Meeting Your Zen

Recently, I had been thinking a lot about the concept of safe spaces. In simple terms, a safe space is a place/environment where one feels confident that they will not be exposed to any emotional or physical harm. I wondered how the idea of a safe space would vary for people, largely driven by their own personal experiences. It made me wonder what this was for some, and if home was an answer shared by everyone, or whether for others, 'safe' was someplace else.

Over the pandemic, our whole sense of being resided in our homes; what was a usual routine of school or work or gym became disrupted. The home was considered the literal place of safety and was actually protecting us of- at that time- a physical real threat. Whilst some may have begun to feel constricted by the walls of their house over the many lockdowns, others began to find home an even bigger source of comfort and instead saw it as safekeeping them from more than just the virus. I am open to say, I was one of these people.

But for those who no longer felt comfort in their homes, it had me wondering what components a 'safe space' had to consist of. Of course, my overthinking eventually landed on the idea that a safe space is somewhere we are spiritually at peace with ourselves, and perhaps is not dependent on location at all but the activity/ purpose the space serves that puts us in a state of zen.

Lotus Temple Watercolor Painting by Ashpreet Khurll

After milling about on this thought for some time, I found myself thinking of my grandparents, and their spiritual connection to their faith. During the lockdowns, my nan and grandma were unable to visit the Gurdwara and hence felt removed from part of their life. The gurdwara provided my grandparents more than just this place of Zen; there was people, conversation, food and- of course- faith. The purpose of a place of worship is community; to be with likeminded people, to engage in meaningful activity and to feel protected in your self and your thoughts. So 'Safe space' can also come through people.

Having taken these components; people, beliefs, activities - I wanted to look back and see if- like my grandparents- I could understand deeper their relationship with their place of worship, and perhaps challenge if home really is my only safe space.

I reflected on my time in India where I was lucky to visit mosques, temples and gurdwaras and experienced the ways these places of worship brought people from all different pathways into a shared sense of belonging. These environments allowed a sense of peace and harmony to exist for people with a shared belief. The buildings and the architecture formed a space that was home in a more spiritual light.

Overthinking even further (I am undeniably an overthinker), I drew on my visit to the Lotus Temple and realized this space is the perfect precedent for a 'safe space'. Designed by Fariborz Sahba, this striking piece of architecture is the Baháʼí House of Worship and unlike other places of worship; is home to no one religion. In the winding queues that snaked towards the entrance of the temple, you could see people of all faiths and identities all walking towards the same place of contemplation. If we were talking about safe spaces for the locals of Delhi - this would definitely be one of them. I could see how people who lived by this temple would see this place as a means of where to feel peace. Somewhere they could just be themselves, without fear of anything.

Of course, the Lotus Temple in Delhi is not my safe space, it isn't my regular place and it isn't close by in the slightest; however, the ethos and principles of this structure stands for the very idea that our escape and our sense of selves in not always just at home. It can be elsewhere also.

So upon reflection, if I was to look back away from India, 4200 miles West- back home in London- I would have to say that perhaps I could identify more than the one previously identified safe space in my life; home, my family's home and my gym (kind of like a temple one may argue). Whilst two places remain to be homes for me, it is understandable if for some it isn't. Just like my grandparents, it may be the Gurdwara, or a place of worship (I'll leave it to you to decide if you count Harrods under place of worship).