Finding Sanctuary

Sacred Space

“These places provide sanctuary and renewal. They remind us of the fortitude and unquenchable desire of the human spirit—for relationship with the otherness of life.”

David Ulrich (To Honor the Sacred; Parabola, Fall 2017, p.17)

For each of us there is an image of sanctuary—a place where we feel deeply rooted to our individuality, our humanity, and to the cosmos. Typically, our sanctuary is near our own place of birth, a river or a shoreline, a mountain top. There are also many places on Earth that are designated sacred sites. Some are well known; Stone Hinge, the pyramids of Gaza, Mt. Everest, Kilimanjaro, temples and ancient land formations, such as Bears Ears, and ruins, such as Machu Picchu, and Easter Island. Oddly, I have also experienced that sense of peace on battlefields—Shiloh, Chattanooga, Appomattox, Pearl Harbor. There is a silent reverence about them, consecrated as they are by the blood of the fallen. Certain places have exceptional energy that draws us; they are recharging stations for human beings.

I was reminded lately by my friend, Melissa, that we live in a place that is sometimes called the root chakra of the Earth's spine—in the foothills of the Appalachians, the oldest mountains in the world. That makes sense to me—bound as folks here are to tradition, to family and to fundamentalist religion. It is not surprising that Alabama is still operating from a constitution drafted at the turn of the 20^th century that binds its people to outmoded laws—laws from which the rest of the world has long since moved on. There are good and decent people here, but also a stubborn refusal to adopt progressive ideas. The root chakra is rule-bound and iron clad. If you think an unusual thought here, it's hard to find common ground, let alone sacred space. The holy sites that do exist are related to the original inhabitants—Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek, and Chickasaw.

For anyone undertaking a spiritual journey, having a sanctuary is extremely important. Whether in your home, or elsewhere, make it a priority to go there regularly. It is in such places that we make contact with our deepest self, and with all the elements that connect our individual soul to the soul of the cosmos. It is where rejuvenation takes place.

                                                              In the Spirit,

                                                                   Jane