Do you need a cosy retreat that doesn't cost a penny?
A free hideaway at the end of a long day?
Somewhere to relax and escape from it all without leaving the comfort of your own home?
Welcome to the Positive Art of Cocooning.
To cocoon is to envelop your self in a protective or comforting way.
It is the act of insulating or hiding from your normal social environment, which may be perceived as exhausting, some times unfriendly, or otherwise unwelcome, after a long day or tiring week. It is like making your very own hug that you can climb into, switch off from the world and relax in.
So gather all of your cozy sheets and blankets, make a cuppa and follow along as we take a nostalgic leap back into childhood. Making time for self-care and fun is an essential element to life and something that is to be taken very seriously.
So dear Eco-worrier, are you ready for some serious fun?
What actually is Cocooning?
It is basically everything you love about keeping cosy and warm x 100. It is making a small shelter or a cosy corner in your home and retreating happily into it for a little while, with a hot chocolate or a good book. Maybe you can even watch a movie in it too - though we suggest doing that with a friend. It is a dedicated hideaway from the world in which you can just curl up and 'be'. A place to switch off from the fast pace of life and just relax.
Wait, Isn't This What Caterpillars Do?
Yes, it is. The major difference here is that once in your cocoon you do not turn into some primordial jelly and emerge as a completely different entity. Well. Not quite. It is entirely possible that you may emerge calmer, refreshed and somewhat happier. I d say that that was a fair compromise don't you think? Unless you were going for the jelly thing - and if so, then you reading the wrong blog my friend.
Recently cocooning has got a bad rep and is referred to negatively (rightly so) when people start to only spend time with their screens instead of going out and enjoying life. This is not what this is about. The kind of thing we are talking about here is quite the opposite. We will be creating a refuge from our tech-driven worlds, switching off both figuratively and literally.
It offers you a soft, gentle, nurturing space for you to retreat too so that you can gather your thoughts, refocus on who you are and how you choose to interact with your world. It is also a lot of fun. Especially if you add fairy lights. In fact, they are almost essential!
Some top cocoon uses could be:
A meditation space.
A reading nook.
A cuddle space.
A drawing and sketching place.
A journalling corner.
A snoozing zone.
A sound emersion bubble - where you relax into the sound of your favourite tunes.
A peotry and prose ignition spot.
A place to do nothing, no lists, no tidying just blissful nothingness.
Building your Cocoon
- 'Wild Building' this is where you just go rogue, don't plan ahead and just build where ever and whenever you like. These structures are usually temporary and can be as large as an entire room or as small a space as one can curl up into!
- Alternatively, you could hit up the usual search engines and get creative with Pinterest. There is plenty of eye-candy in the form of forts and tents. From teepees to hammocks you will not be short on ideas!
- Make it cosy as possible - we all have a favourite blanket or duvet. Now is the time to drag your trusted friend into your cocoon for max comfort and relaxation.
- Keep it simple - apart from 'cosies' try and keep your cocoon as simple as possible and clutter-free. Take a hint from the caterpillar - he does the most spectacular change but didn't take a tool kit into his cocoon to do so.
- I find that the best fort or cocoon can be made from the most reliable things - I am a dab hand at whipping one up with an old bedsheet, a few chairs, some pegs and a washing line.
- Do I need to say it? I don't think I do but I will just in case.. I know I keep saying cosy BUT I do not mean candles. DO NOT use candles in your cocoon. This is a candle free zone. Fairy light do the trick, or better yet - no lights so that your brain really has a chance to rest.
So, there we have it dear Eco-worrier, your (re)-introduction to cocooning - formally known as fort building. It is basically what you didn't hesitate to do as kids, re-formatted as an essential self-care regime for adult life. Because that is what it really is isn't it? Learning how to care and nurture ourselves as adults and how to have fun doing it.
What are you waiting for? I m off to dig out my fairy lights and find an unused corner - I m planning a permanent cocoon that is available at all hours. If you make one please do share it with us, it is our most favourite kinda thing.