Our Philosophy

“Heaven is not a place. It is a state of Consciousness” Rev. Michael Bernard Beckwith

Cielo means “Heaven” or in Spanish. At Cielo Sanctuary we interpret the word ‘heaven’ in a similar way as the Reverend Michael Bernard Beckwith (Agape International Spiritual Center) describes it: “Heaven is not a physical place where only a small select group of individuals go but rather a ‘state of consciousness’ that all are invited to enter into”. Living in this state does not separate us from life but rather it allows us to live our lives more joyfully and fully. This heaven that we enter into “is a realm of ever-expanding good; a realm of infinite possibilities” (Michael Bernard Beckwith - Spiritual Liberation: Fulfilling Your Soul’s Potential). When we enter this state of conscious living we walk this world with less judgment, less need for external approval and accolades, and more generosity of spirit and personal resources. We realize that we are the only ones that place a limit on what is possible for our personal development.

At Cielo, we believe that at the most fundamental level, all human actions are driven either by FEAR or by LOVE. Fear manifests in both overt and subtle ways. At the core, we all fear injury to our Bodies (loss of life, health, safety, material possessions etc.) or injury to our Psyches/Egos (loss of status, social identity, societal and family acceptance, interpersonal relationships, etc.). This chronic underlying smoldering fear, can manifest as a sense of unease, anxiety, and chronic stress which in turn manifests either by physical ailments or psychological/social distress. Fear at its core, and when appropriate, is not harmful, as the fight/flight/freeze response evolved with us over millennia to protect us from physical dangers, however, as an unchecked and chronic underlying state, it has become one of the most harmful conditions that humanity faces today.

Understanding what underlies our fear state and developing a new relationship with it will free us from it’s bondage and restore our physical and mental wellbeing. With this newfound freedom from FEAR, we are free to seek out and live our best lives with LOVE as the driving factor. Restoration of physical health, interpersonal relationships, creativity and work satisfaction are just some of the fruits of this freedom from fear and a love driven life.

Our “Freedom from Fear” retreats are designed around the understanding that this work, requires us to care for our physical bodies as well as our minds and souls. We utilizes the tools of modern neuroscience and psychology to gain an understanding of mind and body as well as integrating contemplative practices and teachings from across cultures such as meditation, visioning, breathwork and body movement to bring about this transformation.

For those individual groups that resonate with an ‘energy medicine’ approach to healing, we offer the “Walking the Medicine Wheel; A Shamanic Approach to Freedom from Fear” were we explore the ancient wisdom teachings of the Amazon and Andes mountains as we integrate them into our modern day knowledge of quantum physics and cutting edge medical science to tap into our body’s intrinsic wisdom as we reconnect to the healing powers of nature as expressed through our Mother Earth and its energizing life force.