The Spiritual Aspect of Healing

Spirit and Will are closely connected; if our Spirits are not deeply invested in something we will not long have the Will to do it. Thus, for any healing to have a lasting effect, our Spirits or Souls must be as involved in the healing process as any other part of our being. There are as many ways of investing in our own wellness spiritually as there are spiritual paths. Each of these paths will have certain features in common with other paths, because all true spiritualities are founded upon Universal Truths. Where paths differ is in the cultural contexts or filters through which they are presented. We must each choose the path, culture or filter that is right for us.

In order for us to centre spiritually, we must first acknowledge that there is some "higher power" or authority. It does not actually matter how we define this power, or what we call it; whether we envision it as a wellspring of conscious energy from and to which everything flows, or whether we see it as hosts of angels and a Creator. What is important is that we acknowledge that we are not omnipotent and that there are forces more powerful than we who can support us in various ways, if we petition them appropriately and are willing to give something back in exchange for what we receive.

While we do insist upon tolerance for each person's way of comprehending the higher powers in Creation, we do not propose an eclectic approach, because eclectic practices, by their very nature, omit important safeguards that are inherent to singular spiritual paths and traditions. These omissions make otherwise safe practices, unsafe. Therefore we urge you to find a concept or path that will serve you without having to 'borrow' bits from other mystical, spiritual, or magical systems or traditions to 'fill in the gaps' or accommodate other beliefs you might hold. As your practice becomes more specific to you, it will acquire its own 'customs and culture'. It's details will become unique to you, just as the details of each spiritual path are unique.

We offer training in foundation techniques that are basic to most native spiritualities, and which lie at the roots of mainstream religions, but in a form that is specific to none of them. The procedure is comprised of several sections:

Spiritual Centring
($65 per person for each section as a 1-day workshop; $240 per person as a 4-day Weekend Workshop, minimum enrolment required.)

Day 1: Spiritual Ablutions
  • Clearing
  • Grounding & Centring
  • Shielding
Day 2: Petitioning Spirit
  • Connecting with Spirit Guides or Sources
  • Reaffirming our kinship with them and testing their verity
  • Asking for blessing and guidance
Day 3: Knowing & Transforming Ourselves
  • Revisiting the question of who we essentially are, our light and our darkness
  • Discovering unhealthy patterns of thought and emotion that form negative physical energy patterns leading to imbalance and illness
  • Creating a map for change
  • Following our map as a way to transform and heal ourselves
Day 4: Ways of Giving Back
  • Payment
  • "Paying it forward"
  • Volunteerism (Community Service)

These basic concepts form the foundation for Avalonian spiritual practice, but also for nearly all religions, mysticisms, and spiritualities past and present. Each has its own special system for bringing its members through these phases of healing and development. Here we will teach you a 'generic' method that can be used by anyone, provided they are willing to acknowledge their own connection to Source and to Creation, as well as a 'higher power' in some form. More importantly, we will also teach you why these steps are necessary, why we do them as we do them, and why it's important not to tinker with the methods one learns.
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On Compensation for Spiritual Teachings

The argument that "spiritual knowledge is acquired for free and so should be shared free of charge" is a good one, provided it is true. However, it is an argument commonly made by people asking others for free training, and seldom by people offering to teach others free of charge. Even those well meaning souls who hope to direct people away from spiritual charlatanism are not opposed to charging for their own books or attending their own lectures and events, despite that they do make money from them. Why? Because the cost of purchase is small compared with the cost of acquiring the information ourselves. Therefore, here is our view --

  • If someone has attained enlightenment and acquired spiritual training for free, and it is costing them nothing to share that wisdom, by all means they should share it with others free of charge. However, for anyone who actually knows anything this will seldom be the case. Here is why:

We no longer grow up in 'natural societies' imbibing native worldviews. For most of us, learning an authentic ancestral path will mean going wherever that spirituality thrives. Usually this entails extended travel abroad at one's own expense. Our training required us to study and practice for extended periods abroad, in the UK and France. Living abroad is not inexpensive, even without paying Mentors, and modern societies do not easily accommodate Novitiates or Apprenticeships. The average Mentor cannot afford to house, feed, and teach you for free. Consequently, we must learn at our own expense.

  • Why should Mentors be expected to subsidize other people's spiritual journeys after paying for their own?

There is a balance between robbing the Seeker and robbing the Mentor. At the balance point, the  Seeker gets the benefit of the Mentor's work at a far lower cost than they would incur on their own, and the Mentor is compensated sufficiently to allow her or him to continue teaching others. In our view, that is a fair balance. Certainly, we could never hope to live a life of luxury from this work; if we are charging fairly, all we may reasonably hope is to pay the ongoing expense of handing it down to others. Anyone who has traveled abroad will know what it costs and should know whether the requested fee is reasonable or exorbitant, and anyone who has not traveled abroad can easily find out. As for local offerings, look to the average price set by other mentors and teachers. The fee should be in line with that of other local offerings.

Spiritual training should be a reciprocal relationship in which both parties benefit. While it is important to protect ourselves from being cheated, we should not become cheats ourselves during the process. We encourage you to inform yourself before making a commitment to any form of spiritual mentoring or training. Satisfy yourself that you will be learning from well-informed, well-balanced people, and that you will be paying a fair rate for what you learn. If you feel a fee is too high, don't harass people with haggling. Look elsewhere. If they are charging too much you will likely find more ethical, trustworthy mentors some place else. If your search proves fruitless, then perhaps they weren't overcharging after all.

Summary

The Sanctuary offers training in basic, universal techniques for affecting spiritual healing and promoting spiritual growth. These techniques have been adapted to work with almost any belief system, and almost any belief system may be used with them, provided it is complete in itself. We discourage people from using eclectic approaches to this work, and ask that participants not indulge in eclectic approaches while participating in our workshops. If you must put yourself at risk, please do it under conditions where you will not be involving (or exposing) others to the consequences of your choice against their wills. The Sanctuary charges the smallest fee we can manage and still offset the cost of continuing to provide these services. We feel that is fair, but ask you to think for yourself and come to your own decisions. If after considering the matter you feel that one of our programmes would best meet your needs, we will welcome hearing from you. You may apply to enroll by submitting the convenient online form and sending in your fee payment. We look forward to hearing from you!
"When we are off-balance, we know instinctively that we are vulnerable. This is as true on the spiritual, emotional, and psychological levels as it is on the physical level...

The sapling is flexible and yields to the storm; while the brittle tree snaps into a pile of kindling; which is the stronger?"  ~Traditional

"A tree may look healthy even as its heart is devoured; while its outward form is fair we do not suspect the rot within, yet the tree is dying all the same." ~Morgaine
"Spiritual health is not a weekend occupation; it is a journey that unfolds every moment of every day. Every thought, every choice has the potential to send us in a new direction...

Most people cleanse their bodies, but few cleanse their souls."  ~Traditional

"Most people hide behind the conceit that the only reality is visible reality, while simultaneously spending fortunes to protect themselves from invisible microbes. By the time science approves an instrument capable of seeing Spirit, the whole world will be infected." ~Morgaine
Traditional Wisdoms