As a part of our "Sanctuary of the Heart" series, we invite you to join our inaugural call exploring the theme of 'Welcoming Strangers'.  During these times with tension and divisions in many places, how might we can meet the world with compassionate hearts and openness to new perspectives? Through music, spiritual practices, stories, and renowned thought leaders, the Sanctuary invites us to sit with the tension of our daily challenges, and trust in the guidance of our collective wisdom.

Can we greet "others" as friends we haven't yet met? Can I "honor the place within you where, if you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us"? Is the world, at large, a fundamentally loving place? What inspires humans to reach across boundaries -- to leave a tip at a restaurant we may never visit again, donate our kidneys to unknown people or get goosebumps in merely witnessing an act of kindness? What opens up inside of us when we welcome strangers into our hearts? 

"Sometimes it's the very otherness of a stranger -- someone who doesn't belong to our ethnic or ideological or religious group -- an otherness that can repel us initially, but which can jerk us out of our habitual selfishness, and give us intonations of that sacred otherness, which is God." --Karen Armstrong

A wide range of speakers will invite us into a collective space ... a 13-year-old, who thinks deeply about the masks we wear, will be sharing a teen perspective. Eric will recount his stunning practice of opting for middle seat on plane rides, simply to connect with "strangers" around their deepest fears.  A college student will tell us the story of his twin brother, who was born with cerebral palsy. In his application, he wrote about the indigenous story of "Three Sisters", and how he learned to see that corn (himself), bean (his brother) and squash (his family) are symbiotically stronger together. From London, Ani will speak of her experience (over the last decade) of inviting strangers to her home for meditation and dinner!

In between, we'll be listening to each other's stories too! Plus ample artful expressions -- like  Nina will be offering an acapella song that once sprung from the depths of her heart -- A World Without Mirrors. Linh will be strumming the guitar from Vietnam, to a melody inspired by late Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh. Amy will be crafting a "found poem" from all our shares.

And our feature speaker will be none other than Sister Marilyn! A few decades ago, she volunteered at an airport to help refugees find connecting flights. She never stopped helping. Today, she's globally recognized for her work with Mercy Beyond Borders. The subtitle of her memoir reads, "Story of God Arriving in Strangers" and the quote in her email signature is by Jan Elliason, "Without passion, nothing happens; without compassion, the wrong things happen."

To join our virtual gathering, simply RSVP below and you'll be emailed the details. We look forward to co-creating our collective Sanctuary of the Heart!