by Kiara ..
|
|
. |
There are many special places in the world where one may go to find harmony
or a sense of peace. Often this is a Sacred Place where beauty touches
the soul and helps one get in touch with the stillness and silence that
lies within. These are Sacred Places because they contain the true
essence of what is important in life. One such place in the San Luis Valley
in Colorado is a remote area called Crestone, once a gold mining town which
has expanded into the Baca Grande, a small community, filled with alternative
homes and people who honor the open space and wildlife.
This area has many greenbelts which protect the land from being over built and allows space for the wildlife. The streams flow with running water all year and the deer roam free. There are no malls or theaters. The closest town, Alamosa, is 45 miles south. Salida is 50 miles north. Larger cities are Denver, 200 miles; Colorado Springs, 125 miles; Taos 130 miles; Santa Fe 170 miles and Albuquerque 235 miles. One brochure says: "We've got plenty of nothing - nothing but clean air - nothing but space and the time to enjoy it - nothing but fabulous views." I find it hard to describe the beauty of this area where the golden-red leaves of fall shimmer in the sunlight, where the mysterious mist of winter hides the snow-capped mountains, where the wildflowers of spring dance in the open fields, and the summer allows the running streams to murmur in the quiet, warmth of the day. |
Crestone/Baca, a high desert area approximately 8000 feet, is nestled
to the east of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains (Blood of Christ) which are
1400 feet above sea level. The San Juan Mountains (St. John) lie to the
west. The Ute Indians called the San Luis Valley the Bloodless Valley
because the land was too sacred to allow warfare or bloodshed. Crestone/Baca
contains many spiritual sites: Carmelite Hermitage, Tibetan and Zen Center,
Sri Aurobindo Learning Center, Ziggurat, Lindesfarne Temple, Haidakhanda
Universal Ashram, and the Tashi Gomang Stupa. Nearby are the Sand
Dunes and the Mineral Hot Springs.