Children's Program
THE SANCTUARY SCHOOL
Where Heart-Based Education Becomes a Way of Life
artwork by Caitlin |
THE VISION
Every child and young person has a special place in our world. Each has a contribution to make to help earth and all creation. The Sanctuary School offers children and youth a foundation in kind living and love of nature by encouraging compassionate service, partnership with all life and individual creative expression.
THE PURPOSE
To offer online and text-based courses that enable students in independent study and classroom programs to develop their creative abilities, academic brilliance and leadership potentials.
To establish The Sanctuary School as a model of education where each child's sense of purpose is nurtured and supported as a member of the school, local, and earth community.
To encourage children to actively serve the planet and facilitate the emergence of a service-oriented, cooperative, global society.
To develop global links and partnerships with other schools and organizations in order to share cultures, dreams and new ideas.
THE PHILOSOPHY
The Sanctuary School is a model of education with the kind heart and kinship with all life at its core. In a sanctuary-like learning environment, interacting with the animal kingdom as well as all nature, the child is encouraged to express harmlessness, compassion, and respect towards all life.
All children have the innate capacity to realize the circle of life as the fullness of mind and heart. Children naturally have the desire to understand, respect and embrace all life, all the nature kingdoms, be they plant or animal. In the context of this model, the school is an all-embracing, compassionate community where children focus on service, kindness, joy and compassion shared with plants, animals, and their fellow participants. Children blossom as they recognize and express their life purpose in conscious cooperation with the Earth. This builds and reinforces a universal heart consciousness that will carry them in and through their adult lives.
The Sanctuary School seeks to demonstrate that when a child knows nothing but love, and is permitted to give love and receive love from fellow students and animal friends, something magical happens. The life or soul force rises easily and gently into the brain centers at an early age and brilliance is activated. With the interaction of the heart and mind, intelligence and intellect, great contributions can and will be made to our earth mother and the members of her family. The Sanctuary School seeks to maintain a balance between exercising the heart-mind, practical learning and creative play, as the child awakens into the light of unlimited creative potential and higher mind intelligence.
THE INSPIRATION
The inspiration and vision for The Sanctuary School emerged from classes held in Ojai, California, where children ranging in age from 4-14 met with golden retriever Delphi to read and discuss Six Lessons with Delphi . What became evident within the first few meetings was an acceleration in awareness, creative thinking and self confidence. Children's participation blossomed from shyness, rote responses, and cautious skepticism to openly shared experiences of partnership and closeness with nature, original ideas, and creative problem solving.
The calming, nurturing and restorative effect that this program has had on young people in classes in Ojai, California, has also been demonstrated in a wide variety of community education programs that are coordinated by the Graffiti Abatement Program (GAPIT) in Tucson, Arizona. GAPIT, a city-funded, community-based organization, has incorporated Six Lessons with Delphi and the syllabus Teaching Delphi, in its workshops and presentations. The program has enthusiastically been received in schools, community organizations, juvenile facilities, and prisons. Currently, a teacher-training program is being offered to assist teachers and parents in presenting Six Lessons as well as additional Sanctuary School courses and materials.
Founder and director of The Sanctuary School, Patricia Jepsen, is president of the Center for International Cooperation, a non-governmental organization (NGO) affiliated with the United Nations. Her work in international diplomacy, environmental conferences, and humane education has given her the necessary background for the Sanctuary School vision and purpose.
THE RESOURCES
For teachers and parents who would like further explanation of the philosophical premises and educational approaches of The Sanctuary School, the following booklets are available through both The Sanctuary School and the University online store:
Building the School in Your Community: Letting the Kids Do It!
The Children of The New World: More about the Indigo Children,their Mission and the Delphi School
Circle Teaching: A Teaching Manual for the Sanctuary School
Delphi: What Being on Earth Is All About
For Teachers and Parents: Listening to the New World Children
Garden Magic: Waking Up to All That Is Around You
Initiation into the Circle of Life: A Vision Quest
The Inner Child Adventure: Pathway into the Intuitive Higher Self
Let's Be Safe: A Read and Color Golden Paw Book
Questing: A Teen's Quest for Life
The Sanctuary School: Experiencing All Life in Community
Teaching Delphi: Training Teachers to Be Like Children
Who's Got The Power?: From a Life of Imprisonment to a Life of Authority and Conscious Freedom
THE TRACK RECORD
CLASSES IN OJAI, CALIFORNIA
The vision of The Sanctuary School emerged from classes held in Ojai, California that used Six Lessons with Delphi as the foundation for discussion and projects. Children's participation blossomed from shyness, rote responses and cautious skepticism to sharing experiences of partnership and closeness with nature, original thinking, and creative problem solving. Children who took part in the Ojai classes have contributed ideas regarding what they would like a sanctuary school to be like and indicated what needs such a school would meet for them.
CLASSES IN TUCSON, ARIZONA
The calming, nurturing and restorative effect that this program has had on young people in classes in Ojai, California was also demonstrated in a wide variety of community education programs coordinated by Graffiti Abatement Program (GAPIT) in Tucson, Arizona. GAPIT, a city-funded, community-based organization, incorporated Six Lessons with Delphi and the syllabus, Teaching Delphi, in its workshops and presentations. The Program was enthusiastically received in schools, community organizations, juvenile facilities, and prisons. Teacher training programs to assist teachers and parents in presenting the lessons were also offered.
KIDS CLUB IN TUCSON, ARIZONA
Preschool teacher Susan Hunt sponsored a Delphi Kids Club in Tucson from 2002-07, where children and youth discovered ways to serve the planet and make a difference in their local and global community. Club meetings were held each month on a Sunday.
THE CONTACTS
INFORMATION AND PARTICIPATION
If you would like more information about The Sanctuary School, its classes and online courses, please contact The Sanctuary School.
THE PINK RIBBON CLUB INTERNATIONAL (KIDS CLUB)
The Pink Ribbon Club (PRC) is is focused on partnership with all Earth's children, including the world of the animals, plant life and invisible helpers.
PRC considers and serves the whole planet and realizes together that we are all part of a sacred circle of life.
For information on becoming a partner in the Pink Ribbon Club or beginning your own PRC, please contact The Sanctuary School.
We are all united in one body that is called Earth.
That is why we have to take care of her.
From: Six Lessons with Delphi
With the focus on the Heart-Mind and the Circle of Life, the children are permitted to be who they are: the solar children of the New Dimension, a new race of Being, and a new hope for our planet.