Many people say that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. But since I am driving rather than walking on this trip, my journey began with a single stop.

My first stop was the Shambhala Mountain Center at Red Feather Lakes, about 90 miles north of Boulder. I especially wanted to see the Great Stupa of Dharmakaya there.

This is a Tibetan Buddhist center, which the Dalai Lama visited five years ago. “It has long been the tradition that wherever the teachings of the Buddhas have been revered and practiced, communities of followers have built reliquary monuments known in Sanskrit as stupas,” he said.

My practice is Theravada Buddhism. But I feel at home at the Shambhala center, just as I did at the Zen temple in South Korea where last year I stayed two days and one night.

The Great Stupa of Dharmakaya

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This is indeed by far the biggest stupa I have ever seen. It is 108 feet high. Notice how small the two people at the door look in comparison.

Inside the Stupa

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After visiting the stupa, I looked around the rest of the Shambhala Mountain Center. Maybe later I will participate in programs there, but besides visiting the stupa, my main interest there today was lunch. I joined several other participants for a tasty lunch of burritos (skipping the tortilla) and salad.

My second stop on this trip was the North Park area of Colorado, where I am spending the night. Along the way I was delighted to see some birds and some mammals. For example:

An Eared Grebe on a Lake near Walden

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A Young Moose in Arapahoe National Wildlife Refuge

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My journey is well begun.