Vajra Vidya Retreat Center - Crestone Information

Downtown Crestone

Crestone proper is a small village with a population of 200. The town is close to a subdivision that increases the population to over 1500. The subdivision, known as the Baca, is home to 27 spiritual groups. Crestone has become known for its emphasis on sustainable building construction and focus on stewardship of the Earth. This eclectic foundation is part of the unique character of this community, where people search and dedicate their lives to conscious living. There are now several Tibetan Buddhist groups and many students of different teachers are looking to Crestone for possible resettlement. There are currently retreat cabins where practitioners can come for three-year and other long term retreats. Vajra Vidya Retreat Center will provide short-term retreats.

Location of Nearby Stupas

Map of Colorado and New Mexico showing the location of Crestone and the alignment of the four stupas that began with the stupa built in Santa Fe by Kalu Rinpoche. To the right is the San Luis Valley surrounded by three mountain ranges. These ranges are public lands.

Crestone’s Sacred Centers

Crestone and the surrounding area’s permanent population numbers around 1000 people. Some of the spiritual groups are: the Carmelite Monastery, Haidakhandi Universal Ashram, the Japanese Shumei International Institute, the Crestone Mountain Zen Center (which has the Lindisfarne Chapel), Tashi Gomang (sponsors of the building of the Karmapa stupa), the Sri Aurobindo Learning Center, Yeshe Khorlo (under the direction of Gangteng Tulku Rinpoche), Sanctuary House with a duplicate of the Chartes’cathedral labyrinth, Tibetan Peace Park memorial, Pundarika (under the direction of Tsoknyi Rinpoche), and Samten Ling (long-time retreat center under the direction of Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche).

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