Richard Waterborn

Heaven & Earth Centre, Lanjaron, Spain: Here the healing powers of nature pervade the senses.

The surrounding countryside is a paradise for walkers and nature lovers. During Spring and early Summer the hillside is a veritable Garden of Eden with its abundance of wildflowers and herbs, whilst exotic birds such as the golden oriole, bee-eater, and hoopoe abound. Eagles can be seen to soar overrhead. The well-trodden GR7 footpath passes by the centre on its way to the neighbouring picturesque village of Canar, whilst a little higher up the mountain the Parque Natural is a magnificent wilderness of pine forrest, river and waterfalls--perfect for vision quests and really getting away from it all.

The original concept for the Heaven & Earth Centre has changed drastically since 2007. With a court order to remove buildings, the chalets are now gone and the rental property know as 'The Stables' has been turned into a nave and now serves as storage space as well as a sunny art studio for my wife Claudia. Overall, the changes have been positive, opening up new avenues of possibility I would not have considered had the retreat centre remained. Looking back, I consider it a cosmic intervention on my behalf.

I do hold the vison of Heaven & Earth, once again in the future, serving as a centre, a special place for group healing and retreat--though with a more natural and rustic approach.