An examination of the Sanctuary: Uses of a meditative space within a women's health clinic

The research aims to explore the reasons why individuals use a space, such as the Sanctuary, designed specifically to encourage personal reflection and quiet meditation among attending patients and clinic workers managing the complex issues surrounding abortion. Due to the sensitivity of the topic and the population involved, the design of the study had to ensure the privacy of the participant. The research was conducted through the use of semi-structured interviews with clinic workers, and by asking visitors to the meditative space to respond to a short questionnaire, which upon completion is placed in a secure box installed within the Sanctuary. As the research is currently ongoing, the results have yet to be determined. Nevertheless, based on preliminary work conducted through interviews, responses to and opinions related to the utilization of the Sanctuary have been positive. To date, the data support the advantages that a meditative space, such as the Sanctuary, offers for attending patients and clinic workers within a clinic providing abortions. Abortion, much like pregnancy, plays a significant role in the course of a woman's life. Even so, abortion is complicated by a number of barriers – financial, emotional, spiritual, religious, physical -- with which women and men struggle beyond the mere complexity of undergoing a surgical procedure. Therefore, examination of the use of a space such as the Sanctuary, designed for reflection and meditation, can help advance the understanding of how women seeking abortion as well as staff manage these complex issues.