Your journey to bliss begins as you breathe the dry desert air and gaze at our clear, cobalt sky. No one knows exactly why one gets an immediate feeling of well-being up here. Some say the magma fires below the earth's surface, combined with the winds that cleanse the air in our canyons, and the magnetic charge of the iron-rich red earth itself, create a "vortex effect." Whatever it is, it works a magic spell.
People have noticed San Diego Canyon's
ability to lift the spirits for centuries: the Towa-speaking people call it "Giusewa," for the hot water pouring from the earth, and created a large community here. The ruins can be viewed at Jemez State Monument. Our canyon was one of the first settled by Spanish missionaries, who saw an image of the blessed Virgin carved in the canyon walls. There is still a Catholic monastery and convent in the canyon. A nearby Benedictine monastery accepts guests for a silent retreat. The beautiful old Santuario de Chimayo is called the "Lourdes of the Southwest," a place where miracles happen.
Now there are new spiritual retreats in the area. The Bodhi Manda Zen Center welcomes day guests to practice meditation. The spirits of nature are celebrated at a pagan learning center. Our female rabbi leads Jewish contemplative practice. To the North is a large Sikh community, and an Islamic learning center.
Farm fresh food is served in our restaurants. One farm offers yoga classes overlooking its fields. You can learn to use herbs for healing or aroma therapy. Our bath house offers some of the best massage therapists in the country. We also have more esoteric therapies, from water massage to cranial sacral therapy.
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