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Hi, Sam here.
Welcome to Radio Headspace.
On a recent trip to Sweden, I visited a beautiful church.
I'm always struck by the beauty and majesty of old churches, and I can't help but feel a sense of awe around and in them.
I took in the high ceilings, witnessed visitors lighting candles and saying prayers.
Everyone walked around with a sense of reverence as they read the heroic stories of people buried there.
Taking in the ambience made me think about secular mindfulness spaces that I practiced in.
I've meditated in Buddhist retreat centers around the world, and though most of them are surrounded by the natural beauty offered by forests and verdant landscapes, the buildings themselves are usually pretty plain.
I've come to understand that spaces of meditation are meant to be free from clutter and stimulating images and decor.
It's an intentional choice meant to aid in the concentration and contemplative practices of meditation.
And this got me thinking about how a potential secular community space could be beautified.
Is it really that distracting to be surrounded by beauty?
In fact, in the Catholic faith, beauty is seen as a way to deepen one's relationship with God.
As someone who was raised with flavors of both Catholicism and Judaism, I can say that being part of those communities gave me a lot to think about throughout my life.
I've always appreciated the idea of having a sacred space and the sense of community that can develop through practicing.
And though I may not practice now, I really respect many aspects of my religious upbringing, including the beauty I've witnessed.
And maybe it's similar for you.
I find there are a lot of things that we're exposed to at a young age where we identify with certain parts and maybe not so much with others.
Beauty is a source of inspiration.
It connects us to a sense of awe.
And whether we're religious or not, we can feel inspired when we contemplate the vastness of the universe and the breadth of the human experience.
As I looked again at paintings of kings and queens of centuries past, I thought about photos that would inspire a modern generation of community members looking to connect and practice together.
I pictured a space adorned with photos of people in their best moments.
Simple moments like taking a breath before a big meeting, putting their children to bed or listening to a client or a patient at work.
I've recently been reading philosopher Alain de Buta's book Religion for Atheists.
In it he highlights religious customs and offers ways to adapt them to a secular audience.
He points out that, besides churches and synagogues, there's a severe lack of venues that help strangers become friends.
Desboutin invites readers to learn from religious customs like Mass, which was originally a meal shared by the congregation.
As a secular ritual.
This could be a dinner offered not only to friends and family, but people you haven't met before.
So next time you're planning on hosting a dinner party, consider inviting your friends to bring a guest someone you haven't met before.
Then think about what themes you'd like to discuss over dinner.
One of my favorite prompts is to tell a story about a time when you felt triumphant or in awe of something.
In this way, your home becomes a sacred place filled with genuine connection and opportunities to get to know new people, free of judgment and full of open curiosity.
And if you're looking for some inspiration for discussion prompts, I recommend checking out livingroomconversationsorg.
They're a nonprofit organization with tons of resources on how to host meaningful conversations.
We'll have a link to that in our show notes.
And speaking of community and connection, we have a great Gratitude Among Community video in the Headspace app.
Just an FYI.
That's all for today.
Take care and I'll see you back here soon.
Thank you.
Save your wealth, customize and save, we say.
That may have been too much feeling.
