In 2019 and 2020, Wilderness Dharma Movement hosted residential retreats in Crestone, Colorado at the beautiful Blazing Mountain Retreat Center.
These retreats were led by Anam Thubten and Elizabeth Mattis Namgyel as a 7-day Chöd practice intensive based on their translation of the text “The Roar of the Dakini’s Laughter” by Jigme Lingpa.
Each day included four periods of Chöd practice as a group, as well as individually. We gathered for morning and afternoon teachings, a midday meal, and evening tsok (feast) practice. The retreats were held in noble silence.
To learn more about Crestone watch A Place of the Heart, a beautiful film made by Crestone Films featuring a poem by Anam Thubten.
A Spontaneous Poem for the Crestone Retreat
The blue sky is my face.
All these bright stars are my lovely eyes
My pristine teeth.
The moving clouds are the expression of my joy and sadness.
This earth is my body.
These overwhelmingly majestic mountains of Crestone are my pelvis
Where primal forces hide.
I am the universe.
So are you, my dear friend.
I have been travelling a long time on this train.
This world just happens to be another station.
I just got out to get a drink and a snack.
This train station turned out to be so entertaining and complex
I ended up staying longer than I thought.
There are other passengers, who are enchanted by this world.
A voice in my heart said you are here to dance with these passengers
So you will know what unconditional love is.
This thing called unconditional love is the mystery of the universe.
This is all there is.
This alone is all I want to know.
So I make a commitment to stay here as long as I can.
When both of your hands want to join together, don’t resist.
When your body wants to twirl, go with it.
When your two bare feet want to jump wildly on the sand, enjoy the bliss
Of nature’s gentle massage.
All is well.
A La La Ho!
Eh Ma Ho!
Ah Ah Sha Sa Ma Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Composed by Anam Thubten on November 12, 2014
The poem is available in a beautiful illustrated art edition book and in a collection of poems by Anam Thubten Big Sky
