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Sacred Passage and the Way of Nature formed the Sacred Land Trust to help protect and renew sacred places. We encourage activities that nurture the essence of the sacred in these places, such as Sacred Passages,Vision Quests, Meditating with Nature and Pilgrimages. Casual sightseeing and tourism are not appropriate to sacred places, and are discouraged.
All peoples from all cultures and backgrounds will be welcomed at these sacred sites, protected by the trust within the natural limits of the place. The inherent spiritual qualities of each site will determine its natural carrying capacity and wisest, most loving uses. Local councils, made up of those with deep experience of local sacred places' qualities will help guide the protection and renewal of each site. The initial lands formally dedicated under the trust are just north of the town of Crestone, Colorado. 
“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.”
-Abraham Lincoln
We are grateful for any and all assistance you may be willing and able to contribute to our work.
The following letter is John P. Milton's invitation for you to protect a private preserve called the Sacred Passage Sanctuary. Your contributions to the Sacred Land Trust are welcome. As many members of the Way of Nature Fellowship know, The Sacred Passage Sanctuary in Crestone, Colorado is one of the most extraordinary sacred sites in North America.
Dear Friends of Sacred Passage and the Way of Nature,
I have been deeply moved by all the wonderful times I've spent with you over the past few years. Attendance at many of our programs, particularly the special Sacred Passage teachings, has grown considerably. Each year, more and more people go through the Advanced Awareness Trainings and sacred wilderness experiences. Numerous visitors from many spiritual traditions are astounded by the special qualities they discover here. Indeed, our fellowship has experienced blessings and powerful transformation.
You are invited to take an active role in finalizing the preservation of the single most important land enjoyed by Sacred Passage participants and The Way of Nature fellowship, in Crestone, Colorado. The majority of our solo sites, as well as most of the region's ancient stone meditation seats, are located on 35 acres of privately held land, which has been generously made available to Sacred Passage participants for their Awareness Training and wilderness solos over the past two decades.
Now, more than ever, it is vital to protect and safe guard this world-class Sacred Place. As pressures from explosive population growth combined with short sighted political agendas and economic expediency undermine principles of land preservation, caring citizens must take action, while there is still time. To date, we have raised $112,500 towards the goal of $120,000 needed to purchase this precious land. We ask for your help. With only a few thousand dollars remaining to reach our goal, your contribution can be the one that makes all the difference. It is time to hold this property in trust now, and for generations of spiritual seekers to come.
In addition to this critical 35 acres, 2 additional parcels within the sacred site area have also been listed for sale. One of these parcels is a forty-acre mining claim adjacent to and just East of the lands we are committed to protect. The other site is a forty-acre parcel adjacent to and due west of lands we are currently securing. The estimated total cost of acquiring these two additional areas is $270,000. This amount, together with the balance of $7,500 needed for the Sanctuary property, brings the estimated total we need to raise immediately to $277,500.
Let me tell you a little about how important these sites are. Over the past twenty years, visitors have come to these lands from every continent on Earth, from virtually every state in our country. Elders and Shamans from many of North America's Indian Nations have also journeyed to our land on sacred pilgrimage. Many of them have come specifically to do Awareness Trainings with me, and receive the extraordinary transmissions from the meditation seats our Sacred Land Trust is trying to preserve. These visitors were preceded many thousands of years by countless spiritual seekers and shamans, who came to this precise area for their sacred ceremonies, prayers, meditation retreats and vision quests. I believe with our initial Sacred Land Trust protection of these Sacred Sites, we take a first definitive step towards committing our culture to protection and nurturance of Nature as the church, as the temple. We have done much to protect lands for wilderness, biodiversity, recreation, watershed protection and for wildlife, but until now we have never set aside natural land simply because it is Sacred. Given the overwhelming ecological crises now facing all the species with which we share this planet, the time is upon us to put our priorities in order and place our emotional energy and financial resources where they belong — protecting the original places of worship and spiritual opening that were created directly by Great Spirit and Nature. All peoples from all cultures and backgrounds are welcome at these sacred sites, protected by the Land Trust, always respecting the natural limits of the place. We encourage activities that nurture the essence of the sacred in these places, such as Sacred Passages, VisionQuests, Meditating with Nature and Spiritual Pilgrimages. Casual sightseeing and tourism are not appropriate to sacred places, and will be discouraged. The inherent spiritual qualities of each site will determine its natural carrying capacity and most loving uses always informed by reverence and wisdom. Local councils, made up of those with deep experience of local sites will help guide the protection and renewal of each sanctuary. Your assistance with our fund raising can make a crucial difference in helping heal the Earth and ourselves. Not only will you be helping preserve one of our Continent's greatest living natural temples, but you will also be helping create a crucial cultural model for our society: a model that will help protect such sacred natural places throughout our small, fragile, and incredibly beautiful planet. I feel it is imperative to act quickly and decisively. Since my arrival in Crestone, over twenty years ago, the town has grown from forty or fifty people to nearly a thousand. The cost of land in the area has been increasing exponentially as more and more people discover its extraordinary spiritual and natural qualities. If any of you can continue to help this vital work with time, money or your good prayers, all of Gaia will celebrate your kindness. May you walk in balance and beauty with each other, Great Spirit and Mother Earth, John P. Milton P.S. Some friends of the Way of Nature Fellowship have been designating our foundation, Threshold Inc., Sacred Land Trust, as their United Way benefactor. This is a wonderful option for those friends who work for companies participating in United Way. You can ask your United Way director how to write in your selection. Also give United Way the address for the Foundation listed below. Sacred Land Trust, Threshold, Inc. P.O. Box 3388, Tucson, AZ 85722 (tel: 877-818-1881) |
