as hell, so I am gonna give you the Sassy Guide to Creating mental peace.
Sometimes, creating mental peace is actually and ACTIVE process for me. It looks like wandering aimlessly and knowing that I am found, whole, and safe. I have always been a free spirit, but wandering outside, away from the dangers of human ideas, opinions, and harmful behaviors has always been one of the ways I can retreat into a serene mental space.
Other ways that I work to create mental peace is to activate my senses. I am not an “in your body” person. I am a dissociated person. I am a “floating in the ether and praying no one perceives me” person, but I think that mental peace requires a sense of self awareness. For me, that is sometimes impossible to achieve without activating my senses. That looks like making a room slightly cooler because that wakes me up.
Listen, I am a fucking lizard, so I don’t fuck with COLD COLD, but a couple degrees will wake me up mentally. If you can’t altar the room temp, something that also works for me is a cold bevvie. I like these water bottles because they come in loads of colors and they have a cute handle so I can carry them around without getting cold hands.
I also like to put on some music. This is one of my favorite lesbionic playlists that I have created: LezBeHonest.
I like that it goes from mid tempo to chill and back again. The sounds are gay, sultry, and vibing. That is the energy that I want to embody when I am trying to find mental peace. I think that music is one of the main ways I regulate my mood.
For mental peace, I absolutely need something sexy. I also really love playfully gay energy. Embarrassingly, this playlist was made solely on vibes. I don’t even actually know most of the words or the artists, but when I listen, I immediately go inside myself. I am at a cute party with beautiful queer creatives and we are making love and art.
For me, mental peace is a feeling of safety, but not one where I am quiet and docile. I am active, confident, unapologetically SASSY, and owning every fucking iota of my queerness, Blackness, and creative energy. Music reminds me that the possibilities for how that could look and feel are endless!
What sounds take you to a place of peace?
What does mental peace smell like?
Smell is linked deeply to memory (read more here) and many of our memories are deeply tied to specific moods.
Floral smells always take me somewhere light and sexy. While yes, pussy smells like pussy, I imagine that mine *Feels* like a walk through spring florals. I want that light energy to flush over people. I love youthful, light florals. I used to buy fresh flowers, and then switched to candles, but In THIS Economy??? Nah.
Now, I stick with my diffuser. It livens up the room, but the scent is just light enough and never over powering. I also like this specific brand of essential oils. They all smell refreshing, not grossly potent. They also don’t trigger my chronic migraines or asthma… because listen, a bitch struggles so badly with both.
Who are people that contribute to your mental peace?
I want to remind people that peace does NOT always mean solitude. We are an interdependent species. Community energy is powerful and empowering. When my mental health is on struggle, I rely heavily on my connections to others to pull me back to a place of peace. That can look like an online community like discord, Patreon, Facebook groups, and online book clubs. It can also look like in-person connections, such as family time, a cute queer kiki, going for neighborhood walks, joining community gardens, yoga classes.
Lately, I have chosen to withdraw from relationships, interactions, and connections that drain me as I flow through my life’s current changes. Energy is required in order to obtain and maintain mental peace. I have chosen to be super stingy with my energy. I need to focus more on work, but also on nourishing the relationships that are fulfilling, energizing, and supportive to me. No one deserves access to you outright and, while I believe in the power of unconditional love, I do not believe in unconditional access to your presence or energy. You gotta pull yourself together if you want access to me right now.
What are your thoughts on mental peace as a sacred space that you can honor and protect?
You! You are the people who bring me mental peace 😭