Safe places of refuge or shelter; protected harbors or ports; places where someone is free from danger or distress.
From Old English 'hæfn' and Old Norse 'höfn,' both meaning 'harbor' or 'port.' The meaning expanded metaphorically from physical safe harbors to any place offering refuge or peace.
The metaphor of a haven—something that protects you from dangerous waters—appears across literature and psychology, which is why therapists talk about creating 'safe havens' and why the idea of a refuge is so psychologically powerful; our brains literally remember places that kept us safe.
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