Colorado Ashram

This was about a month ago.  My friend, Jennifer, and her friend, Lisa, and I went to see Tara Mandala, a Buddhist retreat/ashram about an hour from Durango.  It was located in a beautiful area in Pagosa Springs.  This was their open house day, and we received a tour of the whole complex, of which there are acres and acres.  People do come there to live for "retreats" and such . . . kind of sort of like what I did in India, but, I think without the dogma!  Catma, maybe, but no dogma.

We visited the residential quarters . . . very nice roomy but spartan rooms . . . and the meditation room . . . and our guide explained all the decorations on the main building.  I don't remember the whole story of Tara, but I'll tell you what I do remember.  Tara was a spiritual being, and all the men around her told her that in order to become enlightened, she had to die and come back as a man . . . because a woman could never become enlightened.  More patriarchal crap!  Tara said, "Frick this!" (well, maybe she didn't say exactly that, but I bet she thought it!) and then she proceeded to become enlightened, showing up all the sexist holy men!  Score!  I loved that story!

We also had a mini-meditation "example" . . . I have to call it that, because it was all of five minutes . . . and I wanted more.  We sat on cushions, which is not how I like to meditate.  My body doesn't like to meditate that way.  So, maybe it was good that it was only five minutes!  

After the tour, we were treated to a very nice vegetarian lunch.  There were beautiful paintings all around us.  Then, the three of us began the trek up to some significant point that I can't remember the name of.  We saw wild turkeys on the way . . . I loved that part!  From the point, you can see Chimney Rock, which is an ancient Native American sacred area.  In the picture, look kind of in the middle at the "chimney" . . . that's where it is.

Then, on the way home we stopped and had delicious caramels . . . my favorite!