Coming to Sacred Mountain

I came to Sacred Mountain having read Virochana and Shantara’s books, beginning my own practice and wanting to meet these teachers in physical form. I wanted to see if they lived their practice unlike so many teachers I had learned from in my religious searches. I was happy to find that yes it is truly a lifestyle here. Not just on nights we have class, but every moment. My experience here at the retreat has been unlike any other place that I have lived. After all the places I have traveled this is the first place I have lived and felt truly at home. I NEVER thought I would love living in the mountains so much. The power of the mountains has helped me in the deepest part of my being. There is something very unique and special here. Whether it’s working on the land, with the animals or doing practice there is a difference to this sacred land. In getting away from the confusion of the crowded city, I am able to deepen in my practice more than I ever could. You can feel a difference in your body just walking onto the land. It’s not just the land either, it is the teachers and lessons taught. I am realizing that I have not been to many other places that have the same affect. I know that we need more places like this in the world. Sacred spaces for students and teachers to practice aligned with the guidance of the masters and supported by Mother Earth. It is time for change, drastic change. Being stewards of this planet we live on it is a challenge for us to change and make things right from how things have been done.

Another thing that I cherish so much of my experience so far is the discipline, and accountability of what is happening here. It is a feeling of rightness. I had read about experiences from other people about receiving a transmission from just being around certain teachers. I was told it comes with recognizing the sacredness of those teachers and can happen from ALL things once it is recognized. This is also something extraordinary that I had not experienced with any of my other teachers. All of a sudden I could be filled with a certain feeling and knowing.

I am here because I want to grow from the inside out. I want to go into those spaces that are challenging and work through them. I do not want to perpetuate my patterns of nerosis and continue on for lifetime after lifetime in ignorance. I also know that I need wisdom, guidance and tools from those who have done it so far. Being a student here has been a great opportunity for me to learn to listen and be opened to seeing things that I have not been seeing. This is why I am STILL here. Healing is a holistic experience. Healing from within is reflected on the outer. I understand what needs to change outside of me and want to change it inside myself as well. It’s an external vision that needs internal change first. There is great purpose and meaning to this path and it takes courage and a commitment to stay on it. At the moment, I am healing in my relationship with horses. After many traumatic experiences with horses at a young age I created allergies to them. Severe allergies! Loving them so much and wanting to be around them I would take over the counter drugs to help, but that always seemed to make things worse in the end. The horses here are different. I know this because my allergies are nothing like they used to be since I have been working with them these last few months. It seems to get better and better depending on what I am doing. I have been blessed to be able to work with the horses here. I still have much to learn, but I continue every day I am around them. It has been a long time dream to ride again and be in close relationship with them. In my personal practice I have been growing in my capacity to sit for longer periods doing certain internal kriyas, learning to observe things that happen in those moments, to go into them and possibly move them. I still have much to learn and will continue to be here learning and growing with grace in a new family of yogis and yoginis.

In Love

Om Mani Padme Hum

Manisha Ma