Happening Upon The Shire; "Retreat, Re-Treat!"

If you have been following my previous blogs, you will have inferred that 2004 was a watershed year for me.  I made many discoveries where many seeds were planted that are still bearing fruit ten years later.

I happened upon another great find on July 4, 2004 when a friend introduced me to Harbin Hot Springs, located about 2-1/2 hours north of San Francisco.  Perhaps you know of Harbin, perhaps not.  I wrestled with the idea of writing about it because it is such a special place, and I do not wish to carelessly bring attention to Harbin for the wrong reasons.  But if I am to fully reflect on the spiritual influences in my life over the past ten years, a discussion of and homage to Harbin Hot Springs is essential.

Harbin has a rich history.  In times past, it was a gathering place for Native Americans to partake of its natural spring waters.  In the late 1800s to mid 1900s, Harbin had morphed into a summertime resort for Bay Area families.  Following a trend of transformation driven by social change in the 1960s, Harbin as we know it today was born in the early ‘70s when a visionary purchased what had become a very run-down and neglected property and, over the course of the next 40 years, would shepherd the evolution of Harbin into the New Age retreat community and village that it is today.

My first visit to Harbin stirred feelings of surprise, wonder, and keen curiosity.  I was charmed by its Tolkienesque setting, with various pools of natural spring water of varying temperatures and sizes amidst a beautiful natural setting.  Twice more that summer and early fall, I asked my friend to take me back to Harbin.  Enchanted by this place, I know I wanted more of it.  In retrospect, it is perfectly synchronous that I met Harbin during a year of reflection, exploration, and expansion.

 

Through a foray into Yahoo online dating in late 2004, I encountered a profile that mentioned Harbin Hot Springs, which led to a phone conversation where Harbin was one of the highlights.  Over the next two years, we made many trips to Harbin together.  It was the highlight of our relationship.  Our visits were an almost-monthly ritual. 

As has been the case, I’m sure, for many, over time, visits to Harbin took on new significance.  While at first I saw Harbin as a brief respite from work and urban life, I gradually began to feel that Harbin was an essential and integral part of my life, a counterweight balancing the faster pace and stress of Bay Area living.

I have soaked and swam in the waters of Harbin, hiked its hills and paths, marveled at its natural beauty, camped on its grounds and enjoyed its rooms, attended yoga classes and music performances, browsed and bought many books on consciousness and spirituality, and there, have met many interesting and amazing people from all over the country and the world.  At Harbin I internalized body acceptance and became more attuned to the sensual aspect of life.

Upon reflection, I am gratified that I discovered Harbin when I did and not earlier when both Harbin and I were less mature.  While my history may not be quite as colorful as Harbin’s, my appreciation for this “Shire” perhaps would have been less enduring at an earlier age.  Each visit to Harbin has been a meditative marker, a reflective pause along my path.