Colorado and Lovingkindness.

We've spent the last two weeks in Colorado, one at Marshall's aunt Robbin's house in Lyons, and the other at Shambhala. Life has basically been amazing. Robbin takes good care of us. Especially in the feeding and sheltering department.

Lyons is very close to Boulder, so we have had the opportunity to go to Boulder a lot. I even toured Naropa University. It might be just what I want. I have until January to decide if I want to apply, so there's plenty of time for considering.

We didn't take many digital pictures of our Lyons time (but we did take some polaroids). We mostly just lived simply here, with the river in the backyard and good company.



Here's one of Robbin and I working in her garden. Marshall and I helped her build this wicked fence.

Last Saturday, we drove two hours north and two thousand feet higher to Shambhala. It was beautiful. We stayed together in the children's dorm, and worked Monday through Friday with the facilities department. Really, we didn't have to work very much (six hours a day, tops) and we even got to see some snow!

Shambhala has delicious food and the Great Stupa of Dharmakaya, Which Liberates Upon Seeing. The stupa contains thousands of tiny stupas inside its walls, the ashes and skull of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, and an 18 foot Buddha statue. It amplifies all of the thoughts and intentions that are in its vicinities. Kind of like a beautiful spiritual satellite. Here are some pictures:




We could not take a picture of the front of the Stupa that did not show this distortion. Interpret it as you will!




This is some of the detailing on the walls. It is absolutely gorgeous.





Here is a marble pomegranate. We befriended Devin, who worked in the Stupa, and he gave us each a marble from the pomegranate to take home. It was a wonderful gift.






The Buddha, in all sort of peaceful glory.






This is a Shinto shrine. It is dedicated to Kami (a sun goddess from Japan).

It is pretty amazing that this place exists, especially in America. Come to the Rockies and spend time with it. You can volunteer over the summer, and live extremely well.

We drove back down to Lyons yesterday, to make samosas and stay with Robbin before we head out for Salt Lake City tomorrow. We ate a great dinner in Estes Park, and saw many elk.



Here are some elk!

We slept, and woke today to clean out and wash the car (a bar of chocolate melted in the backseat). We spent most of the afternoon sitting with our feet in the freezing Colorado river, until Marshall decided to brave the waters:

!!!

Life is pretty much great! We have decided to begin the circle that will bring us home. Look out for us, West Coast! We're coming!

Safe travels!
j


oh, p.s., we visited the hotel in which the Shining was filmed. Not really isolated, but very pretty, and supposedly it is actually haunted. It's called The Stanley, for those that are interested!