An Extraordinary Birthday at Maitreya Mountain Village

I just turned 58 years old and I am proud.So what do you do when you reach my age? I, me and yours truly ,being genetically encoded with a wanderlust double helix DNA ( hahaha!) , did the predictable choice for my birthday celebration. I am not one who will throw a lavish party,dressed up, primmed and pretend I am having a wonderful time.That's just not me and that doesn't rhyme with my preferential code of having a ball and having fun.I wanted to do something unique to celebrate my birthday.One that I have not done before and definitely a far cry from the ordinary.

For the longest time, I have wondered what it was like to live without the modern conveniences that we are so accustomed and so dependent on today to survive .I.E. no electricity,no phone, no internet,no running water.My mind kept thinking what is it like to just live off the land, live off on the generosity of nature and live life with minimal conveniences. Deep inside me , I knew this is possible and my curiosity to sample this lifestyle was exactly what I envision to do to celebrate my birthday for a few days.

I am a firm believer of the saying : YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK. ERGO, WISHES DO COME TRUE.I wouldn't doubt the validity of this premise as scientifically there had been laboratory studies done to prove that there is an unseen quantum force that is instrumental in affecting our human way of life -be it in decision making or just a being ,breathing and living human. Just like anybody in this world today, I turned to Mr Google. Extremely excited with an unstoppable rush of adrenaline, I plotted and planned to search for a place that offers minimalist living at its core.It didn't take long before my prayers were answered and my search is over.I found my Shang-rila . Ask and you shall receive is an old adage that just prove its point all over again.I asked and I recieved. If you don't believe in miracles, I stand to prove you wrong. Miracles do happen. This is one of them.

I don't even know how to begin to describe this place. For me it was a dream come true .It fitted perfectly what I was looking for.I couldn't have asked for a better place.This is a place extremely remote and totally shut off from the outside world.It is located roughly around 10000 feet above sea level, sits on top of a mountain and hidden with tall giant thousands year old redwood trees along the Oregon / Northern California lost coast. Access is driving through a private road of 7 miles with winding, uphill ,ravinous climb of rough, unpaved gravel road passable only with one car at a time.

Arriving at the village exceeded my expectations. After almost 400 miles and 8 hours later of driving up north , we were greeted with 160 acres of pristine redwood mountain forest all of which we have the luxury to roam free in tranquility. These trees are majestic, extremely tall and recorded to be more than thousand years old. Not a human soul present here. There were many creeks and streams at our disposal to wade through or take a swim as we please.We stayed in an "A" frame 10 ft x 10 feet log cabin outfitted with candles ,flashlights and gas lamps. The little log cabin was decorated with little Buddha statues ,Tibetan prayer flags and cinnamon incense candles.The floor bed was an air mattress and was very comfortable. Sleeping in the cabin was surreal.We can look up the stars at night as most of the nights were clear. There was a creek that runs by our cabin and it was a treat to hear the soft clear ripples of the water as it lulled us to sleep. There were bird tweeting sounds from the forest.There were goats ,chickens,2 kitties and 3 friendly dogs one of them I baptized as Phantom of the Opera because of the black color of his face and white coat.There were 3 handmade log cabins and a big geodesic dome log house. Like I wanted to , all the modern conveniences are non existent. Electricity ,running water, cell phone connection ,internet and even flushable toilet were completely absent. Never thought that toilets can be flushed with saw dust collected from nearby logging companies. This area of Northern California and southern Oregon thrives in the lumber industry. We were engulfed with big towering redwood trees and several wild mountain animals whom we had the pleasure of meeting up close and personal. I was particularly enamored with the wild mountain goats who greeted us in our small cabin early in the morning and hang around by our small door as I sip and savor freshly brewed French pressed Peets coffee grind. I am living my dream . This is sustainable living with nature's bounty. One nice bonus is looking at an organic garden in the open air kitchen while cooking pancakes with a campfire propane stove.

Something mystical happened while we were here. My mind became crystal clear and I felt total unadulterated bliss. Pure love and peace enveloped me anywhere I looked and there is no way to escape it. I was transported to a metaphysical plane beyond my own understanding. Maybe it was the serenity of the place,the abundance and magnificence of nature and wildlife that cleared the debris which usually clutter my mind while I live in the ways of the world.Maybe it was the Buddhist Zen monastery inhabited by 35 monks 2 miles up the forest. I can hear imaginary echoes of their chants .Whatever it was, I was spiritually transformed.This place was home and I felt I belonged here.I dreaded the day when we have to leave this wonderful place and go back to the reality of my physical world. I felt a little sadness as I thought of the few days left to spend here before I return and face the chaotic world that I had been so accustomed to live.My husband and I forged a special kind of closeness and bond that we have never felt for each other for the 29 years we have been together.We have always been close but this was a different kind of closeness far more than my peony little mind can explain.There are no words for it.It can only be experienced to be able to understand.It is love in its purest form and this was a magical time.I felt I was cleaned spiritually.All I felt was love ,not only for my husband, but for the whole human race,the people who came into my life and who had become an intrinsic part of my being.

After I left this place,my hope and prayer is that I can hang on and continue to nurture this love ,that my prejudices and misgivings do not taint my pursuit of a life in peace, serenity and service to my fellow humans.So help me God.