Crestone, Colorado

Located close to three gorgeous hot springs, Crestone, CO (elevation 8100 feet) is a tiny town like no other in the world. Just south of it is a 200,000 acre subdivision called the Baca Grande, with over 1000 year-round residents and about 30 spiritual retreat centers and monasteries. The purpose of the community is spiritual practice, and the retreat centers facilitate practice in many of the worlds’ religions: Hindu, Roman Catholic, Shinto, Zen, Bon, Vipassana, Sufi, and Tibetan Buddhist traditions. People come from around the world to attend retreats and teachings, dozens of religious retreatants live in hermitages high on the mountain slopes, and several meditation masters are in residence.

Native Americans have been coming to this sacred area at the base of the Sangre de Christo Mountains for about 15,000 years. It was considered a sacred place to die. Nowadays most people come to retire to a quiet contemplative life. Practitioners of the different spiritual traditions live in harmony and often attend each other’s programs.

We chose to come here for the opportunity to deepen our own private meditation practice, which enables us to better assist our clients and students, and to participate in the sense of community support which is part of the fabric of life here.