SANCTUARY HOUSE ('Bapu's Ashram in America')

• Purpose

     Founded in 1992, Sanctuary House exists to offer to those who come to visit and retreat, a beautiful and authentic place where spirituality abounds and the major religious paths of our planet meet together in full respect. Sanctuary House attests to the underlying harmony among the seemingly diverse religious traditions, and subcutaneously states that peace on Earth will not result until there is mutual admiration of all religious traditions.

    Sanctuary House exists for meditation and prayer, for silence and the peace that passes all understanding, as well as for sustainability and community.
Visitors are most welcome at Sanctuary House and at our website at www.sanctuaryhouse.org.

    If you have any queries, you can phone William or Barbara at (719) 256-4420 or send them an email at william@sanctuaryhouse.org

• Founders: Vishnu Datta and Bala Devi (William & Barabara Howell)

    In October 1999, during Bapu' only visit thus far to America, Sanctuary House in Crestone, Colorado, was one of Bapu's main destinations. Indeed, it was the location of the only retreat which Bapu offered during his USA sojourn. It was there that he consecration the Hindu/Vedic Shrine Room and gave William and Barbara Howell, the founders of Sanctuary House, their spiritual names: Vishnu Datta and Bala Devi. And, during their 2002 pilgrimage to India and Girnar Sadhana Ashram, Bapu gave Vishnu Datta and Bala Devi 'diksa' (initiation as swamis). And it was also during that time with Bapu that he called Sanctuary House his 'Ashram in America.'

    Vishnu Datta and Bala Devi came to this mantra in 1989, and in 1997 met Bapu, who was more than happy that their root tradition was mystical Christianity. The Howells, who founded Sanctuary House in 1996 and have been building it to its current status from 1996 to 2002, feel they have been greatly blessed to have met true adepts in each of the world's major spiritual traditions. Thus, Sanctuary House has four shrine rooms-Jewish/Christian, Buddhist/Zen, Hindu/Vedic and Sufi/Muslim-circling the non-theological event of the Labyrinth of Chartres laid out in its original dimensions (42'+ in diameter).

    Sanctuary House is the home of HARI OM TATSAT JAI GURU DATTA activity in America, offering retreats, dhun and dhyan. Please visit the Sanctuary House web page at www.sanctuaryhouse.org.