A Solstice Journey Into My Heart
/A few days ago, I came home from my first solo trip this year. Although I had been planning this adventure since last summer, I had to wait for the go signal from my Heart to actually take off. Divine Timing works in mysterious ways, and I’ve learned to surrender to its magick and no longer force things to happen according to my will… Cultivating patience is a strength I greatly value, and the reward of finally getting to do whatever I have been dreaming of is quite exhilarating when the green light pops on!
The destination of this voyage was the California coastal town south of Santa Cruz, located south of the Bay Area, and more precisely, a Buddhist retreat center called Land of Medicine Buddha, “a center for healing and developing a good heart”. This article is Part One of my story, where I’ll recount my experience at this beautiful spiritual place. Part Two will focus on the natural Sacred Geometry I discovered while staying there.
It is the redwoods that called me to Land of Medicine Buddha. I consider trees to be kindred spirits, and feel a particular affinity for the coastal redwoods - the idea of spending time on 108 acres of private sanctuary, in the company of these most blessed beings, delighted my Heart.
This was my first time visiting a Buddhist center, and I was really looking forward to not only being immersed in nature, but also being able to connect deeper with the Buddha Essence and spend time in the sanctity of my Heart. These times that we currently live in are quite challenging, but they can also inspire us to actively disconnect from the illusions of 3-D reality and take a deep dive into our own truth. This is something I was longing for, and although I have a daily practice of connecting with my Heart and listening to my inner guidance, I was feeling called to access a higher level of self-awareness. That quality sometimes eluded me in my regular life, where I’m surrounded by electronics, others’ opinions, and many distractions, even the fun ones.
Stepping out of my car and stretching my legs after the five-hour drive from Santa Barbara, I was greeted by these stunning mango calla lilies. Right away, I was able to take a deeper breath, become present, and connect with the nature spirits of the land. A wonderful welcoming committee!
Situated at the entrance, this massive prayer wheel immediately caught my attention. I felt like I was transported to Tibet, not only by the colorful visual symbolism but also the energy that emanated from this sacred tool designed to spread spiritual blessings and well-being. It is a tradition in Tibetan Buddhism to spin such a wheel (or a much smaller portable version) in order to share goodness and purify one’s karma. This large prayer wheel carries the mantra of compassion, as well as other mantras for long life, clearing obstacles, purifying negativities, and developing wisdom.
Upon arriving at the center, I retrieved an envelope containing the key to my bathroom and a map with directions. I had made my reservation for a mid-week stay, and it turned out I was the only guest at that time! A perfect gift for my intention to be in solitude and silence.
As I drove up the winding road leading to my campsite near the top of the hill, I was happy to notice the prayer flags strung from tree to tree, guiding me to the spot that was to be my home for the next few days. While hiking around the property, I would discover such displays again and again along the trails. These colorful pieces of cloth are used to carry prayers and mantras through the wind, and in Tibet, they are hung everywhere outdoors to promote compassion, peace, strength, and wisdom.
My campsite, one of only two on this sacred land, was just a few feet away from The Wish Fulfilling Temple. This temple, or chörten in Tibetan language, contains the remains of deceased people placed in special reliquaries.
The walls of the temple are painted with brightly colored traditional Tibetan artwork, with intricate detailing and murals representing Buddha’s life story.
That first evening, I set up camp on my assigned platform in the middle of four redwoods, and I felt that they were watching over me. Everything was quiet, and I settled into a simpler manner of living for a few days. No work, no obligations of any kind, no need to talk beyond the necessary. Space around me and inside of me, to just be.
This was my view for long periods of time every day. I would lay on my back on my yoga mat after my daily practice, and meditate with my eyes open. In the peaceful presence of my natural companions, I would get absorbed in the flowing of clouds, the swaying of branches in the breeze, and the singing of birds. Being with the redwoods helped me deeply relax, sleeping on the ground next to them allowed me to really connect my Heart to the heart of the earth. Every day, I felt more detached from the outside world and more in tune with my inner self.
One of the many statues of Buddha dotting the land and lining the trails and pathways. This one guarded my tent site and greeted me with every sunrise.
The ringing of this huge bell resonates for long minutes after being struck by the swinging log - its purpose is to ward off evil spirits while sharing the mantras engraved on its surface. Visitors are invited to ring the bell, and then circumambulate it in the direction of the marked arrows.
Next to the bell was this golden statue of Ksitigarbha, a bodhisattva whose name may be translated as "Earth Treasury", "Earth Store", "Earth Matrix", or "Earth Womb". A bodhisattva is someone who has generated bodhicitta, a spontaneous wish and compassionate mind to attain the state of Buddhahood, for the benefit of all sentient beings.
On my first morning at Land of Medicine Buddha, I attended a Cittamani Tara Puja held in the Gompa, the meditation hall. It was led by residing monk Venerable Samten, alongside nun Venerable Somo. This ceremony is held on Wednesdays in honor of his Holiness the Dalai Lama, as it is his astrological “soul day”. The puja lasted two hours, and I really enjoyed bathing in the litany of holy mantras incomprehensible to my mind but perfectly understood by my Heart.
The Mani Prayer Wheel you see in the background is packed with 64 billion “Om Mani Padme Hum”mantras, microfilmed from an original script written by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. This is one of the most powerful prayer wheels on earth. I spun it every day, and hopefully received some of its blessings. :)
I had brought books and art supplies on my trip, but didn’t reach for any of them during my retreat. I spent much time just sitting with the trees, breathing peacefully and feeling whatever emotions were passing through, or observing my thoughts as they arose. The dining room had a wall covered with an extensive collection of books on Buddhism, and I was attracted to this tome by Thích Nhất Hạnh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, and a prolific author (he’s published over 130 books!), poet and teacher, known as the “father of mindfulness”. I read a few pages of it in the evenings, before drifting to sleep, and received guidance that helped me shift some personal energies.
I went on long walking meditations, never encountering another soul in human form for hours at a time. However, I didn’t feel alone, as I knew myself to be surrounded by tree spirits, Devas, and many creatures hidden in the bushes, sitting on the branches, or flying in the breeze.
I ended most days with a refreshing swim in the spring water pool. While floating and soaking in the sun’s warmth, I could smell the alluring scent of honeysuckle wafting from nearby blossoms, as I watched hummingbirds darting from the plum trees to succulent flowers in the nearby garden.
I have informally studied Buddhism for decades, even minoring in Eastern Religions in college. I was first attracted to Tibet and its spiritual traditions through reading the (so-called fiction) books by Tuesday Lobsang Rampa when I was a teenager. The small French Caribbean island I grew up on had a single metaphysical bookstore that I visited regularly, and it was there that I discovered his whole series of books that “taught” me about natural laws, psychic powers, and life in Lhasa. I was literally remembering a history, a way of life and an energy that felt very intimate. I do feel I have lived in Tibet in previous lives, and that is incidentally what inspired me to give my son the unofficial middle name Himalaya when he was born, hoping it would invite him to climb the summit of his highest inner mountain.
On my last night sleeping on the ground, I had a personal revelation that left me feeling much lighter and renewed my sense of purpose in life. This was a spiritual gift I did not anticipate, but that greatly blessed my journey. Since then, a couple of weeks have passed, and the clarity that was bestowed upon me that night has further expanded, allowing me to connect dots and gain perspective about my current phase of human evolution. Layers of mental fog are dissolving and I am “seeing” the outline of something new emerging from the unknown… I am mindful not to settle for limiting words to assign meaning to an experience that has the quality of multidimensionality. I am not in a hurry to “know” or take action, beyond following inner guidance in the moment. I feel that spending time in quiet self-inquiry, in a sacred space dedicated to such pursuits, along with my intention for deepened Heart connection and the grounding of the Earth energy, supported my reaching of this epiphany (the object of which I am intentionally keeping private).
When I came out of my tent on my last morning on the Land, I looked in the direction of the temple and noticed a couple of animal friends reaching for the lowest branches of a plum tree, chewing on fresh leaves. I quietly stepped towards them, and spent some enjoyable moments in the company of a mama deer and her baby. I breathed quietly and did my best to be an unobtrusive element of the sacred Heart space we all share.
In deep gratitude for all my allies, seen and unseen.
If you enjoyed this article, sign up to receive fresh updates via email. Interested more travel adventures? I wrote an ebook about my solo car camping experience in Joshua Tree, you can buy it here. And remember to check out Part Two of this article where I’m taking you into de mystery of the microcosm of Sacred Geometry!
