There are many paths to peace and healing. The journey is one we are all making, each in our own ways, following what our hearts tell us is best for us. The way presented here will not be right for all; but it is a powerful way, and it has worked for us, and so we share it with others who know it is their path also. Perhaps you are among these people. Perhaps that is why you are here. If so, let us hasten to help you, for the journey is long and wearying until we find our course.
Beginnings
All healing journeys have a beginning, a moment, an event, or a person that makes us pause and see our lives from a different perspective; the moment in which we realize our need for healing and spiritual growth. My husband and I suffered with many complaints for a long while before reaching this moment and realizing that we needn't continue to suffer, that life could be much better if we only wanted it enough to change. This change would come into our lives in many ways: through clarifying our spiritual paths; and by redefining our conceptions of 'ease' and 'dis-ease.' Finally, we have come to a way of moving with the flow of our lives, instead of against it. Our lives are coming into balance and as they do, we come into harmony with ourselves and the world. Far from being odious, these changes have actually enhanced our lives in every way. They have not only improved our feeling of 'wellness,' but restored a sense of magic to our lives that has increased our 'joie de vivre' immeasurably. Perhaps you're here because in your heart you crave something very similar. If so, your journey may truly be said to have begun; because Avalon Sanctuary was founded to provide guidance for people just like you!
Image (c) Bodleian Library, Oxford
The Three Paths
We have now sat in stillness and inquired within as to the road that is best for us to travel. Now it is time to learn how these paths will be followed at Avalon Sanctuary, so that we might finally choose whether to pursue our path to healing and spiritual harmony here or elsewhere. These are the three Paths one may follow here at the Sanctuary:
We have walked each of these paths ourselves. We know the pitfalls, the twists and turns in the road. In our lives, we have chosen to walk them all. Which path will you walk?
Path of Healing
There are many kinds of healing. Some heal the body, while others heal the emotions, the mind, or the spirit. We believe that healing is most effective when it works on all levels. The tools we have to help us heal will also determine the manner in which we walk this path. At the Sanctuary, we teach Celtic Herbalism in conjunction with several Spirit Healing modalities that are intended to provide you with the tools you need to regain your inner balance. It is this balance through which we may restore our health and regain the strength to maintain it as we move through the world. This approach to healing is very different from the allopathic healing to which most Westerners are accustomed. We do not attempt to 'heal you;' instead, we teach the tools by which we may each heal ourselves. This approach to healing requires us each to assume responsibility for our own states of being and to take a proactive stance to maintain a healthy balance in our lives.
Ours is a traditional healing philosophy. We believe that the body was designed to be in balance. When we are in balance we feel safe, secure, and 'at our ease;' when we are off-balance we feel unsafe, insecure, and 'dis-eased.' This makes perfect sense if we consider that the first lesson of self-defense in the martial arts is balance. When we are 'in balance,' we are steady as rocks; when we are off-balance a feather can upset us. This is literal truth on the physical level, and what is true on the physical level filters through all other states of being. There are two routes to restoring balance, once it is lost: from the aura inward (towards center); and from the body outwards (from the center). At the Sanctuary, we work both of these directions.
The connection between healing and spiritual work has long been recognized, and each religious tradition (or spiritual path) evolves its own special methods, suited to its own special spiritual culture and environment. At the Sanctuary, we believe that each path to healing is a valid path for some people; but that no one modality is best for all people. We take as proof the nature and design of Creation itself. Creation was not designed with one environment, one food, one type of person, one species of plant and animal, one type of tree! It is designed to be lavishly diverse; each environment, spirituality, and habitat evolving to perfectly meet the needs of the people (or culture) that lives there. If we believe that Creation is not an accident, but was made according to a pattern and guided by an intelligent Presence, what better design than one perfectly suited to meet the needs of each kind of being?
At the Sanctuary, we honour this knowledge by making available a sampling of spiritual healing modalities from around the world. Were we to try them all, we would each likely find that some 'worked' better than others for us. Were we to do so with a friend, we might also find that the modalities that we found wanting were the very methods they liked best! This is an important understanding, for it reminds us that while we are all human beings, we are also all unique individuals. Both our likeness and our differences are special gifts of Spirit, to be honored, nurtured, and cherished; and when we honour Spirit's gifts, we honour Spirit itself.
For most Westerners, the physical allopathic approach to healing will be most familiar. Many people assume that because it is the only method about which they know, it must be the only valid method. Nothing could be further from the truth. Equally valid (or even superior) methods may be found all over the world. In most cases, they have not been integrated into Western medicine not because they are invalid, but because the philosophies upon which they are founded are in conflict with the established practices of medical associations and pharmaceutical companies. These philosophical differences reflect our unique myths of origins and ideas about the nature of Being; the very concepts and definitions upon which modalities of healing are founded.
Western allopathic medicine tends to view healing as the treatment (or control) of symptoms, often without addressing 'cures'. Allopathic medicine sees disease as being caused by germs or the wearing out of individual body parts. Westerners often see the body as a machine: when the machine breaks down, we run a diagnostic (medical tests) to identify the failure (organ, tissue, bone, etc.) and repair or replace it. If this is not possible, then we cover up the symptoms so we can keep running smoothly awhile longer. In contrast, traditional holistic healing modalities see the body as a whole organism and disease as being caused by imbalance. Healing begins at the spiritual level and works inward through thought and emotion to affect the body. Here the focus is on helping the body to restore its own balance. The least invasive method that will be effective is preferred, since it is least likely to worsen the problem by creating further imbalances, or inflicting further trauma or injury. (Eastern medicine also follows this type of philosophy.)
There are many forms of spirit healing, some of which are already familiar to the public. Books on 'Reiki,' 'Hands-On Healing,' 'Tonal Therapy,' and 'Healing Touch' may be found on the shelves of most major booksellers. Stories on allopathic medical doctors who have begun to incorporate 'alternative approaches' or 'alternative therapies' into their practices are also becoming more common. (Ironically, the practitioners from whom these doctors are learning their skills are the very people who will likely be barred from practicing when the medical associations finally accept the efficacy of traditional holistic modalities.) All spiritual healing modalities share one thing in common: they all work according to the Principle of Resonance.
Resonance results from the movement of energy. Areas where energy becomes stagnant are more prone to injury and disease. The object of disciplines such as Qi Gong and Tai Chi is to prevent stagnation and move energy through the body in healthful ways. Resonance healing methods also seek to 'move' energy, while raising the body's energy to a healthier 'pitch.' The use of tuning forks and Tibetan 'singing bowls' are also based on this concept. Hospital studies have documented the tremendous positive impact of music, 'vibrational' healing, and labyrinth walking on patients. Less obvious are the effects of resonances that we cannot hear; for though they seem silent they can have just as dramatic an effect. But while resonance has a measurable effect on the molecular level, it begins on the spiritual level.
'Spirit' is aware energy. Our first contact with any form of resonance healing is in the aura or 'spirit body.' All physical bodies, from planets to human beings, have an electromagnetic field. The aura is the human body's field, and the condition of the aura directly corresponds to our state of health. Sending and receiving energy through the aura is one way that our bodies preserve the balance of energy and prevent 'burn-out.' Just as in the physical body, when the aura's web of energy slows, stops, or is diverted from an area, that area becomes vulnerable; just as imbalances within the body can work outward into the aura. Resonance healing methods provide ways of restoring strength and balance to these compromised areas.
While some forms of spirit healing are tied to specific religious faiths, many may be practiced as stand-alone methods; and it is these which are taught at the Sanctuary. This is not because our own faith is not strong, but because we believe that the more people attain a state of inner harmony and balance, the more peaceful and enlightened our world will be; therefore, enabling more people to heal and become healers is most beneficial to everyone. For this reason, healing modalities taught at the Sanctuary are nondenominational. We offer a range of resonance healing methods to complement our herbal course offerings. Each is effective and powerful in its own right; the choice of which to learn and use will depend on our own comfort levels and what our hearts feel called to explore.
Path of Spirit
The call to a spiritual path is not announced by the onset of flu-like symptoms, but by a deep longing within the soul. This terrible sense of longing has been described in many ways throughout the ages: as an unquenchable thirst, an insatiable hunger, and as a craving for a sense of life's meaning, among others. Obviously it is not hard to recognize this call, for it is a living torment until satisfied. The difficult part is not knowing we are called, but knowing how best to answer. At the Sanctuary, we believe that all genuine faiths teach the same Universal Truths from the perspective of different times and cultures, and that all of these paths may lead to enlightenment. Not all paths are right for all people, and we must each listen to our hearts and exercise our free will in choosing the path that is right for us.
The Physical Approach: Celtic Herbalism
This approach to healing begins in the body and works outward through our emotions, thoughts, auras, and eventually our spirits (at which point the healing process is finally complete). At the Sanctuary, physical wellness is explored by learning and applying the herblore that was once the common birth-right of all householders. The plants we study are not Asian exotics, but the home-grown varieties from our own backyards. Our methods do not require elaborate lab equipment, but a tea kettle, bowls, spoons and cups. In the basic Sanctuary courses, we learn to name and identify key herbs, discover where they grow, how to ethically harvest them, and explore the benefits of using these plants in our every-day cooking. In later courses, we learn their Latin names, discover their healing and nutritive values, and practice making our own herbal wellness preparations. We also examine how these practices dovetail with conventional allopathic forms of health-care and medicine. The emblem of this branch of study is the 'Staff of Asklepios' or Healer's Staff (a variant of the medical profession's magical 'Staff of Hermes' or 'caduceus').
Heart's Path
There is one path of study offered at the Sanctuary whose focus goes beyond methods of healing the self or individuals. The Heart's Path is intended for those who, after bringing themselves into balance and finding inner Harmony, intend to dedicate their life's work to world service in a manner that actively, consistently, and vigorously supports the restoration of the earthly paradise whose stewardship is in our keeping.
The emblem of this branch of Sanctuary study is the apple tree, Celtic symbol of eternal life and wisdom attained through the
spiritual quest for the power to heal the Wasteland. The program combines the learning of the first two branches (Healing and Spirit) with the lessons of ancient Celtic myth in an intensive, experiential approach designed to shift our focus from modern 'isolationism' to a holistic worldview -- revealing new insights, understandings, and a new way of experiencing the world. The Celtic Otherworld myth (the myths of 'the apple isle' called Avalon) allows us to bring our modern belief in a paradisial afterlife into a holistic perspective. Like Paradise, Avalon was a place of healing and wisdom where the soul passed after death and the vitality of the spirit was renewed. One location believed to be the 'real-world' site of Avalon is still recognized today as 'the holiest ground in England.' A similar myth exists in all world cultures, but it is especially clearly delineated in the myths of Avalon. By using these myths as our template, we may learn to recognize the same theme in the beliefs of others cultures. This recognition is a key to discovering the Universal Truths that bind all humans together. Through it, we may rediscover our connection with all living things.
By working with intention, through a deliberate, disciplined process, we may achieve a state of spiritual renewal enabling us to carry our light into the world, where it may be a guide to other seekers. Through our own illumination we may heal the Wasteland and help to restore the world to a state of abundance, beauty, and wisdom. The Heart's Path provides the means for those with such a calling to find and follow their own Paths in the world.
The Moment of Choice
It is now time to consider the coursework on offer in greater depth. These links (above left) will take you to pages describing current coursework on offer, and provide the necessary contact information and/or forms to register. Registering for a course is a commitment first and foremost to oneself; it is the promise we make to pursue our heart's calling and to fulfill our purpose in this world. Secondarily, it is a commitment to the Sanctuary to follow-through on this promise -- not only by paying fees and sending in progress reports, but by immersing oneself at the deepest level in the concepts and traditions being presented.
This commitment represents a turning point in your life. Depending upon how you meet this commitment, it may mean many things. For some it will mean a total change in career path; for others, a transformed perception of the world and of their place within it. For a few, it may be the opening of a door to places and experiences remembered, but believed lost to the present. Whatever it is for you, it is certain that if you follow through on this commitment you will be changed by the experience. We invite you to explore now your own possibilities and to realise your as yet undreampt of potential; to become the person you were born to be.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE:
All text published at this website is world copyright Avalon Sanctuary (CL Anderson) unless otherwise noted. Ornate Page Title Lettering by Skell.org. Use of this material without the prior written consent of the author is expressly forbidden and is punishable under international copyright law.
Images used at this website are used in good faith, and have been provided as 'public domain' or 'free of charge' for public use. If your image appears here without proper consent or credit, please notify us and your image will be promptly removed.
We are now offering most of our coursework through the ADO Hedgerow School. A portion of all proceeds will be donated to ADO.
Please follow the link to learn more about these and other study opportunity.
There are many paths to peace and healing. The journey is one we are all making, each in our own ways, following what our hearts tell us is best for us. The way presented here will not be right for all; but it is a powerful way, and it has worked for us, and so we share it with others who know it is their path also. Perhaps you are among these people. Perhaps that is why you are here. If so, let us hasten to help you, for the journey is long and wearying until we find our course.
