VISIT FOR AN ENLIGHTENING EXPERIENCE

What better way to relax than to immerse yourself in the beautiful sights, sounds and colors of paradise itself? A trip to the Kingdom of Shangri-La is arduous, but it is well worth the trek across dry, frigid planes and over nearly impassable mountains. The place, first recounted in ancient scriptures under countless names, is a land of perpetual peace where time seems to be at a standstill, quite literally, in fact. The Kingdom of Shangri-La holds a dual existence, half in this world and half in the next, which has afforded it seclusion from the outside world and protection from foreign wars.

Whether you may call Shambhala, Eden, Fountain of Youth, The Seventh Valley or Utopia, the Kingdom of Shangri-La is a place far older than the stories that tell of it or the very name itself. After all, paradise by any other name, quite simply, is still paradise.

It is a land, unlike El Dorado or other lost places of legend, where its wealth lies not in riches or material possessions but in the abundance of virtue and true understanding. It is this that grants Shangri-La a universal harmony, peace immemorial, peace eternal. Ponder this, as you marvel at the mystery of the place, and its healing qualities help you to realize your true purpose.

A SINGLE STEP

The road to the Kingdom of Shangri-La is hard and fraught with all manner of hazards natural and otherwise. Preparations must be made months in advance, as the surrounding region is one most seek to avoid not explore. The territory, far past the Himalayas, is uncharted, saved for some outlaying areas, and governmental permission is advisable. Flying is not a practical option, as navigation is tricky over the mountain ranges, and accidents are not unheard of. Help is hard to find, and, if obtained, expect to pay a formidable fee. Provisions can be obtained somewhere along the furthest edge of civilization as a starting point. The term “staring point” here is used in the loosest sense of the term. The precise route to the Kingdom of Shangri-La is subject to much debate, and there is no clear indicator on when your journey, either to Shangri-La or this life, may end.



JOURNEY

Should fate guide you on the middle path under the shadow of the fabled Mountains of Kunlun rejoice. For the Kingdom of Shangri-La does not receive very many visitors, and you shall be very please to know that the word for “stranger,” in the local dialect, is the same for “guest.” Expect a welcome party to guide you further into the Valley West of the Sun and East of the Moon, for its rulers can foresee the coming of new arrivals. Hospitality is first and foremost to the locals, and a repast may be furnished to weary travelers. Some of the more skilled lamas have even been known to produced milk or wine in glasses without any apparent source.

The path further along is short, but expect no little difficulty still. Only once in the river valley, may you first begin to engage in some much needed relaxation. Still, at the top of the ridge that forms a ring all around, there is a superb view of Kunlun towering to the west. Throughout, however, the howling of storms give way to the ringing of bells in the wind the closer one nears.

Now, one may well wonder why such a place has escaped being mapped at all? This is never really explained, possibly to keep you wondering. Like many things Shangri-La, mystery rather than explanation takes precedence. In short, it is not for you to find out in the end but merely to peak your interest and keep you going. Simply put, it is one of the the many little lessons you will learn— the point is for you not to know.

The decent down the ridge is steep, approximately eighty-five degrees, and caution is advised. But the inhabitants of the Kingdom of Shangri-La are as amiable a bunch as you would ever wish to meet. If you follow the direction of the guides, they will ensure your safety along the way. Oh, and one need not hurry, time is not of the essence.



Upon arrival to the river valley, you will be taken through a series of corridors carved into solid rock. As you exit, you will find yourself in the Sanctuary of the High Eternal. The sanctuary is embedded in the rocky mountainside overlooking the whole kingdom. Now, you may notice, at the furthest edges, there are areas where the land seemingly ends. It may come at some surprise that the whole of the Kingdom of Shangri-La is suspended high in the air on a floating landmass. How you got there from a series of caverns in the ground is just another of those things you are ought not to know

Surprisingly, in the sanctuary you find many of the same comforts as back home. The rooms are all heated with modern amenities, and the smell of burning incense is present throughout. The complex is labyrinth of rooms and courtyards with a vast accumulation of items collected across the world and pass down through the ages. Rumor has it that these menageries contain no few marvels. For instance, stories are told of an indestructible clothe, taken from the skin of a Salamander, that is cleansed by fire. The lamas, themselves, show no less hardiness. Some have been observed to apply hot irons to their feet, lie in a state of suspension for months, be buried alive or place knives into their skin. No matter the test, they always remain completely unharmed. Indeed, in the Kingdom of Shangri-La, there is no shortage of the marvelous and extraordinary. There, you may take it all in, as you listen to the soft melodies of the bird of paradise while strolling through a garden of vegetable lambs.

Back to the collections themselves, of particular interest is the ever expansive study with shelves and alcoves containing a wealth of knowledge. Manuscripts from the library of Harun al-Rashid, Summerian tablets, forgotten gospels and all manner of writings lost to time can be found here. We especially recommend the beautiful first edition of Lost Horizon by James Hilton, which makes for absolutely fantastic reading in these surroundings.

Now, there is usually always some curious thing to peruse or activity to engage in. As well, while many are at first off taken by the seeming isolation, the feeling will soon pass, and you will simply fill the time with one thing or another until it begins to feel natural. Prominent within the sanctuary, you will find a small antechamber leading into a concert hall containing all manner of instruments, including bamboo flutes, cymbals, gongs, tambourines, shawms, conch-shell trumpets, an imposing, handsomely-crafted piano, etc. As well, under the light of the blue moon, feel free to lounge in one of the many courtyards the Kingdom of Shangri-La has to offer with finely crafted statues, exquisite fountains, spectacular gardens and the silhouette of Kunlun in the distance.





EXPLORE

During your stay, you are by no means confined to the sanctuary. Guests are free to move about at their leisure. If you wish to venture down into the river valley you are welcome to do so. There, you will find that the inhabitants live a simple moderate, kind of life. Local residents get by in fishing, farming and hunting. The river valley provides most anything that might be desired. Imported goods are common, however, are delivered by an intricate system. For the elders have a means to obtain outside necessities without revealing the Kingdom of Shangri-La’s exact location. Trading and bartering are common, as there is no fixed currency; however, gold and silver do circulate in high quantities. Out in the mountain forests, a fortunate soul may even catch a glimpse of a rare snow lion or unicorn meandering about the evergreens. Additionally, there is no need to bring bottled water or sterilize any from the wells or streams, the springs in the Kingdom of Shangri-La are the purest, clearest in the world. Every river and lake are feed from the deep ground water from a reservoir of eternal youth.

Nevertheless, peace does not come naturally to the Kingdom of Shangri-La as some might expect. Peace would not be possible without lives that live by certain principles. The people there are of various colors and creeds but united in one universal faith. Paramont among the ideas is the oneness of God, humankind and religion. This is reinforced through the independent investigation of truth and equality of men and women. As well, the elimination in extremes of wealth and poverty and of all forms of prejudice is seen as the cornerstone in deterring crime in any forms. All who reside in its borders have an understanding of the need for at least one common language, universal education and the harmony of religion and science. Lastly, all have to answer to the same law equally without exception or reservation. It is only in this manner peace in the Kingdom of Shangri-La has endured.





LIVE TO TELL THE TALE

Survival is only an issue during the journey to the Kingdom of Shangri-La. The outlying country towards the Kingdom of Shangri-La is not one for the weak in spirit or faint of heart. For, in addition to the threat posed by avalanches or freezing winds, occasionally, along the narrow zigzag of mountain trails, are ro-langs, reanimated corpses under the bidding of necromancers. Likewise, no little is the danger posed by yetis, abominable snowmen, and caution must be exerted less one awakens a vengeful, restless, demonic force along the way. However, in spite of these odds, enough people and resources seem to have made the journey to sustain a community shut off from the outside world for thousands of years. So, I wouldn't worry too much.

Furthermore, once in the Kingdom of Shangri-La there is no significant danger, as crime is virtually nonexistent. The only threat in the Kingdom of Shangri-La is the compulsion to never wish to leave. This threat, however, is existential rather than internal or external.

The Kingdom of Shangri-La is an idea as old as time itself. A land of uninterrupted tranquility where every thought of war is destroyed by a stronger thought of peace. It was over a century ago the words, “Let not a man glory in this, that he loves his country; let him rather glory in this, that he loves his kind. ... The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens,” were spoken describing the bedrock upon which great peace lies. Indeed, more true a principle could hardly be found. It is on such a notion that Shangri-La, yours or otherwise, may be realized.




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