Notes from the Menla Mountain Community: First blog in a new series from the retreat center staff & volunteers.

As we finish preparing for another incredible retreat season here at Menla, I want to remind people that there are many ways to interface with us. People, of course, can rent space here to facilitate a retreat for others, or attend one the many programs that happen here each year. People can work here as seasonal staff, living, working, and growing personally in our magical valley. Locals can come for a walk or hike or just to say hello. And we're always looking for volunteers--we handle an immense amount of work with a very limited number of staff, and there is always much to do. However it is people are drawn to Menla, I've noticed over the years that people get out of it what they put into it. I see Menla's pristine mountain valley and forest as a kind of karmic magnifying glass--allowing people to take a closer look at what lies beneath the surface of their daily lives. And this goes for the dreamscape as well. I've had innumerable extremely vivid dreams here and have had the pleasure of hearing others' dreams as well. Perhaps it's the fact that our mountain sits on top of the oldest known meteor impact crater on Earth and has a gravitational field that is less than it should be. Perhaps it is the collective accumulation of tens of thousands of people's inner work here since the 60s. Or perhaps it's simply the fact that this is one of the most beautiful hidden realms of the East Coast. Regardless, a visit to Menla--however brief or extended--will definitely change your life. I invite you to discover the magic of Menla for the first time or, if you've already graced the land with your presence, keep coming back! We deeply appreciate the collective matrix that keeps us growing year after year! I highly recommend walking or sitting by our babbling brook, the Pantherkill Stream, and listening to the voices of Nature, or taking a hike up one of the rock-laden ridges that embrace the valley. Some of the best moments seem to happen on one's own, when one can digest the personal meaning of whatever teachings one has come here for. Michael Burbank, Administration & Operations Assistant 4/6/10