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click on images below for larger versions
Jewish-Christian Shrine RoomIn the continuing tradition of the unity of law and love, the Jewish/Christian Shrine is a small (12' X 12') post-and-beam room with white adobe walls, golden adobe floors, stone altar and cushions for quiet prayer and meditation. There are prayer baskets for prayers the Lord has put on your heart. The Nova Nada monks and nunks of the Spiritual Life Institute here in Crestone blessed this shrine room in October, 1998. Masses are held here whenever a visiting priest retreats with us.
Buddhist/Zen Shrine RoomThis dharma room (12' X 9' with golden adobe walls and red adobe floor) is for meditation in the compassion of the Buddha. The main image on the altar is the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa (now perhaps 18 years of age and he escaped from Tibet end of last year and lives in India now.) . . The site was blessed by Bokar Tulku on July 10, 1996 (after his consecration of the Tashe Gomang Stupa--the Stupa of the Many Open Doors--which overlooks Sanctuary House). It is said the Karmapa will come to Crestone whenever his freedom occurs, because his stupa is here. The Buddhist Shrine Room was blessed by Kempo Gyeltsen Rinpoche in September 1999.
Hindu/Vedic Shrine RoomConsecrated by Shri Punitachariji Maharaj ('Bapu') on October 8, 1999, at which time he did the ceremony of pranpratishta (literally, 'the establishment of life'), this colorful shrine has a blue adobe floor and an altar table on which sits Lord Krishna, Hanumanji and Lord Ganesh. A painting of Lord Dattatreya (the unity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva) is the central deity on the shrine altar. Lacking all the required implements and the usual three-to-five days required for such a ceremony, Bapu instead infused more of his own energy into the Hindu/Vedic Shrine, so that it is completely empowered and ready for puja and dhyan.
Sufi/Muslim Shrine RoomThis, the largest of the four shrines at 13' X 13', has curved walls to allow for resonance and a Qibla marking the direction of prayer toward the East. Its golden walls are bare, in the tradition of mosques and tekkes, and its green-clay floor is covered with rugs and sheepskins in a feeling that is ancient. Zikr (Sufi ceremony of remembrance) is held here every Thursday evening at 7 PM, and the shrine is always open for salat (five times-a-day prayer). This shrine is under the guidance of Allah Most High via the Prophet Mohammed (peace and blessings be upon him), Sheik Muzzafer Ozak al-Jerrahi of Istanbul and Sheik Nur al Anwar al-Jerrahi (May God ennoble their secret), as well as Sheikha Fariha Fatima al-Jerrahi of New York who visited in September 1999.
The Dromenon (Labyrinth)
Centering our retreat courtyard is the Sanctuary House labyrinth. It’s an exact (within 1/8”) of the original labyrinth on the floor of Chartres Cathedral, the principle Marian cathedral of Europe. This specific labyrinth is called a dromenon, and is a powerful walking meditation. It symbolizes the spiritual journey that every soul is making. The inherent hope built into the labyrinth of Chartres is that there are no false turns (as in a maze), but that by putting one foot in front of the other we will arrive at the goal of life.
The YurtErected in the fall of 2001, the Sanctuary House yurt instantly has become our 30' in diameter meeting place, which easily accommodates larger assemblies, workshops and/or meditations
Sanctuary House, a retreat and spiritual healing center dedicated to meditation and knowledge and prayer, exists by the Grace that has inspired creation itself in order to provide a place of safety, harmony, knowledge, silence, peace, community and sustainability to anyone who sincerely wishes to grow in the mystical promise and challenge of being human in the love that unifies by uniting opposites, in the service that gives appropriately and fully, in the wisdom that nourishes the root of life, in the humor and joy that keep the heart open to wonder, and in the truth that compassionately leaves no one out.
About Sanctuary HouseWhat is Sanctuary House? Attempting a definition, no matter how long, is like trying to define ourselves or love. Defining seems to limit, yet without definition what will we manifest? So we try to creatively walk the tension between the two. A fundamental way to define is to describe the basis of a thing. The basis of Sanctuary House is the intention with which we live our lives. Indeed, it is the manifestation of that intention, regardless of what gets built or does not get built. Sanctuary House may turn out to be an interior realization of divine beneficence, or it may be a retreat center. We hope it's both: inner and outer wholeness that will benefit all who seek this sanctuary. The vision here is love manifested in community (perhaps 5 to 7 individuals), sustainability (we've built out of strawbale, adobe and dead-standing logs, and we will soon be gardening), meditation, healing and multi-religious retreat. Sanctuary House is built in the round around the labyrinth of Chartres (dromenon). Its four shrine rooms [Jewish/Christian in the South, Buddhist/Zen in the West, Hindu/Vedic in the North, and Sufi/Muslim in the East]. Our prayer is that each of these shrine rooms will embody the authenticity, beauty and power of their respective traditions.
The Founders
William and Barbara have had the good fortune to have been initiated into the world's main religious traditions; they have fallen in love with each of them. The founding principle behind Sanctuary House is that religious harmony and mutual respect is key to planetary peace. Hence, Sanctuary House has four shrine rooms--Jewish/Christian, Buddhist/Zen, Hindu/Vedic and Sufi/Muslim--that the Howells pray will hold the authentic essence, beauty and power of their respective traditions. William, trained in creative writing (with an MFA in Poetry), was a teacher of Transcendental Meditation with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi from 1972-1986. He has served Fr. Thomas Keating's efforts at reintroducing Christianity to the contemplative dimension of the Gospel and its meditative roots for many years, offering lectures and retreats and soulfriending. He has served as khalifa of Snowmass and now the Crestone Circle of Nur, under Sheikh Nur al Jerrahi (Lex Hixon) and now under Sheikha Fatima Fariha al Jerrahi, of the Ashki-Jerrahi order since 1989. He is also coordinator on behalf of Shri Punitachariji Maharaj ("Bapu") for offering the Hari Om Tatsat Jai Guru Datta maha mantra, the meta-religious gift to all humanity especially designed for these times of transformative challenge and change. He has designed and overseen the building of Sanctuary House. Barbara, a mother of three, is the shakti of Sanctuary House, an expert on kundalini, and a spiritual counselor. Her intuition and inspiration have helped guide the founding and direction of Sanctuary House. She is on semi-permanent retreat in Crestone.
E-mail Sanctuary House Visit the Sanctuary House website
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