At times it is a noisy and chaotic world out there. Long weekends and holidays remind us how much we need downtime and space to renew. We have always looked forward to our long weekends and breaks, but I think we need this renewal more than ever these days. And unfortunately, our ability to come together or enjoy our usual activities is limited.

In the past, we may not have used the word refuge to describe our weekends or getaways. We would have thought of them as more of a break. But because our circumstances are harder than usual, the news is often more negative than usual and our social activities are more limited, we need to have regular, intentional, renewing breaks more than ever. This is the idea of finding 'refuge', where we are periodically sheltered from the storm (i.e. less stress, less news and some form of genuine renewal).

Here are a few ideas on where we find renewal and refuge:

Intentionally connecting with family, friends and people in your community in ways that you can.
Spending time in natural environments.
Cooking, baking and preserving.
Enjoying physical activities and hobbies.
Music, playing instruments, art.
Practicing virtues like kindness and gratitude.
Teachers, teachings and sources of wisdom.
Stories, movies, books.
Meditation and mindfulness practices.
And, we can even find refuge in the predictability of our daily habits and routines.

On the surface, some of these may almost seem mundane. Yet the very same activity can also be very renewing if you come into it with a sense of reverence, ritual and gratitude for the refuge it brings you.

So, how are you doing with your renewal and refuge? Are you getting enough of it? How can you schedule it more clearly into your week? My sense is that all of us are going to need consistent, nourishing renewal to stay strong in the days ahead.

Note: There is a fine line between between finding refuge or renewal and escaping or numbing out. They have a different feel and quality and you will know the difference. It is a balance and you will need to stay mindful.

If you would you like to find more renewal in your life, or want to level up your meditation and mindfulness skills as a place of refuge, let's find time to connect in the coming wee. I'd love to hear how you are doing, what you are learning, and what you are seeing out there in these ongoing challenging times.