Inner Cities Of Refuge

Neville's Inner Vision

Think of the people as states of consciousness. The land of Canaan becomes the field of awareness, and the cities of refuge are inner dispositions where fear and guilt may be safely released. The 'slayer' who killed unawares represents mistaken beliefs that have harmed a part of you; the 'avenger' is the impulse of condemnation that would pursue you into self-judgment. Until you stand before the 'congregation'—the inner gathering of awareness that judges with wisdom—the old story cannot die. The law and sanctuary coexist in your mind: mercy does not abolish responsibility; it transfigures it. When you deliberately enter a state of refuge, you are not fleeing reality but becoming secure in your true I AM, the witness who does not identify with every passing thought. In that posture, the apparent violence of your past is translated into calm discernment, and you awaken to salvation and renewal that already reside in you.