Joy in the Catalan Pyrenees

Eco-Dharma is situated at the base of a mountain crest in the Catalan Pyrenees. It is a place that, for me,  difficult to describe in words, so I have put together a series of images from my time there that give some sense of the beauty and changes in weather and light from morning till night. I spent my days here hiking and then sitting, captivated most of the time with the beauty that surrounded me, and each day finding that I could land into a deeper and deeper place of peace. Just remembering this time brings a sense of calm to my whole system; its a series of memories that are somehow, beautifully,  indelibly imprinted in my system. One of the practices that I was working with while I was on my retreat was what the Dalai Lama and Bishop Desmond Tutu call the eight pillars of joy. I found myself spontaneously meditating on the pillars of: perspective, humility, humour, acceptance, forgiveness, gratitude, compassion and generosity as I sat with this landscape. It was easy to feel joy when surrounded by such an abundance of beauty! This retreat was about creating a better way of living through finding joy! Allellulia for letting go of the stress and the clutter and embracing beauty and simplicity.