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Visiting Skycliffe...

Nestled in the woods along the Kettle River, in the interior of British Columbia, lie the peaceful 220 acres of ‘Skycliffe,’HÜMÜH’s Monastery and Retreat Centre. Upon entering the main gate, a gently curving gravel road, with prayer flag poles lining both sides, leads visitors into the heart of the property. Quiet and serene, Skycliffe is a sanctuary for people as well as local wildlife.

Everything on the property is arranged to allow visitors the opportunity to release the tensions and strains of their busy lives. Relaxing hiking trails wind through the hills and valleys. The Kettle River, which meanders along the western edge of the property, offers many places to sit and enjoy the sights and sounds of the gently rolling currents. An inlet of the river forms a swimming hole for summer visitors to cool off on sunny mid-afternoons.

For those who like to sit in quiet meditation, there are many ideal spots. The Temple of Enlightenment offers regular hour-long meditation sittings at 7am, 11am, 2pm and 7pm. For less formal or personal meditations, there is a rustic little single-person meditation hut nestled in the woods. Up above the river, at the south-east edge of the property, is Amitabha Hill. With a broad expansive view of the Kettle River Valley, one can take in the scenery while sitting in the silence. There is also a beautiful Mandala Garden surrounding the golden Stupa, where people can sit on one of the many benches or walk the curving path around the Stupa as the Wish-Fulfilling Gem Mantra quietly plays throughout the garden.

'Skycliffe' Updates
Previous Skycliffe Updates: Febr., March, April, May, June, July, Aug., Sep.,2009

October, 2009

Embraced by the golden mountain ridges of October, the HÜMÜH Monastery welcomes everyone to enjoy the many unique meditation nooks that grace Padma Valley. One very special place for quiet repose is the Prayer Wheel, to the left of the Golden Healing Stupa, where all may come to gift themselves and others with the blessings of prayer.

Framed by apple trees and the flowers of the Stupa Garden, the barrel-shaped Prayer Wheel awaits, as visitors quiet the mind to write their prayer requests on slips of paper provided in a box on the covered stand nearby.

The prayer reads: “With an open, trusting heart, I pray for the happiness and well-being of_______, and for my own spiritual expansion, I gratefully ask for__________.” After completing their request, visitors then place their prayer request in an opening on the Prayer Wheel and spin the wheel to symbolize the energy of their prayer set in motion.

Wisdom Master Maticintin has said that effective prayer occurs when we formed mental imagery about what we want in our lives that will serve the whole, and then let it go. If we obsess on the image, the ego starts rearranging and manipulating it, until it is no longer for the good of the whole, nor will it materialize in the pure way we originally wanted it to.

Effective prayer communicates into the light or VOID/God what we truly want, pure from the heart, and has nothing to do with language. The spoken or written words, imagery, and actions all must be aligned for a prayer to be effective. It is what our attention is actually on that is received in prayer, making our every mental image a prayer. Gratitude, without a negative--for example, asking for good health, rather than asking with great anxiety not to have a particular illness--is a way to turn things around, to counteract karma.

Trust and gratitude ignite our prayers into our lives, and when we begin to receive from our prayers, refinement will occur so we may begin to have what we want in our lives, rather than what we do not want, making prayer a service to others as well as to ourselves, since we are all one in divinity.


‘Skycliffe’ is open to visitors on Sundays and they are invited to attend the 10:45 a.m. Sunday Service. After the service, visitors are welcome to take a self-guided tour of the monastery grounds, including the Forest Temple of Enlightenment, the Golden Healing Stupa*, Amitabha Vista, the River Walk, the Edge Walk, the Labyrinth,
the Karma Shedding Pit,and the Whirling Circle.

Visitation is by donation.

*A Stupa is a sacred monument that houses the ancient spiritual Teachings,
which are at the heart of all religions.
 
For reservations, call: 1.800.336.6015 or e-mail: Reservations@HUMUH.org