By C. Forrest McDowell, PhD
The pearl was put up for auction.
No one bid on it.
So the pearl bought itself.
Rumi
The ancient Indian scriptures, The Upanishads, remind us that life in the world and life in spirit are not incompatible. Work, or action, is not contrary to knowledge of God, but indeed, if performed without attachment, is a means to the Divine.
Perhaps the greatest work Tricia and I have ever engaged in is our relationship. Of course, it is difficult to separate any emotional and physical investment in a marriage from one's attachment to expectations. But, throughout our trials and tribulations we have been able to maintain a constant devotion: our path of meditation. It is here that we have been able to lay down the struggle with the world and come face to face with the inner work. Sitting very still and focusing all ones attention inwardly is not a naturally pleasant task. But it is a good task, if only for the reason that it allows us to see the thoughts of our inner self without attachment. The movie picture of the mind has free admission, but most of us don't enjoy what we see, and besides, we often think of better things to do. However, just the mere act of sitting detached from the world or our partner has a benefit in itself: the secrets of the heart, like a tightly bound bud, begin to open little by little, and the sweet fragrance of peace begins to seduce our soul.
Gandhi once poetically said, "The rose does not preach; it simply spreads its fragrance." This is the language of the heart, silent but sure. And this is the language of the Sanctuary Path: the heart opening up within the very stillness of our peaceful and loving life.
Many years ago, as we struggled in our partnership and sought refuge in meditation, we were in fact proving that life in the world and life in spirit are not incompatible. However, we were also formulating, in a subtle yet conscious way, the very principles of the Sanctuary Path. Gradually, these principles emerged through times of ecstatic intimacy and disparaging conflict, the birth of family, our surrender to nature at Cortesia, and ultimately through our service to society.
To embrace sanctuary into one's life requires daily effort. We used to call it "sanctuary work." However, we realized that the effort to embrace sanctuary should rightfully be that of devotion, not work, and that devotion itself should be like walking a familiar daily path. To integrate sanctuary into our life is to be devoted to key principles for living.
The Sanctuary Path, for example, helps us to affirm our sacredness and that of every being and place in the world. It also asks us to accept the value of sanctuary for all beings and places. We similarly acknowledge that taking time out and finding personal space are critical, if not sacred needs of everyday life in modern society that should not be unnecessarily compromised. In such sacred time and space we learn the value of solitude, solace, meditation, contemplation, and silence. We also access those deeper expressions of hope and peace in the form of prayers, affirmations, attunements, belief, faith, and service to others. Of great value is acknowledging that the gift of sanctuary is something we can give to others. On the Sanctuary Path we are inspired to practice reverence for life, non-judgment and compassion. Finally, we acknowledge that the Sanctuary Path is not a one-way permanent stroll away from the world. In its purest sense, the Sanctuary Path must be seen as the necessary respite that illuminates our talents, skills, and gratitude as gifts we can unconditionally give back to the world to make it a better place to live. The joy, beauty, hope and peace we may experience in Sanctuary is exactly those qualities we should want to enliven in the world. Therefore, every entrance into Sanctuary should have an exit back into the world as service.
These devotional concepts of Sanctuary can be summarized as The Seven Principles of the Sanctuary Path. They are as follows:
Another way of understanding these Principles is to see them as foundation or stepping-stones on the Sanctuary Path. One naturally follows (or precedes) the other; thus, we see the value of each unto itself and its "place" in the natural progress along the Sanctuary Path.
The first two embracing principles (I, II) of the Sanctuary Path establish the foundation for seeing oneself and the world as sacred and worthy of sanctuary. In fact, it would be entirely accurate to state that Earth is indeed a special Sanctuary for Life within our solar system. Seen in this way, we are prepared to acknowledge that our life is a sacred gift to the world and is meant to benefit others. We also understand that everywhere we turn the world is full of sacredness, all of which is meant to help us reach our true state of divinity: the joy and wisdom of our Higher Self.
The next two affirming principles (III, IV) of the Sanctuary Path empower us to understand, accept, and exercise our soul's need for daily renewal amidst the world. As we learn to acknowledge the need for sanctuary for ourselves, we are more willing to offer it to others, and to seek it in special places and at special times.
The following two principles of stewardship (V, VI) along the Sanctuary Path ask us to practice a way of living that does no harm to the sacredness of life. Here we learn to become Keepers of the Flame of Love, Peace and Gratitude on Earth by living in reverence and compassion for life. Such acceptance of the diversity of life on this planet derives from trying to live in a way that minimizes judgments. By withholding judgments we are more likely to remember our sacred roles of Guest, Host, and Friend to the many beings and places we encounter daily.
The seventh stepping-stone and final principle of the Sanctuary Path is one of recognition of reciprocity. Sanctuary is often a gift of time and space to ourselves. However, we should not think so much of our own needs that we cannot see the gifts of joy, beauty, hope, and peace we can bring to the world as a result of our bodily, mental, and spiritual renewal in sanctuary.
As pointed out earlier, the Seven Principles of the Sanctuary Path are naturally interdependent and cyclical. Each principle supports another, and as you naturally find yourself giving freely of your heart to the world (VII), you cycle back into the awareness of your inherent sacredness (I) that underlies the purity of your intentions.
The power of the Seven Principles lies in their being both a philosophy of life and a way to live. In this sense, Sanctuary is a priceless gift of awareness, a precious pearl, as Rumi would have it, which is difficult to imagine as a commodity for sale in the spiritual marketplace. The Sanskrit word dakshana may best describe the approach to this critical life need: Each person must find his or her own value in Sanctuary. Through Sanctuary, we dedicate ourselves to a type of inner and outer devotional effort much akin to building a sacred hermitage or temple for ourselves, others, nature, and this Earth. Through Sanctuary, we in fact can get a purchase on peace, gratitude, and a noble sense of courtesy and reverence we can extend to others. The Sanctuary Path allows us to bid for the peace and joy our soul desires, both here on Earth and with the Divine.
Copyright 2007 by Christopher Forrest McDowell, Ph.D.body
Excerpts from forthcoming book: Islands of Grace: Creating Sanctuary in Daily Life. By Dr. Christopher Forrest McDowell and Tricia Clark-McDowell