My name is Jennifer Jacobs. I am a co-founder and currently the head coach at Sol Sanctuary. Sol Sanctuary began as a dream.
In April of 2001, my husband Joe and I began having a shared reoccurring dream. Over the months that followed we set out on a journey that we were unprepared for.
Life as we knew it was in full swing, each with our careers, our combined family of six children, our family dog Luke and Bob the cat. We felt inspired by the dream that continued into the summer months of 2001 and we began taking weekend road trips in search of the place we saw in our dream.
The dream was always the same: we were the stewards of a beautiful piece of land. There was a large Hacienda-style home, and a scattering of little private casitas along the vast landscape. The terrain had a mountainous desert feel and the sky was expansive. We always found ourselves in the same scene, working together in the garden around mid-day when we noticed a trail of dust in the air, indicating someone was coming to visit. We never knew who was coming, we would simply walk to the front gate to greet our newly arriving guests.
The feeling was that this place was a sanctuary for the soul. A place of respite, a safe haven for people to come and simply be in nature, to find what they’d lost or to remember who they are. Some were lost and some were found, some were old and some were young, all from different backgrounds and cultures. Somehow they seemed to find their way to us, as if by magic or some Divine guidance. Although we were an eclectic gathering of souls, we all shared one thing in common: our love of nature, and the healing that our great mother earth provides us.
In September of 2001, just after 911 devastated our world, our personal world came crashing down. Joe was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer and we set course for a deeper understanding of our dream. As our family grew in ways only great challenges can offer, we also discovered many ways in which the support we needed was lacking. We needed a place of respite, we needed a group of support around us, people to talk to and confide in. We needed to heal and grow through our fears and misunderstandings. We needed guidance from others who’d walked a similar path and when we couldn’t find what we needed, we discovered how to create it for ourselves.
The dream carried us through. It gave us purpose and focus. We believed so strongly in the dream and that our personal journey through cancer was preparing us for the rest of our life work. We spent hours planning and bringing the dream into reality, knowing that as soon as Joe recovered, we had our life course mapped ahead of us. Because of our journey, we now knew first hand what we could offer in support of others who came to Sol Sanctuary.
On April 9th, 2002, Joe passed away. The dream has never died, although it looks different than we had imagined. The place has become a space – a feeling, an environment of sanctuary that can be and is created in people’s homes and hearts. The misery of the loss of my best friend and partner Joe in physical form has become my life ministry. I may not have him physically by my side any longer, but on any given day I can still find him in the garden of my heart. He is the one who guides people to Sol Sanctuary. I am the one who greets them at the gate.
Sol Sanctuary is the space of our dream. It continues to grow and has become a community of individuals who choose to grow from the challenges that life has offered them. We each are committed to creating a life of meaning and purpose, to become the best versions of ourselves, and to improve the quality of life on earth for all to be able to live well. It is our collective dream now, a dream that belongs to the community that continues to grow and gather. We each are able to provide this space for others as they travel the difficulties and triumphs of life’s road.
With a deep bow of gratitude for the journey that is my life, and all the ways I am blessed to continue to grow, serve and remember,
Jennifer Jacobs
Founder, Executive Director
Sol Sanctuary
