Belonging & Interbeing
Belonging and inter-being
““The natural world is the larger sacred community to which we belong. To be alienated from this community is to become destitute in all that makes us human.””
““Human communities are the mysterious locations that higher spiritual entities move and sink into so as to work through individual human beings, just as the human soul works by means of the limbs in the body…This is the secret of the advancement of future humanity – to work out of communities.””
At Sacred Mountain Sanctuary, individuals are invited to reside and abide in their native intimacy with Earth, and enter an ensouled Presence to the living Universe.
In a culture where our capacities for inter-being have been diminished by a perceived separation of human beings from the natural world, there is a great need for Sacred spaces where the bond of intimacy with our living Universe can be renewed and reverenced. In practical, contemplative, and healing ways, SMS provides a space of Sanctuary where humans of all ages can explore their unique role in this shift and cultivate a sense of belonging and wellbeing, through inter-being with the land, water, animals and numinous vitality of our living Earth.
To take up residence in a Sanctuary is to live in sacred intimacy with the land and all life that it supports- whether humans, animals, plants, rocks, water, or the unseen elan vital that inspires, animates, and ensouls our Earthen community. Residing full or part time at SMS is akin to living in a monastic or practice community, where residents strive to reflect the values of Sanctuary in practical, everyday ways. Although SMS has no specific affiliation with a single spiritual or religious tradition, short and longer term residents here are deeply connected to one another through mutual devotion to the vitality of the whole that supports oneself and all living beings. SMS offers a variety of immersive pathways to reside in the sanctity and beauty of our Sanctuary.
Eco-Contemplative Hermitage
Sacred Mountain Sanctuary invites individuals who are working within the vital streams of eco-contemplative tradition to enjoy a short term ‘hermitage’ residency in our Sanctuary. Residencies are hosted in rustic dwellings nestled within a Sanctuary of peace and privacy where communion between the individual and the natural world is supported. Our wish is for those who experience an eco-contemplative hermitage in the Sanctuary to carry with them an abiding sense of wonder and inter-being that inspires a lifetime of meaningful, mutually enhancing participation in Earth’s living community.
Click on the button to learn more and apply for an eco-contemplative residency.
Sanctum Wellness
Sanctum Wellness & Hermitage are impulses currently in development, which envision a restorative wellness respite & contemplative hermitage, including a garden inspired by Hildegarde of Bingen, access to the Living Library and engagement of partitioner facilitated services. In recognition of the latent, potent abilities of each individual human being, Sanctum will honor the sovereignty of each individual’s pathway to inner resilience, vibrant health and homeostasis. Sanctum will facilitate and provide sacred spaces within which self-directed, self-selected practices, modalities, and healing ways can be engaged. Economic accessibility is central to Sanctum’s guiding ethos, & Sanctum will thus develop a provider network & endowment that supports access to all who need it. Sanctum Wellness & Hermitage are currently in development, but as of 2025, Sanctum practitioners are currently hosting private, invitation-only experiences to refine protocols.
Sacred Mountain Residential Community
The residents of Sacred Mountain Sanctuary Community endeavor to reflect the values of Sanctuary in their presence to everyday life. To reside in a Sanctuary, is to abide in durational reverence for the land and all life that it supports. Living and house-holding at SMS is an opportunity to practice Presence- in one’s relationships with self, others, and the natural world, each and every day.
Sacred Mountain Animal Sanctuary
Sacred Mountain Sanctuary & 3 Hares Farm are a home for sheep, rabbits, bees, chickens, longhorn cows, dogs, cats, and an abundance of wildlife native to the Southern Appalachian Mountains. In keeping with our mission to provide a space of inter-communion and Sanctuary for all living beings, we honor a covenant to do no harm to the animals that reside within Sacred Mountain Sanctuary. We also encourage and facilitate human-animal communion through therapeutic, educational and contemplative animal programs and experiences.
