Poetry Friday
Sanctuary
Beloveds,
This week I have been seeking shelter, not the housing kind, but more of a place to “be.” I found myself in need of a sanctuary. A place to hole up and heal from tender moments. The word “sanctuary” often draws us to a place in a church for worship. That has not always been a safe haven for me personally. However, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, one definition of a sanctuary is “a place of refuge and protection.” I bet there has been a time or two in your life when you have needed a sanctuary too. Maybe you sought a few moments of refuge during a walk in the woods or in a neighborhood park? You may have sought sanctuary at a retreat seeking quiet or by meditating alone to listen closely for the Divine? Maybe it has been a time you were so overwhelmed with emotions or heartache or illness that you sought sanctuary when you could not even get yourself out of bed? Or you could have had an experience where something happened to blindside you and you were in need of space to figure it all out? And, maybe it’s not to “figure it out” but to “feel it out” in the deepest way.
All of these places of sanctuary, where we seek refuge or protection are necessary for healing and opening to our true self. A place of sanctuary is sacred and spiritual where there is deep listening and trust. It’s a place where the Divine One can s l i p into your being.
Spiritual direction is the place of companionship where I explore the deepest and hardest parts of life and self. A spiritual companion is a sanctuary, holding our deepest knowing because they listen with their deepest listening and reply with their heart-felt reflections. It is a place where there is a centering on what is the deepest calling from inside without distractions. As my spiritual director says, it is a place where “deep speaks to deep”. And, the only way to get to deep is to be in a place where there is unconditional acceptance and trust from the one who companions you. They will shelter your soul and let it speak freely without judgement as you express your deepest longings and honor your path along your personal journeying. It could as simple as sitting in silence with contemplative being. It could be holding the fear you never wanted to talk about or face. Or, it could be celebrating new paths of enlightenment.
Since entering Wellstreams, and now even more as I begin my experience as a “guide”, I have found myself listening with more intention into the sacredness of sanctuary. I’m not a guru that can hear a leaf detach from a tree in autumn but I can hear the deep calling to listen to a heart and soul that is seeking solace. I know we all seek to be that presence.
If you find yourself in need of a sanctuary - I invite you to be courageous to seek out what your soul is calling for and lean in with all your heart. Be brave enough to wade into the mystery that life unfolds in every given moment. Be present to all the beauty and love surrounding you, for you are beloved.
Blessings,
Jace
Sanctuary by Carrie Newcomer
Oct 2018 I seek Sanctuary Occasionally, I seek Sanctuary In a place where the Life Force glows. No rush, no clock faces; with time just a gentle flow in space, Time to nurture, heal and grow, In a place where the Life Force glows. Occasionally, I seek Sanctuary In a place where I lose my ego. Listening to make my body loose, Releasing feelings, space for growth, Uncoiling my body and energising my core, Brings awareness to tenseness that serves me no more. In a community, I seek Sanctuary Where gentle open people flow, Authentic, selfless, caring folk with hearts as precious as gold. Shaking off trauma and sharing universal truths, Clearing our monkey brains ancestoral wounds. Vibrationally protected. And intensely connected. In a place where the Life Force glows. Deep 40/M/Brighton, England From Hello Poetry online