Happy Socks - Using Clothing to Support Sacred Space
One of the women in my Monthly Planning Ritual call was telling a story about an in-home creativity retreat that she took when her retreat house got snowed in. She excitedly told us about her candle, and the special food and…her happy clothes.
Happy clothes?!?
Which got me wondering about other ways we use clothing.
I had a writing friend a number of years ago. We’d show up to the retreat center and settle in for our writing time. Her settling in included a gaudy pair of knitted socks. She’d worn them during our first retreat and made a breakthrough in her writing. After that, not only did she wear them every time she wrote, she also never washed them!
The never washing them is a bit excessive for my tastes, but there’s something to be said for “ritual” clothing.
The ways of creating sacred space are as infinite and varied as our imagination. What they all have in common is the intention towards transition. Slipping on a pair of socks puts you in a different head space.
Sound like a stretch? Think of it this way:
Imagine when your feet are cold. You pull on a pair of fuzzy socks and the warmth begins to creep back into you toes. Your whole body begins to relax because of it, releasing tension you didn’t know you were holding. Or when you get dressed and peruse your sock collection. That feeling you get when you choose the socks that are just right for the outfit or event – be they the cashmere dress socks, the unicorn rainbow socks, or the profanity-bedecked ones that make you feel like a bad-ass. Consider how happy or how powerful that makes you feel. |
Happy socks are a brilliant way to create sacred space for a ritual that recurs frequently – like writing, or crafting, or even deep emotional work over a stretch of time. Like all recurring ritual entries, it won’t take long before your subconscious catches on that whenever the Happy socks are on, it’s time for that particular activity.
And when that’s the case, the instant you slip on those socks you’ll be right back where you left off, in the perfect headspace for whatever you’re looking to do.