The Sanctuary of the Morning Light is an imaginary place in the mountains of western North America.
A small covered platform on a rocky ridge, an entry arch, and a boundary marked by old climbing ropes. Across the valley, a higher ridge, and beyond that, snow-capped peaks.
It’s a place of stillness and silence.
It became a "reality" from a simple thought I had more than ten years ago: Wouldn’t it be great if there was a special place in the mountains where a person could sit quietly for a while and not be disturbed by the clatter and chatter of other hikers and climbers? Where a person could sit comfortably on a small bench or platform and contemplate the surrounding world. Or meditate. Or just sit there. Just be.
Of course, many religious and spiritual retreat centres offer stillness and silence. Many have open spaces for meditation among trees and gardens. So do a variety of expensive spas. But this idea was about a very simple place, free and open to everyone—for an hour, a morning, or a day. Not a resort where the natural scenery is a backdrop to massages, facials, manicures and pedicures, gourmet (weight loss diet) meals and a week of pampered luxury. It was to be a place of stillness and silence, where a person could be, for a short span of time at least, at one with the world.
When I wasn’t busy at work or other activities, I gradually developed a story to go with that idea, one that reflected my environmental concerns at the time. As the years passed, the world changed as it always does, and though the basic environmental basis of the story never lost its relevance, I felt that the evolving story was being overtaken by events and larger concerns. Along the way, an array of questions arose. The more I wrote, the more pressing they were, and the writing process was extended even longer. Somehow, I had to include them in the story.
Starting from a simple environmental protest action, the story became a journey of exploration that is described in the eight chapters of Sanctuary of the Morning Light found throughout this website. In the form of an an oral history, they describe the creation of the Sanctuary, the philosophy of its creators, their activities and celebrations. Since I wasn’t planning to discuss the state of the world, Sanctuary of the Morning Light doesn’t provide answers to all the questions that arose, but it does address a wide range of inter-connected environmental, social, and spiritual issues.
Only after I’d finished writing did I realize that the journey pretty much follows the trajectory of Joseph Campbell’s mythic hero: an inspiration for action, a journey into the unknown, trials and tribulation, unexpected help, the successful achievement of their primary goal, and a return to their starting point with a message of hope for the world. It says what politicians are unwilling to say: The planet cannot sustain a global economic system based on continual growth. It says what religious leaders cannot say: Living in harmony with the natural environment and with everyone else in the world is more important than trying to impose beliefs on others. It’s a message of tolerance, compassion, and new possibilities that the world urgently needs to consider.
Blaise Pascal, back in the 17th Century, suggested the best way to propose an idea was to make people wish it was true and then show them how it could be true. That’s what I’ve tried to do.
When plans for a "world class" luxury resort in Skyline National Park are announced, a small group of climbers, skiers, and environmentalists protest in a different way. On a ridge just inside the Park, they aim to create a small "sanctuary" as an example of what should be in a National Park.
The rationale for the sanctuary and the development of the sanctuary concept are described in Chapter One: Vision. (
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At the heart of my concerns when I began writing Sanctuary of the Morning Light was a large issue: our (human) relationship with the planet. I felt that the environmental message was being heard, but not acted upon. Despite years of research and effort trying to bring attention to environmental issues, environmentalists have not managed to convince governments or the larger public to take meaningful action. There have been scattered successes, and a wide range of environmental legislation has been enacted in recent years. Environmental awareness has never been higher. But overall action to deal with environmental issues still seems extremely limited in relation to the increasing seriousness of those issues.
Among the many reasons for this state of affairs, there’s one that has serious long-term implications and is not yet an integral part of the discussion of environmental issues:
We, the human population of the developed nations, are losing contact with the natural world.
And when we lose contact with the natural world, we ignore how much pleasure we get from it and we forget how much we depend on it. We destroy it in the name of progress and in acts of casual carelessness. That destruction—through narrowly-defined economic growth and greed, the demands of a still-expanding global population, and the likely impacts of global warming—threatens the peaceful evolution of human civilization and may stop human civilization in its tracks as people and nations fight for the last scraps of food, the last drops of water, and the last breath of clean air.
It’s time for us, as individuals, to re-connect to the natural world.
It’s time for us, as individuals, to find our inner strength and sense of purpose.
It’s time for all of us to work together to establish a new relationship between humans and the natural world that sustains all life on this planet.
And the Sanctuary of the Morning Light? It’s a place to start.
A small shelter, a sitting bench—a sanctuary—is a gateway to the natural world.
A designated piece of land in a natural setting where people can sit quietly, and in their own way, make a physical, mental, and spiritual connection to the natural world.
A small, protected natural area.
A refuge from the encroachment of the world.
A fueling station for the human spirit.
A visible sign of respect and concern for the natural environment.
A commitment to protecting the natural environment.
A focal point for community celebrations and environmental action.
Above all, a natural sanctuary is a place for everyone. A place for people of all faiths, all cultures, and all nationalities.
A natural sanctuary can be:
A designated space in an already established protected area, e.g., a national, provincial, or state park, or a wildlife area.
A designated space in a natural area not far from town or city.
A designated space in a city or suburban park.
Part of the landscaping in a new building, even downtown.
A green space on reclaimed industrial land.
A ‘guerrilla’ garden space.
It could even be a small, special space where you live.
Basically, a natural sanctuary needs only two elements: a place to sit and a natural setting. It’s not a temple or shrine. It needs no offerings, no decorations, but there’s nothing wrong with having them.
In a natural setting, there may be space to for two people to sit side by side or a structure in which ten people or more can sit. The scenery does not have to be spectacular. A flower garden or a grove of trees in a city park could be possible sites. Similarly, a sanctuary could be beside a meadow, pond, or river, on a stretch of shoreline or face a desert vista.
A sheltering structure need be little more than four posts and a roof.
Ideally, a sanctuary is a place of silence, but clearly that’s not always possible in a city or urban setting. In that case, it helps to focus one’s mind, without strenuous effort, on something close by, and take time for the sounds of the city to fade away.
Where a natural setting is not easily available, a living organism such as a flower, plant, or small tree, or even something inanimate such as a piece of driftwood, some sea shells or pebbles, or a special stone can be a focus for contemplation and meditation.
A natural sanctuary is not a wildlife reserve, a bird sanctuary, or a recreation area. It’s not a picnic spot or campsite, a viewpoint for photography, or a tourist destination.
The success of a natural sanctuary in a public place, and the full enjoyment of each visit, depends on the co-operative and sharing attitude of all visitors. It helps to keep in mind the Golden Rule: If you don’t like being disturbed while sitting, do everything you can to avoid disturbing others.
The Sanctuary of the Morning Light is fictional. It’s idealized, but still realistic and practical. In real life, a sanctuary can be whatever you want it to be. The only limits are those of your own creativity.
Creation of the sanctuary is a protest action; it isn’t done through the regular channels. Building a small structure is easy enough; getting it onto the ridge without attracting attention is another matter. It involves careful timing, near misses, extra help, alpine starts, and dark descents.
Adventures in the construction of the Sanctuary are described in Chapter Two: Quest. ( (343Kb)
To help us slow down and reduce stress in our lives.
To help us to find a few moments of natural peace and serenity.
To enable us to evaluate our personal health and strength, or lack of it.
To help us review the values and purpose of a life shaped by the promise of more of everything, the desire for more of everything, the need for more of everything.
To help us build up inner strength and confidence to deal with issues in our lives and in the world around us.
To enable us to look beyond ourselves, at the natural world around us.
To bring the natural world into our lives.
To remind us that we depend on the natural world for the sources of life itself: food, water, and air.
To show that we value the natural environment.
To help us develop a spiritual attitude that offers a path to a positive future for all human beings and all other forms of life.
It’s time to connect, or re-connect with the natural world around us. By raising our personal awareness of the natural environment—the pleasure it brings, and the basic human needs it meets—we may be able to do a better job of protecting it.
Creating the Sanctuary of the Morning Light is only one small element in the campaign to protect the integrity of the National Park. It’s a slightly different form of protest action, and the Sanctuary is definitely a new element in a National Park, but once it’s established, it has to be defended.
Can innovation and initiative win out over entrenched bureaucracy and red tape? What might be possible in a world where creativity and common sense are considered important? The discovery and defence of the Sanctuary are described in Chapter Three: Challenge. ( (389Kb)
If you have any comments, advice, questions or criticism, I’d be happy to start a dialogue with anyone interested in the issues discussed on this and the following pages. You can reach me via e-mail at
Gordon Skyring
