NAN TIEN- SOLACE FOR THE SOUL

I have always maintained that the paths we find ourselves on in the journey of life, whether intended or not, are there for a reason. We have something to learn or experience on it.  In my travels so far I have managed to find many paths I didn’t intend to take, initially, but that have proven to be of greater value to me. Some have taught me patience or to savour where I am rather than wasting effort on trying to get to where I thought I should be. They have taught me to live in the moment and appreciate the beauty around me. Some paths have led to awesome places, meeting great people, and learning to trust in the journey.

When I first started my travels  I thought it would be a good idea to do a housesit after a month on the road, so that I could see how I was going, what my finances were like and how I felt. So, I booked to do a months’ housesit for a lovely lady, Sonia, and her two really nice sons, some chooks and two Wolfhounds at Wollongong. Well my path, as usual, wasn’t quite in sync, and I realized that I should have booked a housit further up the east coast of NSW, as I was going to be pushed for time now to get to my next housesit in Hervey Bay. And Wollongong with its’ heavy industries was not a place I would have chosen to visit on my travels, otherwise. However. Trust the journey! For one thing I got to spend some time with two of the most gorgeous gentle giants EVER. Remus and Valerie were my wonderful wolfies, whose sweet nature and sloppy kisses made every day a blessing.

And then there was Nan Tien!

The Hall of Compassion at the Entrance

Who would have thought there was such a place in Wollongong? Nan Tien Temple is the largest Buddhist Temple in the Southern Hemisphere. And it is both a visual delight for the senses and a solace for the soul. I cannot understand how something so near to a busy highway can remain so remote from it. It is almost like stepping into another dimension. A lost city… a Shangri-La. It has such beautiful architecture, that practically every angle you look at makes you draw in your breath. I realize that this is intentional, as it is an aid to meditation and focus in Bhuddism, but even so, the architecture of the buildings melds into the architecture of the gardens seamlessly, elegantly. And I have to admit a weakness for oriental gardens. So structured, so contrived, yet nature is so beautifully orchestrated, it is sublime.

A garden outside the Dew Drop Inn

 And the peace of this place is such a solace to the soul. From the many paths with wooden seats and contemplative statues, to the lotus lake full of Koi : from the meditation room and Compassion hall to the stunning Temples… an air of tranquility and joy seems to pervade them all. It is easy to lose time here. I know I did as I sat by the Lotus Lake watching the ducks drowse as koi tickled their feet beneath the crystal clear water. The lotuses had, alas, flowered and gone, but the large, waxy leaves lifted to the sky, undaunted, unchanged, meditating in the sun.

The Lotus Lake

At some point I decided to find some sustenance for the body too and found there are two places here. The smaller Dew Drop Inn, where I went serves delicious teas and coffees, cakes and oriental VEGETARIAN snacks. And the Dining Hall which serves larger but affordable vegetarian meals, as Bhuddism  advocates for vegetarianism. Which actually suited me well, as I am not a great meat eater and could probably even stop eating meat quite easily. I never did as a child- not because my family, who were meat eaters wanted it, but because preferred it. Heavens knows when I started eating it- probably when MacDonalds turned up!

There are also exhibitions and festivals here, Buddhist festivals,  educational and healthy lifestyle classes and retreats, accommodation, top class conference and auditorium facilities. And also the spiritual and religious experience that is unforgettable, and even life changing for some. This is a place to return to again and again. As I did.

So the path which led me to Wollongong  did so for a reason. Nan Tien.

May you learn to trust your journey.

The Grey Chihuahua