My Sacred Space for Creativity
It’s all about location, location! This week’s real-time location is The Hangar in Kenmore, Washington. A community space with large tables for gathering, and for people who share the space while working on their computers. I’m excited for you to join me!
Coffee shops have become my sacred space for creating. Most of the time, I am there alone. I choose places that inspire me, and that have a structure to support where I am in my creative space. I go back to places where the staff is friendly, there’s a vibe that feels good, and where I feel connected to the people around me. Places where people offer to share a table, notice if someone needs help with their table or chair, or reach out to someone who looks lost or confused. I am in my own space with awareness of who is around me.
Each coffee shop has a different flavor, a feeling of community, a vibe of writers and solo entrepreneurs. Families are playing board games; business meetings are taking place. When living in places for extended periods of time, the coffee shop is a place where I develop connections with the baristas and the regular customers. Sometimes it’s just a nod of recognition or a question and answer exchange about what we are each working on that day.
So, when I rendezvous with someone at a coffee shop, there is a feeling of inviting someone into my inner sanctuary. For our coffee adventure, the first step is to decide which coffee shop for our meeting! There are many amazing, rich places in each city. Do we need WiFi, electricity for computers and phones, a meal, or just coffee and baked goods? Do we want to be in a quiet place or a community space? Will it be an outdoor space or a place with a fireplace? Will we both bring our computers to work side by side in this place, or are we here for a conversation and connection? I like to set an intention and be aware of the details in advance.
It is in this sacred sanctuary space that we dive deep into conversation. I am happy to see you. We greet each other with smiles and a hug. It is a rare and special time. Something has brought us together and we honor the specialness of our meeting at this moment on this path of life. I want to know about your hopes and dreams, the things that are inspiring you. What are you creating? Or do you want to create something? What are the next steps? I want to feel what you feel, and to hear all about the stories in your life. In telling our stories to each other, we may share the recipe of a grandmother’s Christmas cookies, or a tale of when we were children. The recipes, the weather, and the details are included to make the stories richer.
When the coffee date ends the words and feelings we share linger as a sensation in my body. I carry you with me to the next location, the next time I am at a coffee shop alone. You are imprinted on my soul. We shared a moment in time and now we are connected forever. I am richer for knowing you and for hearing your stories; I feel the gratitude for our time together and for being alive. Thank you.
Photo of me with Marie Ek Lipanovska, the Founder of Heal My Voice Sweden, at The Espresso House in Malmo, Sweden.
Written by: Andrea Hylen; Heal My Voice
