Spiritual Centers
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- Little Shepherd in the Hills Episcopal Chapel
- Crestone Baptist Church
- Chamma Ling
- Dharma Sangha
- Dharma Ocean
- Haidakhandi Universal Ashram
- Mangala Shri Bhuti Temple
- Shumei International Institute
- Sri Aurobindo Learning Center
- Vajra Vidya Retreat Center
- Yeshe Khorlo USA
Little Shepherd in the Hills Episcopal Chapel
We extend a special welcome to those who are single, married, divorced, gay, filthy rich, dirt poor, and los que no hablan Ingles. We extend a special welcome to those who are crying newborns, skinny as a rail, or could afford to lose a few pounds.
We welcome you if you can sing like Andrea Bocelli or only sing in the shower. You’re welcome here if you’re “just browsing,” just woke up, or just got out of jail. We don’t care if you’re more Catholic than the Pope, or haven’t been in church since little Joey’s baptism.
We extend a special welcome to those who are over 60 but not grown up yet, and to teenagers who are growing up too fast. We welcome soccer moms, NASCAR dads, starving artists, tree-huggers, latte-sippers, vegetarians, junk-food eaters, snowboarders, bikers, hikers, and fishers. We welcome those who are in recovery or still addicted. We welcome you if you’re having problems or you’re down in the dumps or if you don’t like “organized religion;” we’ve been there, too.
If you blew all your offering money at the dog track, you’re welcome here. We offer a special welcome to those who think the earth is flat, who work too hard, who don’t work, who can’t spell, or who came because grandma is in town and wanted to go to church.
We welcome those who are inked, pierced, or both. We offer a special welcome to those who could use a prayer right now, had religion shoved down their throat as a kid, or got lost in the mountains and wound up here by mistake. We welcome tourists, seekers and doubters, bleeding hearts … and you!
You are welcome here. Please join us.
Contact Information
- Address: 155 N. Alder Street, Crestone, CO 81143.
- Website: Little Shepard Chapel
Crestone Baptist Church
Started as a mission, the Crestone Baptist Church, located on T-Road at the entrance to the Crestone/Baca area, was dedicated in 1975 to the memory of Bob Thalmann. Since then, the congregation has been holding services and providing Sunday school to the community.
Service Times
- Sunday School - 10:00 am
- Church Service - 11:00 am
- Wednesday Night Bible Study - 6:00 pm
Contact Information
- Website: Crestone Baptist
Chamma Ling
Chamma Ling Colorado, a retreat center located along the beautiful Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range near the small town of Crestone, was founded by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche in 2001. Small and large group teaching retreats from the ancient Bon tradition of Tibet are offered throughout the year. Solitary retreat cabins are the primary focus on the center, offering the solo practitioner the powerful experience of stillness, silence, and spaciousness during personal retreats lasting from a week to many months. A beautiful Community House accommodates small retreats and local practice groups at various times of the year.
Contact Information
- Website: Chamma Ling
Dharma Sangha
Crestone Mountain Zen Center offers residential monastic Zen practice and meditation under the guidance of Head Teacher, Zentatsu Baker Roshi, Dharma Heir of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi. Zen practitioners are welcome to join the daily schedule or apply for a variety of Zen programs.
Crestone Mountain Zen Center is located on the western slope of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in southern Colorado. Nestled against rugged 14,000-foot peaks and surrounded by 240 acres piñon pine and juniper forest, the beauty and seclusion of our Center is a unique environment for contemplation and inquiry.
Contact Information
- Website: Dharma Sangha
Dharma Ocean
The mission of Dharma Ocean is threefold: first, to study and practice the teachings of the “practicing lineage,” as articulated by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, emphasizing especially his Vajrayana dharma; second to transmit to others the view and the step by step path to realization of the practicing lineage; and third, to make whatever adjustments and adaptations, such as a greater emphasis on embodiment and direct experience, as may be necessary or order to render this lineage fully accessible in our present world.
Contact Information
- Website: Dharma Ocean
Haidakhandi Universal Ashram
The Babaji Ashram is located in the beautiful mountains of southern Colorado in Crestone in the United States of America. Haidakhan (Herakhan) Baba, also known as Mahavatar Babaji from Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda, appeared in India from 1970 to 1984. Babaji instructed us to build ashrams around the world where people could come for spiritual upliftment. On our magnificent 101 acres of land we have a beautiful temple dedicated to the Divine Mother, many call it the Lakshmi Temple. Our beloved murti of the Divine Mother, Haidakhandeswari, is life-size and was installed in 1989.
Contact Information
- Website: Haidakhandi
Mangala Shri Bhuti Temple
The Sangdo Palri temple is located in the main meadow of Samten Ling, MSB’s retreat center in southern Colorado. The meadow is also the heart of the land. In the early years of Samten Ling, it was the setting for ngondro and sadhana teachings held by Kongtrul Rinpoche under a tent in the summer months; now it provides a grand approach to the temple. Steep rocky mountains frame the structure from behind, giving it a commanding presence, while the small hills surrounding the meadow will keep the temple largely out of sight from the nearby town. The upper shrine rooms offer magnificent views of the valley and surrounding mountains.
Contact Information
- Website: Mangala Shri Bhuti
Shumei International Institute
The Shumei International Institute is a non-denominational spiritual fellowship and is part of a worldwide organization founded in Japan called Shinji Shumeikai, commonly referred to simply as “Shumei”. Shumei’s philosophy revolves around three principal tenets: A spiritual healing practice known as “Jyorei”, fostering an appreciation for art and beauty and the practice of “Natural Agriculture”.
Shumei’s Crestone Center is recognized as a sacred pilgrimage site by its many friends worldwide. Built on the slope of the majestic Sangre de Cristo Mountains, with a breathtaking view overlooking the largest high alpine valley in the world, the Crestone Center fittingly represents the “Earth element”.
Contact Information
- Website: Shumei International Institute
Sri Aurobindo Learning Center
Our mission at the Sri Aurobindo Learning Center is to provide a spiritual knowledge center that offers the study and realization of the Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother through individual and collective experience.
Contact Information
Example Contact
- Website: Sri Aurobindo
Vajra Vidya Retreat Center
Vajra Vidya means “Indestructible Heart Wisdom” or “Diamond Knowledge” - the ever flowing clear awake stillness of the natural state; and also affectionately refers to the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, the previous spiritual leader of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. He personally visited Crestone and declared a prophecy of Crestone as a place to preserve the Dharma, practice sincerely and where many would attain realization as great Siddhas or beings of compassionate spiritual power.
Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche; Tulku Urgyen; Thrangu Rinpoche; Tsoknyi Rinpoche; Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche and many other masters from various traditions have come here, conducted ceremony and echoed this declaration. Thrangu Rinpoche chose the site and established Vajra Vidya Retreat Center to support this intention.
With the wish to free all beings from the stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death may your time at Vajra Vidya Retreat Center allow your mind to rest uncontrived in the Heart of True Nature.
Contact Information
- Website: Vajra Vidya Retreat
Yeshe Khorlo USA
Yeshe Khorlo USA was established in 1995 under the direction of Gangteng Tulku Rinpoche, the mission and goal of Yeshe Khorlo is to cultivate the growth of the Buddha Dharma through three activities:
- Study and teaching (online): The Shedra of Longchen Rabjam
- Accomplishing dharma practice
- Practical application through the work of helping and giving.
The “turning of the wheel of dharma” most commonly refers to the three turnings given by Buddha Shakyamuni. These were the teachings on the Four Noble Truths of suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering and the path; the teachings on emptiness and Mahdyamika or the Great Middle Way, and the teachings on Buddha Nature or Tathagatagarbha.
In the United States, the main center of Yeshe Khorlo is Choying Dzong, a Nyingma Buddhist retreat and meditation center located in Crestone, Colorado.
Contact Information
- Website: Yeshe Khorlo