Philosophy

Zen state is a desirable goal but can be quite elusive. It is a process of letting go of our obsessive concern with past/future to amplify the full experience of the present. It is about living in the moment, experiencing all that the moment has to offer. These concepts are simple to grasp intellectually, but very difficult to put into practice in our daily lives.

Even those who devote their lives to this discipline, may only experience fleeting moments of “oneness” or a true connection to the entirety of the present moment. Yet even a handful of these fleeting moments can provide life altering perspective that resonates through our lives.

In my personal journey to apply these principles, I find that the conveniences of modern society can be a great source of comfort and security, but can also disconnect us from deeper sources of joy and happiness. The desire to avoid discomfort can lead to pursuits that ultimately act as barriers to inner peace and serenity. Our most basic instincts cause our default focus to be on short term pain avoidance, where emotional, psychological, and spiritual wellbeing require a much different approach to life.

The principle of short-term sacrifice for long term contentedness represents a battleground between our primal instinct and higher intellect. This principle is at the very heart of good decision making in all areas of our lives, from financial to spiritual. Good decision making is the key to happiness and success, and more importantly how we define these concepts. Specifically, letting go of modern conveniences and distractions for brief periods of time may create momentary physical discomfort, but ultimately opens the door to something fare greater than what we think will make us comfortable in the moment.

Re-connecting to the natural world is a very useful tool in the pursuit of Zen. Getting out of the manmade constructs that distance us from the natural world, removing the distractions of technology, and focusing on truly basic needs (food, shelter, warmth) can be a powerful and psychologically reformative experience.

Something as simple as a campfire can draw out a soothing and meditative state. The power of nature manifested in the form of a creek, a towering cedar, or a cool breeze can provide perspective and a sense of awe. Relinquishing the illusion of control, and embracing a sense of humility in the face of these powerful forces is very useful in the pursuit of mindfulness.

More specifically, I find digital technology one of the most harmful barriers to spirituality. Don’t get me wrong. I use technology almost every day for both work and play. It is a reality of modern life, and I by no means advocate moving backward in our technological advancement. What we need is to evolve psychologically and spiritually to learn how to incorporate these wonderful tool into our lives, without (in the process) robbing ourselves of the very things that truly make life worth living.

Two necessary principles of any such evolutionary process are moderation and perspective. Frequent intervals of disconnection can provide both! It is important to set aside some time for ourselves and the people in our lives. We need to engage in real, face to face human interaction with one another, and our world. Every ring, ping, and ding pulls us away from the here and now. By creating device free intervals in our lives, whether for a few hours or a few days, we advance our development toward a balanced integration of modern technology.

Even more specifically, we offer great pubic wifi service at the entrance, but down in the camping area (approx. 1/4 mile away) there is little or no service. That is by design. This allows our guests to interact with the outside world when needed, but primarily provide a place to disconnect in pursuit of something else. We hope our guests embrace this concept, and avail themselves of this opportunity.