Sanctuary Days by Jill Stott
“Picture a group of ten women (it could be men too but only ladies were present) We vary in age from early thirties to late seventies. We are sitting on comfortable sofas and chairs in front of a roaring log fire. We are talking animatedly in ones and twos or small groups. We are laughing and smiling, sharing recent experiences and chatting about our families. Looking around the group, I would say that we all look well –we might be a book club – but the one thing that we all have in common is that we are living with cancer. We are all at various stages of living with this disease, we've all had surgery and/or chemotherapy (some radiotherapy) and we have all been given a very poor prognosis at some stage in our recent past. Yet we are sitting here laughing, eating chocolate, (the chocolate is very important!) drinking tea, nibbling on dried fruit, nuts and seeds, but - most importantly – we are talking, and someone else is really listening and nodding, and understanding how we feel. That ‘someone else’ may be a fellow cancer patient or she may be one of the facilitators of the group, but all of us are finding a space in which we can both give and receive. All of this important sharing and supporting is happening thanks to The Sara Lee Trust because this is a Sanctuary Day. A Sanctuary Day is a unique experience, and what lifelines these days are! For any one of us, the opportunity to escape from the normal days that make up our busy lives, into a space without telephones, traffic, deadlines, the demands of young families or elderly relatives, or the isolation of living alone, is always welcome. When your ‘normal’ days also include the sheer fatigue of living with a disease that leaves you looking hale and hearty on the outside whilst feeling physically and emotionally ravaged on the inside, the opportunity to escape for a day, is a gift beyond price. In addition to all that talking (and listening!) there are opportunities to be quiet and reflective, to join in a group activity – a meditation or some gentle exercise – to walk in the beautiful garden, to sit and quietly read, to paint or draw if that is your inclination, and to enjoy a massage or some reflexology or other complementary therapy. These days have been a very special thing for me, as has been the realisation that not only am I being cared for and supported by all that the Sara Lee Trust is doing but that it has opened up opportunities for me to be caring and supportive of others within the limits of my current levels of energy, and that has given me back a part of my life that seemed to be lost forever. So a big THANK YOU to all, for the very REAL difference that The Sara Lee Trust is making in my life and the lives of many others.With love Jill Stott
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Sanctuary Days
Sanctuary Dates for 2012
Days are held at either The Oast House in Northiam or their lovely cottage just up the lane form the main Oast, 10:00am-4:00pm, with a vegetarian lunch provided. For days held at the Oast there is a swimming pool which you are welcome to use.
These are non-religious, quiet days, which were inspired by listening to what our patients felt they needed when facing life threatening illnesses, and drawing on the principles of ancient Greece and the Asclepian healing temples. We hold these days once a month, using venues in the beautiful surroundings of the local Sussex countryside. These days are designed to offer you a safe space and the chance to reflect, relax and share with others.
We start the days together as a group and introduce each other, there is no expectation that people need to talk or share anything of themselves. We use a simple ritual of creating a mandala (a Sanskrit word meaning scared circle used in many cultures and religions) which is a circle created from natural objects to reflect the group; the four compass directions with the four seasons and elements. This is then left during the whole day as a symbol to hold and mark the group, often people add items to the mandala as the day unfolds.
To find out more download the Sanctuary Day leaflet.
To book a place on one of these days contact Sarah Geall – Therapy Manager on 01424 456608
We are fortunate to have a small dedicated team of volunteer drivers so if you are unable to drive yourself or a family member/friend isn’t able to take you we can arrange transport.
For more details and to book a place please contact Sarah Geall, Therapy Manager on 01424 456608.
Below is one lady’s reflections after attending several of the Sanctuary Days.