The Soulfull Living Journal
Thoughts, reflections and practical wisdom for the spiritually curious - exploring shamanism, healing, drumming, spirituality and living more authentically.
What Does It Really Mean to Hold Space for Someone?
Holding space isn’t passive. It is a very particular kind of presence.
It means being fully there with someone without immediately trying to fix what they are feeling, steer their experience, fill every silence or rush them towards feeling better.
And although we often talk about “holding space” in healing or therapeutic work, it is something we do in many different situations. We hold space when we work one-to-one with someone, when we facilitate a group, teach a course or lead a retreat. We may also find ourselves holding space for a friend, a family member or someone going through a difficult time.
At its heart, holding space is about creating the conditions in which another person can safely meet themselves.
Being present without needing to fix
When someone is struggling, many of us have an instinctive desire to help.
We want to reassure them. Offer advice. Find the right words. Make things better.
That instinct usually comes from care.
But sometimes, in our eagerness to h...
