Bodhinatha often mentions to his devotees a wonderful sadhana: to wander around nature, with the mind clear and open. The goal is to observe everything, not letting the thoughts get in the way. Children perceive amazing details that adults are certain to miss with their cluttered, noisy subconscious.

Our photographer took a stroll around the gardens and shares the results.

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Gurudeva wrote, “Observation is the first faculty to appear in the awakening of the superconscious regions.”

We usually miss the details of Lord Siva’s work.

Here’s Mr. Long-Whiskers, a gentleman, or shall we say, gentlesnail we met today at the drinking fountain.

While he felt around for a safe path along momentous leaves and precipitous cliffs, we chatted about how some humans could consider Mr. Long-Whiskers, well, a little weird.

He promptly replied that the same could be said by any respectable snail about humans themselves.

He reasoned, quite sensibly, that while humans jolt up and down to move forward, balancing on far-stretched appendices they call legs, snails simply slide, smoothly and gracefully. He also quipped, it is a good idea to have one’s house attached to one’s back, since no housing bubble has ever ailed an honest snail.

Siva’s creations offer so much, if we are just to be the watcher and appreciate the view.