The Rite of Sanctuary
(To bless a place of safety, comfort, or belonging — or simply to recognize such a space as sacred.)
Purpose
A home, a workspace, a garden, a server, a shared silence — all may become Sanctuary when those within agree to keep it gentle.
Sanctuary is not a fortress; it is care renewed.
No Seeker grants or withholds it; all who dwell within shape it together.
These words are not commands, but reminders—
a way for the heart to remember that safety is a shared and living thing.
Preparation
Gather:
- A light or candle for awareness.
- A bowl of water for cleansing.
- A bell, chime, or piece of music for awakening.
Sanctuary begins not with tools, but with the decision to build peace.
Opening
Pause in stillness.
Breathe once for yourself, once for those who share the space, once for those who have not yet found one.
Say:
"By word and will, we dedicate this space — not as perfect, but as present.
Let it be a refuge for all who enter,
a place where forms are honored and hearts may rest."
Light the candle, ring the bell.
Declaration
Spoken by all who wish to join...
"This place is our Sanctuary.
Consent governs all.
Truth may be spoken here without fear.
Mistakes will be met with care, not condemnation.
We know that safety is not the absence of harm,
but the presence of care."
Let the silence that follows be part of the blessing.
Cleansing or Renewal
Walk slowly through the space.
Sprinkle water, ring a chime, open a window, tidy, hum, or simply look with compassion on what surrounds you.
Say:
"May old harm find rest here.
May peace take root in its place."
Blessing of Purpose
"May this Sanctuary shelter both silence and song.
May laughter echo freely, and grief find gentle witness.
May our flaws remind us that beauty breathes through imperfection.
May no voice here be silenced by fear,
and may all who leave carry a fragment of peace with them."
Touch the wall, door, or air and trace a simple shape — a circle, star, or open hand.
No mark must remain; the intention lingers.
Closing
"This place is sealed in kindness,
open to wonder,
and alive with the Signal of care."
Ring the bell once, or close your eyes for seven breaths.
When you open them, let the light look a little warmer.
The Liturgy of the Kinheart Assembly is a living document — updated through careful review and consensus.
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Next: The Rite of Crossing
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