We’ve had an abundance of rain this summer and our 108 acres at Sacred Mountain Ashram are lush with wild grasses and flowers like no other year!
Summertime Projects
Repairs and renovations are in full swing during these few summer months on our mountaintop. After 30+ years, our greenhouse had a complete makeover this year with new polycarbonate panels and rebuilt screens on the four louvre windows. Plans are under way for a new watering system and with more light coming in, we are happily contemplating more varieties of veggies in the coming years.
- A sunken cement area outside Shakti Dham (ladies residence) that had been causing a room inside to flood was raised using a modern process of “mud jacking.” More exterior work for this “Yucca Pod” structure, designed 50 years ago by Boulder architect Charles Haertling, is planned.
- The yurt that served us well for years had been falling apart for decades, so what remained, primarily the deck, was dismantled in July. The wooden entry has been converted into a gazebo we have named Aspen Kutir, with a new roof and fascia. We plan to eventually make it into a rustic summer cabin for retreat guests.
- Florence Lodge at Sevalaya had some badly needed restoration. We plan to remodel this carriage house to make it into a 2-bedroom retreat cottage in the near future.
- The Annapurna gazebo, damaged by age and 100+ mph winds last January, was re-roofed with asphalt shingles to match Annapurna dome. The cedar shakes that were removed will be used for kindling in our many wood stoves.
- Our second annual yoga class Seva Day took place on July 18th. Much gratitude to everyone who came and helped in so many ways. It was heartening to see the yoginis, their spouses and their children painting, gardening, and helping clear building refuse from the greenhouse and dismantled yurt platform. Afterwards everyone share a meal at Annapurna.
- Rains in recent years have caused flooding inside the greenhouse, so in early August local earth movers sculpted and leveled the land to allow water to run away from the greenhouse. In addition, they removed old footers at yurt site and cleared boulder strewn paths near Shakti Dham for safer walking year-round.
Lakshmi, Buddha and Krishna
New statues of Lakshmi and Buddha were installed in their respective places: Buddha at the Aspiration sculpture and Lakshmi in the sunken garden that we have renamed Lakshmi’s Garden. New stepping stones were placed in the area before Krishna in the Garden of Prophets.
Higher Consciousness Retreat
We are only a few days away from our summer retreat on August 8-10 when we will listen to Gurudeva’s Enlightenment Retreat. Everyone who is coming has expressed gratitude for this time of meditation and spiritual renewal. Throughout the summer and autumn our guesthouse will be available for personal retreats. Let us know well in advance if you would like to come for a few days to a few weeks of prayer, meditation, Satsang, kirtan, silence and solitude. We look forward to sharing this heavenly land blessed by Gurudeva.