Sanctuary

No. For all intents and purposes, we qualify as a church, temple, sanctuary, etc. You can call it what you like.

“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete,” R. Buckminster Fuller.

Do you…

• Want community, friendship, and family outside of traditional religion?
• Want to nurture the inner man/woman while in relationships with others?
• Want a personal development program for your children without concern someone is trying to indoctrinate them?
• Describe yourself as spiritual yet not religious?
• Desire to connect with like-minded people but find it challenging to do so outside school, work, or a religious institution?

We are a good fit for anyone wanting to transform their life beyond traditional limits. Some are god-believing but have been turned off by the church model and doctrine, and others align more with words like the universe, acknowledging a higher power but not describing that power by traditional religious means. Because Betwixt does not have a doctrine beyond our core values and does not have a name for the forces many describe, it allows our community to welcome all – even President Trump. I sure hope he stops by. We all need presence in our lives.

WE HAVE A SPECIAL INTEREST IN WELCOMING!

 Spiritual Pioneers

We have a specific outreach to communities or individuals who want to build something new for themselves or to reconnect to a culture that was lost. Interestingly, the original African American culture before the influence of Christianity was a nature-based religion, which aligned with many beliefs worldwide. Many descendants of this community are choosing to reconnect to spiritual expressions they feel better represents their culture, and in doing so, they often find themselves isolated in their pursuit or limited when it comes to alternatives that don’t overshadow their expression. We welcome you!

Free Thinkers and those independent of religion

We have a special interest in welcoming those with limited places of community because of personal beliefs that leave them with few options. Today, it is assumed that those who declare themselves as non-theistic are not in sync with the spiritual community.  Describing oneself as a non-theist or Agnostic is often a conclusion from deep contemplation and spiritual thought. Being non-theist, not believing in gods, doesn’t mean these individuals don’t require or desire a community to connect with on a human level. These individuals just don’t describe the world in the religious fashion that is common to many. BETWIXT welcomes those individuals, and their perspective is respected.

Flower Buds

We want to reach those who are like a flower ready to bloom. You know, the folks who seem to be missing the mark and who are just about hopeless. Them! It is those who are in darkness, pain, and sorrow who are nearest to the light.

To rise and awaken to life!

Now don’t confuse us with any past-tense political agendas. Again, Betwixt is non-religious, non-political, and safe!

Nope! And, of course, I have a story for ya! 

Back in the day, we attended a church where literally everyone drove a Prius or hybrid of some sort, but we lived on a farm and needed a truck for work. We had to move big stuff to feed those Prius drivers. Man, we felt like sinners for pulling up in our big gas-guzzling maroon-colored Chevy pickup. I told my husband the color green would have been more environmentally friendly. But wouldn’t you know, those Prius owners were eyeing our truck? It’s interesting how everyone seems to need a friend with a truck to move some big stuff.

Yes, of course! Respect for the individual spiritual path. Is that too much to ask?

By default, many attracted to our community will already hold these values, but as much as we think we are tolerant, someone will always rub you the wrong way. I promise! Those are the spiritual teachings that help to remind us that we still have room to grow.

Many will also hold principles like simplicity and care for the earth in high regard. BUT…we do not want one person’s standard to impose another’s. We want you to be yourself and to follow your convictions—not the convictions of your neighbor. We have no desire to create a community of clones. You are welcome to come as you are and be yourself.

This is a good question! Some of y’all aren’t going to like the answer because you love your boxes. Sadly, most of us don’t know who we are without the labels. I got a surprise for you. You are not your labels and are so much more than you could have imagined. Many people can’t fathom letting go of labels (our mind identity), but it is vital in spiritual liberation. You want labels or liberation?

BETWIXT is intentionally designated as a label-free zone. As such, no words, symbols, pins, or anything overtly expressing any political, sexual, racial, religious, or otherwise divisive messages is allowed on physical bodies or personal items. We do not want to deter anyone from joining us because of personal or political agendas. You are free to come as you are, free from the labels you or the world may try to impose on you. The ultimate goal of Consciousness is to break free from the mental tags used to define or separate us.

We understand that the origins of our foundation of knowledge are full of politics and religion. With this in mind, we are explorers as we learn, like classes around specific practices like yoga, Ayurveda nourishment, or the Sunday gathering, where wisdom from many faiths may be referenced. However, these things are signposts yet do not define us. 

No worries: BETWIXT welcomes all, regardless of race, sexual orientation, gender, ethnicity, age, disability, or gender identity. 

I have a dream that one day, we will never have to write that statement again.

Please read our dedication page to learn more about the inspirations of our community. 

What!? Y’all ain’t ever read the Bible? Times are changing for sure. No worries, quiet time creates stillness, which is just a practice that helps us humans wake up from the sleeping state of unconsciousness.

Bet you didn’t know most people walking around today are completely asleep and disconnected from themselves and humanity. Ain’t nobody home.

When we’re quiet, we have this interesting ability to connect back to the Source of life that connects all people. Some people call it God, and the folks who are running from religion use words like Divine or Source. Shh! Don’t tell ’em, I said; it’s all the same stuff, the same intelligence.

Some people can’t do it at first. They start wiggling and fidgeting, but it’s okay. We all gotta start somewhere.

At this stage, I’m not even talking about meditation. Just try sitting with your eyes closed for 30 minutes. You will be blown away at how much your mind is running its mouth. You’ll get a glimpse at why you might be driving yourself crazy.  If you have never meditated, we encourage you to do this and observe your mind. You can’t start meditation until you realize how this device is running your life.

Honestly, sitting with yourself can be a lot like therapy. You get to voice all your thoughts and opinions with no interruptions, but better, with no therapy bill in the end. After that, you’ll be ready to take baby steps toward meditation which is the state of no mind activity. Nope, you’re not dead. I promise the mind is a tool like a computer, and when you realize that, you can turn that thing off so you can get so much needed rest.

Imagine living your whole with the TV running in the background. Well, that’s how most people live; no wonder we have so much madness in the world.

Anyhow, the place of no mind activity is truly the state of peace that surpasses all understanding because there is nobody in the temple constantly reminding you of past hurts, unpaid debts, offenses, your mil (mother-in-law), lost love, deadlines, etc. And here’s the icing on the cake; this is where the divine begins to strengthen you to keep those crazy merchants out of the temple for good. Y’all remember when Jesus came into the temple and was hot because folks were running a swap shop? Yep, he was talking about your head. It’s a transformation you cannot measure because it changes you by leaps and bounds with nothing required other than to be still and quiet. “You can do it! We can help!”

No worries if you fall asleep; it happens.

Wear something comfortable and lose fitting, so you can move effortlessly and sit in a comfortable position on the floor. Please, no dress to impress Sunday best.

Nope. You can eat whatever you want, but be careful because increasing your awareness might awaken you to new foods, healthier than your current choice. You might leave here wanting to skip the Sunday afternoon fried chicken. Careful now!

Yes, of course! We didn’t come this far not to give a little challenge.

First off, the center is shoe-free. We want to create a space of reverence, so we ask that everyone remove their shoes before entering the sacred spaces.

Meditation will traditionally occur while sitting on the floor or a mat, and chairs will be provided for older people and those unable to sit on the floor. We know this will be challenging for some, but it may be good to know that sitting straight up on the floor helps to keep the body from getting too comfortable and falling asleep.

Meals are primarily vegetarian. This allows us to welcome those who don’t eat meat and traditionally skip potluck gatherings because some folks like to slip a little chicken broth in the soup. However, our community is pork and beef-free since many cultures restrict consumption.

This is not to suggest that any family should eat a certain way. Betwixt in no way discriminates against meat, gluten, dairy, peanuts, the dirty dozen, or a personal pint of ice cream.

If you want to! Becoming a community member is easy! There is no statement of faith; we let you determine what our community is to you. However, membership is a symbolic commitment to the community and the core values that make us who we are. After you have visited with the community for at least four months or 16 weeks, we ask that you consider standing with us as a member in commitment to the community and principles.

A welcoming committee of the community would like to meet with you to allow you to share about yourself. (Some people call it a journey but ain’t nobody going anywhere. We just need to wake up.) In addition, you get to prepare a statement of what membership is to you or simply sign the membership book. If that step is not for you, your choice is respected.

Nope. That word, tithe, has never rolled well off my tongue. Money is a touchy subject for many people, and rightly so. Unfortunately, many organizations have misused funds and will pass you in a fancy car when you can barely feed your family. I get it! We get! We’ve all been there.

However, money is nothing more than an exchange of energy; collectively, it allows us to do things we couldn’t do ourselves. If you get that and our community resonates with you, we ask you to consider supporting the vision of Betwixt financially or in other ways. It doesn’t take much, if you think about it. 

The gifts that will nurture the community exist within the people. If you have something to share, we want to hear from you. The community will assign seasonal facilitators to help keep the flow of our time together, and there will be brief teachings on Consciousness and Presence. That’s it! Nobody to worship. You can come with your God and go home with your God.