A Refuge for Nature and the Soul

Escape to the 72-Acre Earth Sanctuary

Drive a little more than an hour northwest of Bellevue, and you find yourself lost within a labyrinth of evergreens and misty islands. A trail twists into the wilderness. You follow, still unsure of what you may find. In the twilight cast by branches overhead, you see a stone structure drifting through the mist. You continue forward, knowing you have arrived at a sanctuary.

As a practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism, founder Chuck Pettis advocates the power of meditation. He has traveled throughout the world studying at different monasteries, learning how to live an enlightened life. After a serendipitous financial investment, he found the funds to create a much-needed spiritual retreat center for Sakya Monastery of Tibetan Buddhism in Seattle. However, in the creation of the retreat center, he decided to do everything in his power to preserve the industrializing land. Pettis brainchild, Earth Sanctuary, is a stunning combination of his strongest beliefs — peace and nature. And you can experience it.

Restoration
Pettis spent a lot of time outdoors while growing up, and often viewed the injustices of the human versus nature struggle. “For many years I saw the world’s ecology being harmed,” he said. Those years were spent pointing fingers at big corporations responsible for the deterioration of the forests and wildlife, but pointing fingers didn’t even begin to solve the problem. “When you point your finger at someone, three fingers point back at you,” he says with an air of wisdom.

Deciding to act, an idea was born. Earth Sanctuary’s spectacular 72-acre preserve is regarded as one of the largest ecological restoration projects ever funded by a single person. With the help of a panel of experts, Pettis established a 500-year plan for resurrecting the forgotten nature of his slot of south Whidbey Island by creating a habitat for birds, wildlife and vegetation. Serving on this panel are wetland and river ecologists, wildlife experts, wetland vegetation experts and fish specialists. His 500-year plan acknowledges that the full recovery of Earth Sanctuary will take hundreds of years as the young trees become old-growth forest and emphasizes the necessity of human cooperation for the success of Earth Sanctuary’s goals.

The Earth Sanctuary already has begun the long path to success in its preservation goal. After only eight years of existence, it has been recognized by the Island County Critical Areas Program and Whidbey Audubon Society as a “Habitat of Local Importance.” The forest and wetland areas of this nature preserve offer habitat for as many as 90 species of birds, 45 species of mammals and 14 species of amphibians and reptiles. Among these species are many whose habitats are being endangered by the rapid development of the once-feral Island County. More than 5,000 plants have been planted during the first phase of restoration, selected from 60 native species.

Sacred Spaces
For years, Pettis has had an ongoing interest in ancient monuments and stone circles, so it’s no surprise that he incorporates them in his preserve. “Earth Sanctuary,” says Pettis, “is about giving people a place to come and feel peaceful, connected with nature and be motivated to pray and meditate.” Scattered along the network of pathways winding through the forest and wetlands are mysterious stone circles and structures.

Earth Sanctuary calls these “sacred spaces” designed for meditation and peace with nature. Pettis says the spaces are constructed on ley lines, lines of electromagnetic energy that essentially serve as channels for earth’s chi, so powerful the ancients often build their monuments (such as Stonehenge) over them. Through such attention to detail, Pettis aspires to re-open the world to the “secret of sacred spaces,” hoping his creations will help visitors connect with their higher selves.

Each sacred site is tucked gently within the wilderness, so alive and in-tune with nature that it seems to have existed longer than the trees themselves. With names like Labyrinth and Cottonwood Stone Circle, these sacred sites tease the imagination, inspiring each visitor to plunge through the brush and discover what mysteries lay ahead. “There are very few places in the world right now that are uplifting,” Pettis says. But he wants to change that.

Art, religion and science combine in the creation of Earth Sanctuary’s stone circles, featuring enormous monoliths arranged with the art of Feng Shui to create places of tranquility. Earth Sanctuary Labyrinth, the most popular space in the reserve, is comprised of a winding Pennsylvania bluestone path brimmed with dark green salal. The stones spiral toward the center and lead outwards, creating a metaphor for life’s journey. Believe it or not, this work of art is modeled after ancient labyrinth designs, including some from around 2,500 B.C. The labyrinth is used throughout cultures of the world as a symbol for pilgrimage and the sacredness of nature and as a tool for meditation.

Newest to Earth Sanctuary is the magnificent Cottonwood Stone Circle. One of the largest of its kind, this stone circle inspires peace for both the body and the soul. Built in the fall of 2002, it’s comprised of 12 columns of Columbia River basalt, up to 11 feet high and artistically colored with the touch of open flame. The circle itself is 40 feet in diameter. At its center is an analemmatic sundial. Stand at the center of this creation, at the location designated for the current month, and your shadow will tell you what time it is. Surrounded by black cottonwood trees, the Cottonwood Circle instills upon the visitor a feeling of safety and security. “A sacred space,” says Pettis, “demarks a space that is separate from the outside and protects you. It is a symbol of your higher self.”

“I love Earth Sanctuary in totality,” says Pettis. This holistic nature makes the park so remarkable. There is no telling how the sanctuary will change you — that is the beauty of it. “Each person’s experience is different,” Pettis says. After all, he began the project with the grand goal of creating a refuge for each and every soul, and there is no doubt he has succeeded.

Tour Information
Visit on your own, or take a guided tour. Tours are one hour and 30 minutes, led by founder Chuck Pettis. Learn about the plant and wildlife of Earth Sanctuary; immerse yourself in Northwest knowledge about everything from the major tree species in the area, forest succession and the native birds to local wetlands. Bring your binoculars: you never know what you’ll see. The tour includes an overview of the property, along with an explanation into sacred sites.

Group Tour Prices
 1-8 people: $40 plus $7 per person entry fee
 9-16 people: $80 plus $7 per person entry fee

Want to Stay the Night?
Book the Retreat House for a spiritual getaway you won’t forget. Located near the Sanctuary reserve, you will be within a stone’s throw of the beauty of Earth Sanctuary. Its spacious living room overlooks the surrounding forests, while a fully equipped kitchen provides you with everything you need for a relaxing vacation. Reservations: e-mail Celia Sullivan at celia@earthsanctuary.org or call 360.321.5465.

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