Word of the Day: Safety
Safety is a core human desire and basic need. Generation after generation, in every culture and on every land mass, we have experienced times when our safety is compromised. This can be experienced through major events like war and through smaller microaggressions, but all of the experiences create an impact.
Feeling a lack of safety can leave a mark. Many of us have felt the invitation to reclaim safety. In the process, it can help to know the true meaning of safety. What are we reclaiming?
Let’s take a look at the etymology of the word safety for insight.
safety (noun) : the condition of being protected from or unlikely to cause danger, risk, or injury
Safety comes from the Latin word salvus meaning “uninjured, in good health, safe.” Related words include Old French sauvete and salvete which mean “safety, safeguard; salvation; security, surety.” The PIE root of safety is *sol- meaning “whole; well-kept.”
Just like health, safety is rooted in wholeness. As we mentioned in an earlier post on the etymology of health, a true approach to health acknowledges that physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual factors are all a part of the whole. This is true of safety as well. If any part of the whole is compromised, we may feel unsafe.
Salvus, the root of safety, means uninjured and in good health. In reclaiming safety, we are invited to take the time and space necessary to recover from injuries and diseases. We will feel most safe when we are in good health. Put another way, we will experience most safety when all parts of our experience of life are in balance and harmony.
In speaking about wholeness, it is helpful to acknowledge unity. In wholeness, all aspects of ourselves act in harmony — expressing as one unified whole. The opposite of this unity is separation. Many experiences that compromise safety, like war, are rooted in separation. When we step out of the truth of interconnection and into separation, there is greater risk that we will attack one another.
It is also true that if aspects of ourselves, say our minds and bodies for example, are acting in separation then we will experience disharmony. This may express as a feeling that we are not safe in our bodies.
In the definition of safety we see the word protection. Protection from danger, risk, and injury is supported by good health — healthy habits and healthy environments. If we are in good health and free from injury, we can also better provide safe space for others.
If you find yourself seeking safety or security, remember that wholeness is at the root of safety, just like health. Making space to recover from any injuries, physical or otherwise, will support a feeling of safety. When we feel whole unto ourselves and one with all that exists, we are better able to comfort and support others who are in need of safety and protection.
