In 2010, property along Laurel Creek was bought with the intention of building a new house and establishing a retreat center to compliment my practice of passage meditation as taught by Sri Eknath Easwaran.

Shanti was to be the first part of that center; a place that individuals and groups could meet for spiritual practice, meditation and community fellowship. After designing the layout, Steve Arthur from Streamline Timberframe designed a beautiful frame using the timbers logged with horses from another piece of land I had. The harvesting of the timbers was filmed as part of the popular show ‘Axe Men’, white pine of great character for the beams and several types oak and cherry for the flooring.

The initial building was finished in 2013 and has been in service since then, hosting meditation groups, seminars, sacred music, teaching retreats and sacred dance. Since the opening up after the worst of the pandemic, we have been host to numerous weekend retreats and regular weekly offerings. A calendar and further information is offered here on the website. We have a lending library of spiritual books and several books by Sri Easwaran for sale.

Of special note in Shanti is the wonderful stained glass, designed and made by Wayne Cain and his assistants in Bremo Bluff, VA. The technique Wayne devised to contruct the windows is unique, one of a kind method, three dimensional beauty, unsurpassed. The eight 14panels depict our great sages throught the ages: St. Francis, the Buddha, Srti Krishna, Mother Mary and Jesus, Sri Ramakrishna, Confucious, Lao Tzu, the Torah scrolls.

The retreat center, Shanti Community, is under design now, to have a residential capacity of thirty individuals. Large two story hall will house the dining and living room facilities with

classrooms to one end and kitchen, the other. A mezzanine around the maibn hall will house the library and study desks and a two story wing to the rear, the resident rooms: singles, doubles and handicapped accessible. A large garden is planned in front of the lodge for walking meditation paths and herbs and fruits. The center is contained in a property of over 150 acres with extensive walking trails and extensive gardens and greenhouses bearing organic produce and fruit, Construction is due to begin Spring of 2024 and completion the Fall 0f 2025.

-Swede McBroom