My wife and I stumbled on this remote retreat on Easter, while on a random drive through the…read morecountryside near Trout Lake. Curious, we stopped in to check things out, and we were both found ourselves smitten with this serene sanctuary tucked away in the hills a half hour north of White Salmon.
The compound's primary function is that of a combined Buddhist temple and Druid sanctum, there's a lot more going on here, that isn't immediately apparent. It's also an event center, B&B, hostel, a farm (complete with a farm store - fresh organic eggs!), and a place of refuge, meditation and community support.
The temple itself is built inside a colossal barn (but it sure doesn't feel like it) with a new temple being built onsite a little to the north. Inside, there are prayer mats set out in rows, the scent of incense, the shrine, a little kitchenette, and some talismans, books and other souvenirs available for purchase (by donation, on the honor system, since there was no one present in the temple when we visited). Just outside, at the base of the stairs, there's a covered pegboard where you can select a prayer tablet (select the Buddhist saint(?) that matches your desire), write your thoughts on the back, and hang it on the board (to be prayed over by the priests, perhaps)? A modest donation of $10 is asked (again, honor system) to use one of the tablets.
Adjacent to the Buddhist temple itself , there is a fenced cloister/rock garden, ornamented with benches, shrines, statues, effigies, and populated with a small daycare (for the children of residents, I presume? Or perhaps for visiting B&B guests with children?) around a dozen small, private meditation "shacks" (for lack of a better word) where you can sequester yourself away in silent thought and prayer. These chambers are available to anyone, of any faith, religion, or lack thereof. Just outside the cloister is a massive bell with a swinging striker, whose peals can be heard across the entire 23 acre property. Sticks of incense and basins in which to place them can be found in several places throughout the campus.
On the other side of the grounds, beyond the community building and B&B, you'll find the Druid Sanctuary, consisting of a large, almost mushroom-like building (containing a bench that curves around the inner wall, cushions, musical instruments and a fireplace), and several shrines to various Celtic deities in a half-circular orbit around this main building. At the end of the loop is a vast stone circle courtyard, with benches, stone tables, a central firepit and a tall wooden pole painted with Celtic symbols and imagery. I am sure that many a Celtic ritual, dance or gathering occurs here on a dark, moonlit night. And still further out, a serpentine, stone path labyrinth winds about, where meditative souls can wander, meandering their way towards the center, while focusing their thoughts inward and working through feelings of hope, fear and/or grief.
There's still even more to see spread across the grounds of the Abbey: towering Buddha statues, the farm, the chicken run, and more. Due to the weather, we didn't have a chance to see everything. Oh, and fun fact: as is the Buddhist way of attempting to mitigate suffering in all its forms, there's a no-kill policy for the chickens here. They harvest and sell the eggs, but the chickens live out their natural lives here, and the abbey offers its services as a sort of "retirement home" for elderly chickens whose owners can't bear to put them down. That's pretty awesome, if you ask me.
Throughout our visit, every door we encountered on-site was unlocked, as if welcoming all to explore and to share in whatever services the temple and its adherents are able to provide. And other than a few other visitors local to the area, we never encountered a monk, druid or anyone else directly affiliated with the temple, although we didn't poke around in the larger administrative/community building, other than to use the restroom. Yet we never felt unwelcome, out of place, or as if we were trespassing. As a place of refuge, I wouldn't be surprised if I discovered I could drive up and walk in at three in the morning, and find the doors still unlocked. I doubt anyone in desperate need or seeking aid would be turned away from this place, for any reason.
Full disclosure: I'm not Buddhist. I'm...not even sure what I am anymore, honestly. My previous faith has been mortally wounded by bad faith actors, hypocrites, sycophants and grifters, who took something sacred and tarnished it by their greed, blind zealotry, and ignorance. But places like Trout Lake Abbey reinvigorate my desire to connect with the cosmic, the unknowable, and the divine...if there is such a thing. Who knows? But after this weekend's visit, I'm starting to think that the answer won't be found by looking outward - it'll be found by looking within.
