Our Why/Concept:

The idea behind our Spiritual Retreat "Coming Home" is to elicit the knowingness that lives deep within your soul.

The knowingness that says, "I am connected to everything and everyone."

Abundance, connection, love, and joy are your birthright.

It is time we put aside the priorities of the "real world" and step deeply into the sacredness of our truest priority: love.

Love is the connection between our two worlds: Spirit and Human. The Heart Center is our portal to freedom and awakening. This experience is about taking your version of "Coming Home" into your hands and sinking deeply into your Truth. Whether that means connecting with the group externally or diving in internally.

All are welcome & your home awaits...

Location:

Hidden deep in a secluded mountain cove in the Pisgah National Forest, 35 minutes north of Asheville, Mountain Light Sanctuary is a mini Shangri-La nestled in the world of nature.

Bordered by two cascading creeks and ringed by the highest mountains in the eastern USA, its energy and ambiance are purely magical.

The Sanctuary is a gateway between the human world of “busy” and “doing” and the natural world of harmony and “being.” It is a departure point for exploring hundreds of miles of trails meandering through the half million acres of National Forest, or inner explorations from your own special spot under an ancient hemlock, on a mossy rock amid the ferns, or in a secluded grotto beside the creek.

Mountain Light Sanctuary is located six miles from Barnardsville, North Carolina, 34 miles north and east of Asheville. Asheville is a very special city; a jewel in the heart of the mountains of western North Carolina and one of the most progressive cities in the south. It has been called the Sedona of the east because of its spiritual energy and the San Francisco of the East because of its vibrant diversity and cultural life.

Accomodations:

Mountain Light Sanctuary offers an eclectic variety of accommodations. Electricity is available in the Hermitage, the Treehouse, Oconaluftee, Frodos, the Balihouse, Amitaba and GardenView. Some of our accommodations have 3-walls and some have 4-walls. Most sitting amongst the sounds of rustled leaves and the rolling river. In addition to the toilet & shower in the Lodge, Mountain Light Sanctuary has an outdoor composting toilet and shower. Each of the outdoor shelters include a portable potty for night use and beds with foam mattresses and pillows with guests bringing their own linen, blankets or sleeping bags.

With different lodging accommodations available we are selecting housing options based on a first-come-first-serve basis, in conjunction with meeting as many needs as possible.

Each individual and couple will have their own accommodation (cabin). This will allow for complete privacy and alone time, with exclusion of the cabins that have 3-walls… you’ll be sharing your space amongst Mama Nature!

Travel & Transportation:

Enter into GPS, 1453 Dillingham Road, Barnardsville, NC. 28709. This is one mile from the Sanctuary.  It is a brick house; the last house on the right before the end of the pavement another 100 feet.  At the end of the pavement, BEAR LEFT and cross a small bridge and come on to a gravel national forest road.  (Don't go right past the mail boxes on to Walker Creek road). After you cross the small bridge, continue on the gravel national forest road for about a half mile until you come to a “road closed” sign. Turn right here and it will bring you a half mile back to the Sanctuary. After you cross our bridge you will see the parking area on your right.

Asheville is the closest airport to the Sanctuary. If you are flying into Asheville, the Asheville airport is about 45 minutes to an hour from the Sanctuary, depending on the time of day and traffic. Ubering to the Sanctuary is a great option if you are flying into Asheville. You can also catch an airport shuttle to Barnardsville (6 miles from the Sanctuary) for $45 each way and we can pick you up in Barnardsville. Further communication will be needed in order to coordinate this for you. Transportation to and from the bus station in Asheville is $40 round trip.

Investment:

The price of $999 is inclusive of everything but travel. Meals, lodging, activities, etc. are all included. Payment can be made through installments via Affirm or one payment via Paypal or credit/debit card.

Itinerary:

Thursday 8/18/22

3-5 pm: Arrival

5 pm: Welcoming Ceremony

6 pm: Dinner

730 pm: Intention Setting Ceremony

Friday 8/19/22

8 am: Morning Meditation & Yoga Flow

930 am: Breakfast

1030 am: Hiking Excursion/Forest Bathing

1 pm: Lunch

230 pm: Throat Activation Workshop

330 pm: Cacao Ceremony

415 pm: Eye Gazing Workshop

515 pm: Free Time

630 pm: Dinner

730 pm: Collective Circle

Saturday 8/20/22

8 am: Morning Meditation & Yoga Flow

930 am: Breakfast

1030 am: Hiking Excursion/Forest Bathing

1 pm: Lunch

2 pm: Free Time

4 pm: Breathwork Workshop

5 pm: Healing Your Inner Child / Body Painting Workshop

6 pm: Dinner

730 pm: Fire Ceremony

745 pm: Shamanic Drumming & Ecstatic Dance

Sunday 8/21/22

8 am: Morning Meditation & Yoga Flow

930 am: Breakfast

1030 am: Closing Ceremony

1 pm: Lunch

2 pm: Departure

What To Bring:

- Clothing (4 Days)

• Long sleeves
• Short sleeves
• Pants
• Shorts
• Socks
• Undergarmets 
• Yoga clothes/work out clothes
• Clothes you don’t mind getting dirty in!
• Bathing suit or birthday suite for the creek

- Shoes

• Sandals
• Hiking boots and/or sneakers
• Water shoes (if wanted)

- Bedding **

• Pillow
• Pillow case
• Sheet/comforter
• Fitted sheet - queen or twin size
• OR a sleeping bag & no bedding needed

- Toiletries

• 2-3 towels**
• Medication: Allergy, pain relief, itch relief
• Shampoo/conditioner/body soap

- Extra Must Haves

• Flashlight or lantern & extra batteries if needed
• Bug spray
• Sunscreen
• Yoga mat
• Journal

- Extras

• Drum 
• Camera
• Chargers
• Blanket to sit on
• Extra food/snacks and cooler if needed (Fridge will be used to store meals that will be used for all guests)
• Poncho/raincoat
• Fan
• Baby wipes
• Camping chair
• Book
• Crystals

**: If you are flying into Asheville and don’t have room to bring your bedding and towels, we will work out some arrangements.

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FAQ:

Check-In/Check-Out:

Checking-in: We do not have a ‘front desk’ for check-in. Once you have parked, come up to the Lodge and ring the bell on the post at the corner of the deck and we will greet you and give you an orientation and get you settled into your accommodation.

Hopefully you will be arriving before dark.  If not, be sure to bring a flashlight to get you from the parking area to your accommodation.  Once you cross our old wooden bridge, you will see a loading sign and a colorful windsock on your right about 100 feet up the road. You can back into this area to unload your luggage directly into our luggage cart, the Gnomemobile.

Your accommodation should be ready no later than 3 pm and often sooner if no one was in it the night before. We greet guests up until 10 pm. After that, we leave a note on the front door with directions to your accommodation and will see you the next morning.

Checking-out: We ask that you pack up by 1 pm so we can prepare your accommodation for the incoming guests.  You are certainly welcome to spend the rest of the day and enjoy the grounds even after packing up. This being said, on Sunday it would be best to pack up your things prior to heading out in the morning for morning meditation and yoga flow at 8 am

Location:

Enter into GPS, 1453 Dillingham Road, Barnardsville, NC. 28709. This is one mile from the Sanctuary.  It is a brick house; the last house on the right before the end of the pavement another 100 feet.  At the end of the pavement, BEAR LEFT and cross a small bridge and come on to a gravel national forest road.  (Don't go right past the mail boxes on to Walker Creek road). After you cross the small bridge, continue on the gravel national forest road for about a half mile until you come to a “road closed”sign. Turn right here and it will bring you a half mile back to the Sanctuary. After you cross our bridge you will see the parking area on your right.

Bathroom:

We have two indoor toilets in the lodge and one permanent outdoor composting toilet, as well as one indoor shower and one outdoor private shower. In addition to this we have mobile composting toilets that are in or near each accommodation for night use.

Food & Water:

Our water comes from a small spring on the mountainside and is gravity fed into the house.  It's great water so you can drink directly from the tap so it is not necessary to bring bottled water.

Meals will be provided throughout your stay. All meals will be vegan and will accommodate your dietary restrictions. 

Thursday night dinner will be served. Friday and Saturday we will have breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Sunday we will have breakfast and lunch. However, all guests have full use of the kitchen at the Lodge, including pots & pans, dishes, cutlery, pantry space and refrigerators.

We have two refrigerators shared by all guests. If you have more than a half-shelf of refrigerator items it would be good to bring a cooler.

Internet:

The Sanctuary has high speed wi-fi internet available so you may bring your laptop to keep up with necessary business or personal concerns.

Cell Service:

Most cell phones do not work at the Sanctuary, but you are welcomed to use the house phone as needed. We have unlimited long distance service, only requesting that guests limit calls to 15 minutes or less. The number for the Sanctuary is 828-626-3966 if you wish to leave it with family members in case of an emergency.

Health Concerns:

Given the current situation and because our indoor kitchen and bathrooms are communal, we invite you to bring anything with you that would make you feel more secure. The Sanctuary will have free masks available upon request. We have an open-air kitchen on the back porch and a charcoal grill and running water at the Council House if you want to bring your own cooking utensils and have more of a camping experience for any elas you wish to have outside of what will be provided.  In addition to the indoor bathroom, we also have the outdoor composting toilet.

It probably goes without saying but if you are showing symptoms of CV19 or have been exposed to others who have tested positive or are showing symptoms, please delay your visit to the Sanctuary as we are trying our best to protect both guests and residents.

Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Drugs:

Firearms, weapons, liquor and illegal drugs are inconsistent with the frequency at the Sanctuary and we kindly ask that they not be brought on to the property. In deference to other guests, we ask that tobacco users step off of the property to smoke. While guests are welcome to have wine and beer with their meals in the cafe, we ask that there be no drinking out on the grounds, in the accommodations nor, especially, around the campfires and no hard liquor. The Sanctuary is not an appropriate place for recreational or addictive alcohol or drug use.

Children & Pets:

Children and pets will not be allowed at the Sanctuary during our stay. If you have an ESA you are most definitely permitted to bring him or her with you. Please reach out if this is the case as it is an extra $15/night for your stay.

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Other Safety Concerns:

While the Sanctuary is for the most part a very safe place, there are a few things to be aware of:

• Use Your Flashlight: There is the possibility of tripping and falling by walking at night between buildings without a flashlight, so please walk with care after dark.
• Open Flames: Please do not use any open flame candles. All candles should be in a glass container.
• Plants: We don’t have poison ivy on the property but there is stinging nettle in some places bordering the Sanctuary. It produces a very temporary minor itch. If you aren’t familiar with it, ask to have it pointed out to you, especially if you will be hiking in the forest. And by the way, it is also deliciously edible when cooked!
• Shoes: Recycling in the mountains, in past generations, was often a matter of how far you could throw containers from the house. For this reason, from time to time we still find broken glass in the gardens, along the property bordering the Sanctuary and on the trail down to the swimming hole. For this reason, we recommend wearing shoes if you are off the grassy area.
• Hiking: The Sanctuary borders over a half million acres of national forest and offers incredible opportunities for hiking, camping and enjoying the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains. In terms of safety, we encourage you to either hike with a companion or let someone know which trail you are taking if you choose to do this in your free time outside of our group hikes. As long as you stay on a trail there should be no problem. The greatest risks in the forest are injuries from falls or getting lost.
• Swimming: We have a nice swimming hole adjacent to the Sanctuary property. OK, the creek isn’t really big enough to actually swim in, but the water – flowing directly out of the national forest – is clear and icy cold. It's a great place to take a refreshing dip on a hot day.
• We try to live in a way which is respectful of one another, the Earth, our neighbors and our community life. To this end, we invite you to be mindful of the following guidelines.                                                               
• In order to ensure the privacy of guests, residents and neighbors, please do not venture onto the private property which borders the south and west sides of the Sanctuary.
• We endeavor to live in harmony with the land and at peace with all creation. Please help us respect the life of the animals, plants and insects.
• Please respect the land and help us keep it free of trash and debris. We especially ask smokers to properly dispose of filters.
• In order to maintain a quiet and peaceful atmosphere, we ask that radios, ‘TVs, firearms, weapons and illegal drugs not be brought into the Sanctuary.
• We recycle glass & plastic containers, cans and grocery bags, and ask guests to be mindful of this. 
•  What about mosquitoes and other insects? Fortunately we have very few mosquitoes. From late May until the end of July, on some nights, we may have noseeums’ just about dusk which can produce an itchy bite, but much milder than a mosquito. You can wear long sleeves in the cool evenings or bring bug spray.
• Are there poisonous animals or plants to be concerned about? The Sanctuary is a safe haven for wildlife. We have rabbits, squirrels, birds, raccoons and snakes, including a couple of five foot black snakes which are quite harmless (unless you are a mouse). While there are poisonous snakes (copperhead and rattlers) in these mountains, they are very rare and we have never seen either on the property. It is said that if you have black snakes around, you won’t have poisonous snakes.