Global retreats and journeys that
enrich the mind, heal the body, and inspire the spirit.
Ojai Journey Notes (2005)
"The weekend in Ojai was like a little piece of
heaven. When I try to describe it to friends I can't
do it justice. The estate is beautiful. What a special
treat to be allowed to enjoy all it has to offer.
I hope you'll have another retreat there, and when
you do, sign me up!"
L. Romo - Executive, non-profit organization, Temple
City, CA
It
only takes 90 minutes to drive from Los Angeles to
the "little piece of heaven" mentioned. The 52 acre
estate, now called Ojai's Eco-sanctuary, overlooks
the Topa Topa Mountains where "Lost Horizons," a 1936
film classic about utopian Shangri-La, was filmed.
The main house (a bungalow that comfortably sleeps
15-20) was designed by Greene and Greene, the master
Arts and Crafts movement architects famous for such
"ultimate bungalows" as Pasadena's Gamble House. This
was Health Habitravels home June 9-11. A group member
said "It's amazing to actually be eating, sleeping
- living - in a Greene and Greene, instead
of speeding through on a tour." So true, and that's
why the estate was this retreat's highlight. What
better spot to harmonize body, mind and spirit than
a place vibrant with spiritual essence, harmony and
balance that honors naturally beautiful surroundings
by angling a garden bench just so - stationing blessing
figures of Mother Mary, Buddha and pagan stone totems
benevolently among flower and herb gardens - and drawing
sunrays through leaded glass doors to well placed
Tiffany lamps. If you're into Arts and Crafts then
a weekend at the eco-sanctuary is indeed heavenly.
Founded by British poet, essayist, designer and socialist
William Morris, the Arts and Crafts movement flourished
from 1895 to 1930. A reaction to the soulless mechanized
Industrial Revolution, proponents of Arts and Crafts
celebrated the union of hand, head and heart. A century
later, bombarded by consumerism, many of us now grasp
the grave importance of the tenets valued by Morris
and his followers. The current mind-body-spirit movement
is an outgrowth of their philosophies. What we call
New Age was then "new religion," theories and practices
culled from ancient mysticism, oriental belief systems
and paganism, or in present day verbiage Earth honoring
or Goddess based religions. Arts and Crafts aimed
to create contemplative objects and environments that
encouraged spiritual attunement. One the movement's
writers, William Henry Channing, succinctly stated
the artisans sought "...to let the spiritual, the
unbidden and the unconscious rise up through the common."
The movement flowered fully in California at the turn
of the last century, where the Puritan ideals of high
thinking combined with plain living, and free spirits
settled in the Eden-esque landscape to live the American
dream. Greene and Greene and other California based
masters created a signature California style strongly
influenced by the Spanish, Asian and Native American
presence in the West. For more information and links
on Arts and Craft visit www.arts-crafts.com
and http://anc.gray-cells.com/Intro.html.
Craftsman
bungalows have features that make them ideal summer
places: sleeping porches where you feel like you're
camping but you're in the house plus patios and terraces
for El Fresco dining. Our weekend home had both and
a huge salt water swimming pool and Jacuzzi. Add a
recently built Craftsman yoga studio to the equation
and you have an optimal retreat location. The estate
is also close to both town and country. A ten minute
hike passed fanciful neighborhood gardens with free
standing blue doors leading from the outside to the
outside and giant crane sculptures bowing gracefully
to morning glories, lands you on Los Padres National
forest trails, totally away from civilization. These
mountains are home to the Sespe Condor Sanctuary,
which is not open to the public, but is helping to
save this endangered species. If you visit www.localhikes.com
you'll find information on an excellent hike to Sespe
hot spring. For the fossil lovers among you, try a
Matillija Creek hike. Along the trails you'll meet
up with helpful, friendly locals who'll be more than
happy to suggest routes suited to your needs. It's
a five minute drive to Ojai's main street, where you'll
find galleries, shops and restaurants. Many of the
early followers of Theosophy, a "new religion", lived
in Ojai, and a there is a foundation, library and
retreat center dedicated to the late philosopher Krishnamurti
- more at www.kfa.org.
We
stayed most of the weekend at the estate. I taught
Pilates, very gentle yoga and energizing Gyrokinesis®.
Diane Mandle, the only Sound Healer certified by the
state of California, contributed meditative concerts/accompaniment
during our stay. Diane states on her website www.soundenergyhealing.com,
"Sound healing is a therapy that is becoming internationally
recognized as an effective tool for the treatment
of insomnia, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, ADD, emotional
imbalance and other stress related conditions. It
has been successfully used as an integral part of
the healing process with cancer patients and provides
pain relief for a variety of symptoms including kidney
stones, headaches, back pain and more." The Friday
evening concert she played us was living proof. As
sound waves washed over and through me I felt like
I was floating. We were all awed by Diane's seamless
playing of an assortment of sacred Tibetan bowls,
chimes, bells and deep, resonating gong. Saturday
the healing continued. Diane "jammed" on her scared
instruments with keyboardist David, there for the
retreat on keyboard and Didgeridoo player Mike on
Didgeridoo. I'm a huge Didge fan - and this instrumental
trio rocked! I'm hoping the three will collaborate
and come out with a CD. For now you can purchase Diane's
"Return to Om" for meditations and mind-body practice.
I've played it to enthusiastic students in several
of my classes. Link over to Diane's site to for and
listen to give yourself a sound treat. For those unfamiliar
with the didgeridoo www.laoutback.com
is a great source of information.
The
weekend went too fast. We left wanting more time at
this beautiful place. The Ojai property is privately
owned and only available for a limited number of retreats,
workshops and non-profit events. It is one of a handful
of Craftsmans, some originals, some built in the style,
available as lodgings. Yoga and yoga-based practices
like Pilates and sound healing find everything they
strive for, inner harmony, balance, focus, the union
of body, mind and spirit mirrored in the Arts and
Crafts nature-centric Asian influenced structures.
You can be sure there will be future Health Habitravels
retreats at Craftsman style venues.
Blessings - Tannis Kobrinsky
Founder - Health Habitravels
