Viet Nam Nha Trang Finding Peace travel

Nha Trang. The city of white sand and silver birds.

Nha Trang was, in my childhood, a seaside town romantic and blown by the maritime wind, reflecting in a limpid sea.

Today, Nha Trang is stained by high ugly buildings to accommodate massive tourism.

I do not recognize my former Nha Trang so sweet and peaceful. Our house has been destroyed and the old little airport where our cessna landed, abandoned.

With heavy heart, I walk on the seaside once wild, today invaded by beer pubs, privatizing the beaches…

Help ... I have to flee from the center of Nha Trang to take refuge somewhere faraway, in the hearts of the countryside.
I therefore inquired for the visit of a pagoda off dowtown, known for fulfilling the wishes.
Not far, about ten kilometers from the exit of Nha Trang, we reached our aim by scooter.

The pagoda is built on the old northern road, now a highway. We left the din of vehicles to enter the quiet sanctuary which, since it is the right hour, was plunged into the nap’s sleep.

The pagoda is eaten by the highway and its site is rather disappointing, on the side of a dense trafic.

I lighted few incenses and express my prayers: "May my steps lead me to a serene place where I could find my Nha Trang of yesteryear. "

We took the road back to the city when, after a few kilometers, a road on the right seems leading to a beautiful countryside. We decided to follow it. Indeed, this road took us away from Nha Trang to West, with some rice fields lying idle growing quietly.

Plunging his feet in the rice fields, a mountain on the left stands proudly and ... coiled in its flanks, a small pagoda under a series of cascades could be seen. I heard its sweet call.

The access path is not visible, I inquire with locals and soon we were on the road to the "Pagoda of the three sources."
The road cut through the rice fields and several small villages lost in the countryside, before hitting the feet of the mountain.

There, as traditional way, the thousand steps await us to level us up to the heights of tranquility. Patiently, we climbed them and patiently, our breath was refined. An inscription on a wall halfway: "May each step purifies your breath, may each step purifies your mind. "

Then finally, the pagoda opens its doors ... The hammering of the "coc", this fish carved in wood which sound rhythms the prayers, welcomes us. The gong resonates three times and the silence regains its rights, only lulled by the wind’s whisper in the giant leaves of the surrounding jungle, and the waterfalls.

I went to the altar, central place of worship where I’ve been offered incenses. I lighted them by reciting a mantra, heart in peace.

The monks' tea is, here, bitter ... it is more a medicine taken daily to prevent infectious diseases than a tea for pleasure taste. But his taste is refined and remains sweet in my palate ... I enjoyed deeply the moment. The monks are praying...

I recovered my Nha Trang. Quiet and innocent, warm and rocking. My childhood is here again.

We were invited to share lunch .... But I was already so nourished by this peace that everything is already complete, whole. I laid in the jungle breathe, in Buddha's loving gaze, in the heart of the Pagoda, in the murmur of waterfalls, in the chattering of the birds and from time to time, in the clear sound of a gong struck by a prayer. I am happy.
So, how could I not smile inside out ?

I remembered one important teaching of my Master though :"When your inner peace is strong, then, wherever you may stand, whomever you may be with, this peace may remains still and be shared around you. Real inner peace does not depend on any condition to exist."

When I returned to Nha Trang downtown,

Inner Peace was in my heart to share...

It is the 1st of January 2018.

It is said that all the events of the first day of the year tend to repeat themselves over the next 365 days ....

Happy New Year Everyone !

Let's share the fruit of our happiness !