Coming to a God Near Me

Where My Spiritual Journey Began When I Didn’t Know Where to Start

By Cheyenne Dorsagno

God’s not dead – though there’s been a massive rebrand. People are now more apt to identify as “spiritual” rather than “religious”, indicating a move away from the formality, regulation, and organization that humanity typically associates with religion.

In an open-minded, global world, people question the assertion of a one true God. As we get smarter, we feel that we know less. That ambiguity makes people shy away from the topic altogether. God is the elephant in the room. Fear of judgement and religious trauma make people put a barrier between themselves and a thought-journey musing the ways of the universe. Of course, this is before practicing faith with a ritual like prayer, a routine like going to church, or an identity like “Christian” or “Buddhist” or “Wiccan.” Even considering a label can feel like passing a judgment — on others who don’t share it, or on yourself, if your life doesn’t align with what you think a “believer” should be.

Yes, it’s scary to pose these questions, but if you look around, there are so many people who are prepared to walk with you in your search for personal meaning.

Maybe you don’t want to start this search at a church. So where do you go? The book Sanctuaries by Jack and Marcia Kelly cites spots throughout the country that serve as opportunities for respite and contemplation without preaching nor expectations.

The book cites 127 retreats across the country with 17 being in New York (New York is the most abundant in retreats, second only to California). I searched the book for the location nearest me – Utica of the Mohawk Valley. I found The Chapel House (distanced by about 30 miles – a one-hour drive).

So, I took a retreat at the Colgate Chapel House in Hamilton, NY. The venue welcomes “visitors from all parts of the world and all religious traditions, or none.”

If you’re skeptical, burnt-out, or simply curious, then you’re welcome to follow me on my journey there.

The Logistics

I stayed for $40/night; the balance was paid upon arrival so that I could leave without interruption before 11 AM on my final day. I took off my shoes and put on some slippers before going on an introductory tour. And although desk hours are only from noon to 4 PM on weekdays, there’s always a hospitable staff-member somewhere in the building, which gave me peace of mind. In order to facilitate thorough self-exploration, the Chapel House requires a minimum two-night stay, and they ask everyone to remain silent and off their phone.

Included amenities are a private shower, soap, conditioning shampoo, towels, a small fan/heater, a single bed (for an independent journey) as well as breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It was a comfortable experience at a generously-low price. Breakfast was at my leisure (I pulled some yogurt and berries from the fridge). But lunch (like a caprese salad) was at noon and dinner (like perogies with stir-fried veggies) was at 5:30 PM.

Photo courtesy of The Chapel House.

Meals commenced after the bang of a gong, and then I joined whomever else was currently visiting. Note that there are only five rooms in total, with one having two single beds to enable accessibility for those traveling with a caregiver. So, this was an individual experience, but quiet mealtime conversation was encouraged.

Photo courtesy of The Chapel House.

I met two other guests – one who had been visiting the Chapel House periodically for forty years and another who was a Peace and Conflict major at Colgate.

Although the Chapel House is next to Colgate University, staff ask that visitors don’t go to the campus nor go into town – to instead remain focused. The Chapel House is especially quiet during the University’s off-season. Even more so on weekdays, as weekends are popular for travel. If you go during a busier time, you may have the opportunity to attend an event such as guided meditation.

Meditation

You can seek serenity in the beautiful Japanese Meditation Garden. And you can seek solace by walking the indoor labyrinth and sitting on a comfy floor-pillow in the neighboring meditation corners (tiny, closet-like rooms within the room).

I would’ve thought it impossible, but I meditated for forty minutes. I periodically twitched and slumped as if to fall asleep. I forgave myself when I briefly opened my eyes. I let thoughts pass by like clouds. I resisted scratching in what must’ve been the itchiest time of my life. And I just focused on breathing and keeping my spine straight. Meditation might seem intimidating, but it can be surprisingly simple. At one point, I felt a wave of tranquility. As a beginner, I wonder what else meditation can accomplish.

For more active peace, you can follow their map of different nature trails.

Photo courtesy of The Chapel House.

Music

The music library allows you to consider what audio tools can help you easily set a spiritual tone at home. It would be impossible to exhaust the entire collection, but what stood out to me as a precious find was The Staple Singers. They have a serene, soulful, and personal sound unlike the echoed chanting and operatic belting of other religious music. They have many iconic hits featured in movies, and the album Freedom Highway was recorded live at Chicago’s New Nazareth Church.

Photo courtesy of The Chapel House.

Books

Of course, my favorite way to pass time was in their literature library, spending hours reading on a humongous bean bag chair. They have over 4,000 texts across various religions.

I walked away having learned a few poignant lessons…

I picked up on the concepts of universalism (meaning all human beings will ultimately be saved), pluralism (meaning you accept more than one religion), and relativism (meaning truth and morality are subjective to perspective rather than having an absolute standard). To me, these concepts encouraged individualized practice. I can take what I want and leave what I don’t want, because rules can be a barrier to faith when confronting some scary, seemingly-contradictory concepts (like Hell) and when feeling the pressure of going all-in on one belief system. And now more than ever, dialogue is encouraged between people of different faiths. In 1977, the World Council of Churches published the Guidelines on Dialogue.
According to How Do You Spell God by Rabbi Marc Gellman and Monsignor Thomas Hartman, all religions ask questions and emphasize common-sense kindness. So, if you’re unsure of the details of your spirituality, then you can start with love and curiosity. Each religion is a unique path up the same mountain.
You can practice religion from home. You can keep a clean, private prayer space that’s decorated in a way that represents you. You can journal – in your own form or by following a workbook like Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction by Bob Stahl and Elisha Goldstein. You can have a spiritual experience by expressing yourself creatively. Just let yourself be an instrument that the universe passes through. Permit yourself a childlike sense of wonder in which anything can be truly new, life-changing, and accepted – per The Creative Act by Rick Rubin.

I even left with some free books that were laid out, such as The Enneagram for Spiritual Formation by A. J. Sherrill. The book helped me identify my personality as that of The Peacemaker. Based on my personality, it gave me advice on developing my spirituality with calm routines like prayer or with courageous, creative actions like sharing my story (hence this article).

Photo courtesy of The Chapel House.

My Takeaway

A “chapel” can be simply understood as a private place of worship. So, The Chapel House is yours to define. Even if it’s not your jam to have a spiritual experience, it can be a solitary escape for unplugging and a cultural refuge for enrichment.

Various artwork with accompanying labels line the Chapel House walls. Some walls are made entirely of glass, allowing guests to soak in the natural environment from inside. The building was likened to a greenhouse by the anonymous donor who made the building possible.

Whether you find God or just a moment of stillness, what matters is giving yourself the chance to start — however uncertain the first step may feel.

Photo courtesy of The Chapel House.

About Cheyenne Dorsagno

Cheyenne Dorsagno

Cheyenne Dorsagno believes that every life has stories worth telling. The more focused and “smaller” the story, the more it reflects the universal human experience. This belief shapes her personable writing tone and her deep love for her locality — in and around Utica, NY. Cheyenne writes about people who make their mark (quietly or boldly) on the world around them. A seasoned journalist and Summa Cum Laude English graduate from SUNY Oneonta, she’s devoted to celebrating what makes our short time here matter. You can follow her on LinkedIn or Facebook, and you can learn more about her services as a Legacy Ghostwriter at ourneighborhood.blog.

Cheyenne Dorsagno

Contributing Author

Cheyenne Dorsagno is a wonderfully talented writer and contributing author on Mohawk Valley Today. Cheyenne highlights artists and creatives along with culture and trends that are happening throughout the Mohawk Valley. She brings her positive energy to everything she does.