Just two hours from the Swiss border, way up in the windy forested mountains, overlooking the valley below sits this wondrous place - a place of such incredible energy and sublime feelings of peace and tranquility it’s a surprise I haven’t already permanently unpacked my bags with a decision to just stay forever. I have a special fascination and love for stupas, and here there are eight! One is perched at the entrance, welcoming you, inviting you to come inside. Then a row of seven in a perfect line, standing at attention, looking almost alive as if standing guard - gazing out into the huge wide open space that is everywhere here. The view is incredible, vast and nearly endless, a feeling of wide open-ness pervades in all directions. The people are amazing, always smiling and laughing, so full of life and energy as they bustle around in all manner of jobs and details preparing for the 40th anniversary celebration that is to take place on the 15th. The statues that fill the main hall are beautiful, lit only by candlelight in the fading afternoon light. My dear friend Salva Magaz has a beautiful expo of his photos he has taken here, and as I watch them being installed I took the opportunity to look through the photo history collection that is on display.
What an incredible journey of transformation has occurred here, you can see how much work went into making this place what I see before me today. From barren farm houses and extraordinarily rough terrain transformed into a glimmering center of incredible Dharmic activity, a bustling and active community, and a simply glorious place to just sit and have a tea - or enjoy the amazing home cooked food they have here too!
I am in awe - honestly it is so much more magnificent than I had imagined. Lama Teunsang has performed the impossible here, for it has been made very clear to me that none of this could have been possible without his tireless efforts over the past 40 years. Directly from the sweat on his brow, his hands digging in the earth, and his generous heart and endless devotion to creating such a special place is what has made Montchardon, well, Montchardon.
Montchardon
