Meet Your Host
Welcome To Mountain Light Sanctuary. I am Michael Lightweaver, your host. My goal is to see that you have a pleasant and comfortable visit.

I have traveled a good deal around the planet and the Sanctuary is the closest thing to Shangri-La that I have discovered. In fact, when I first found it, through a set of synchronicities, I knew I had discovered the end of my rainbow here in the high mountains of western North Carolina

My personal story, this time around, began in a small town in southern Kentucky, where I was born, blessed with a great family, and did my initial university work. From there I went to Nashville, Tennessee, to finish my BA & MA degrees, married and raised a very fine family of four children and now six grandchildren.

In 1992, having completed primary family responsibilities, I moved to Asheville, knowing in the deepest part of my soul that my real home was in these mountains. I love people but the siren call of the mountains and forest had touched my Elfin and Native American soul.

From my earliest memories I was seeing the world a bit differently than my peers. For one thing, I had a global perspective that was not limited by national, religious or ethnic boundaries. Narrow mindedness of any flavor wasn’t my cup of tea.

Over the course of the years I have walked many paths, both professionally and spiritually. Most of my professional work has been in some area of service; community organizing, director of a nonprofit agency, owner of an international tour company, organizer of holistic festivals, clinical hypnotherapist, counselor, and workshop leader in the areas of creativity, brain dominance, stress management, dreamwork, etc.

My spiritual path began in the small town Methodist church and continued on in college with my involvement with the Society of Friends (Quakers). Years later I discovered my Native American as well as my Celtic spiritual roots which helped to reconnect me with the spirit of nature. My philosophical bent also drew me to studying Taoism, Buddhism and other Eastern philosophies. I have gain a great deal from many sources but ultimately have found that the human heart is the true temple of Divine Presence and love is the highest expression of that Presence which can best be accessed directly through inner guidance.

Life at the Sanctuary is simple and a lot of hard work, but it is also a dream fulfilled. We heat with wood, our water comes from a spring on the mountain. We have no television and cell phones don't work here. And for fourteen years now I have been sleeping outdoors, year round. It's an Elfin thing. Actually it is a very nice bedroom with a big four poster bed, polished wooden floors, an oriental carpet, and pictures on the wall -- all three of them. OK, so there is only three walls. The fourth is open to the deck so sometimes I do have leaves, rain or snow blowing into my bedroom and a family of house wrens who share the room with me are flying in and out daily. But the view of the mountains and the constant sound of the cascading creek is worth an occasional cold nose on a January night.

In addition to hosting the many interesting guests from all over the world who find their way to the Sanctuary, I am also the founder and director of the International Institute For Global Leadership, a free internet based project which provides a curriculum in consciousness designed to assist our students in becoming consciously aware, high-integrity and heart-centered leaders in their communities and the world. (www.global-leadership.com).  We currently have over 100 students from 30 countries so when I’m not working outside, I’m usually at my laptop.

You can learn more about my perspective at the Guidance section and at the following link to my writings.