Nurturing a healthy spiritual dimension to one's life may seem somewhat esoteric to those suffering from acute physical pain or profound mental or emotional ill health. But making space for spirituality is increasingly viewed as a valuable aid to recovery or a crucial support through a period of chronic illness. Similarly, setting aside time to reflect on life and its value rather than always being caught up in busy schedules and routines is, in some circles, considered to be a recipe for good health and happiness.
One advocate of the importance of spiritual health is Catherine McCann, a retired physiotherapist and former nun who now dedicates much of her time to Shekina, a sculpture garden she has created in Glenmalure, Co Wicklow. Over the past five years, McCann has been hosting "time-out" days in the Shekina Gardens. Shekina, a Hebrew word, means "God's presence with his people."
"I genuinely feel that this garden has become a Shekina-type place, a modern sacred space and an oasis for the spirit," says McCann.
Limestone, granite, wrought iron, bog yew and bronze sculptures by sculptors such as Imogen Stuart, Cliodna Cusson and Michael Casey are placed throughout the garden - each piece symbolically representing elements of the human experience and/or celebrations of nature and the universe.
Women's groups, care workers, walking groups and children from schools in Dublin's inner city are among those who have come to the Shekina gardens for "time-out days". McCann recalls comments from visitors such as one from a member of the walking group who said that as a group, they had never been silent together before. And one of the visiting children said, "We loved each other while we were there."
"I like people to stay a minimum of two hours. After the first tour, I send them off to experience the garden in its totality and come back and share their thoughts. I'm happy when people touch into a sense of mystery in human living." Also trained as a counsellor, McCann has outlined many of her thoughts on the psychological and spiritual issues involved in achieving a positive way of living in her most recent book, Saying Yes to Life - a Way to Wisdom.
Her definition of spirituality is: "Touching into our longings and desires." She suggests that we can access our spirituality by questioning what we really yearn for.
"The book begins with chapters on the need to affirm life itself (and some people may need professional help to regain their self-worth to do so). Then I write about the importance of acknowledging the gifts we have and owning our own personal stories. Only by doing so can we move on in life and reach real maturity by living interdependently with others.
"I don't think we think enough about beauty. The challenge for those who come on the time-out days is to become more aware of beauty and set aside more time in their lives away from the clutter of modern life and the constant desire for more material things. People need to be jolted into understanding the deeper realities within their everyday experiences.
"Often we are afraid of what we might discover on a deeper level but Carl Jung (the Swiss psychologist) said, 'There is gold to be discovered in our shadow.'"
The next time-out day in Shekina Sculpture Gardens is on August 10th. Shekina Gardens is next open to the public on August 11th. Group bookings and other enquires on tel: (01) 2838711.
See also shekinasculpturegarden.com
Saying Yes to Life - a Way to Wisdom by Catherine McCann (€10) and Time-Out in Shekina - the Value of Symbols in Our Search for Meaning by Catherine McCann (€15) are both published by Eleona Books.