Soil Water & Life, Permaculture 22 Jan!

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A Recent Visit to TW

Staying in the wild 'outback' of the Sierra de Laguna Mountains of Baja California Sur, I'm feeling quite content after having a great lunch. Sitting out in the sun with a fresh breezes create a bigger appetite than usual. I decide to take a short hike up the hill from the community area. The trail goes past a small waterfall and mango tree grove, which have both palm trees and various cactus cropping out from big granite rocks. Taking a leap up onto the ‘YabYum Rock’ I’m ready to rest awhile, perched on the mountainside facing southeast.

The mountain valley is as green as I've ever seen, owing to generous rains the past season. The birds chirp happily in the surrounding bushes, it lifts my spirit. From this point, I see hundreds of acres of the beautiful and vast landscape. Just below is the Tsegyalgar West Meditation Hall complete with a Dance Mandala where a practice is going on. 


There is very slow lovely music echoing up from 'Song of the Vajra'.  I see figures weaving themselves together within the rhythm and sound. It seems an amazing 'dream-like' dance on a floating colorful mandala...

Today is halfway through the ‘MahaYoga Inside Dzogchen’ Retreat and so I find this a perfect spot to get some perspective. From this perch I feel the smallness of my existence, but also the bigness of being a part of all life. Sitting in cross legged and very still, I more easily forget my body and melt into a primodorial 'oneness'. I close my eyes and focus on nothing, but feel a sense of peace. The subtle air, the birds, crickets and frogs integrate with the echo of dharma music. I open my eyes and see a brown red tailed hawk gliding above, riding airwaves effortlessly. 

This week has been an incredible blessing, which has helped me recover some serenity and inner peace that was lacking in my chaotic American work life. Surrounded by such strong and pure elements, natural landscape and dhrama community, I rest in contentment of simply being here, now. 

Lisa K. Bauer

The Elliott School of International Affairs, 

George Washington University, Washington D.C.