In the wake of Transdanubian temples, shrines and energy parks

Would you like to combine wellness with spirituality? Would you like to become a hermit for a few days? Or meditate in a Buddhist or Krishna-conscious spirit? Maybe recharge at the favourite “energy spots” of the pagans and Celtics? If yes, travelo.hu believes that Transdanubia is the place for you to go.

Winter is the time when we’re compelled to spend more time at home, and, especially after the holiday frenzy, you might feel the need for something recharging. Why wouldn’t we leave the house in this case? As a saying in Oslo goes “there’s no bad weather, only bad clothes”. So, layer up, and visit the sacral places of Transdanubia, like the magical hermitage of Majk, the Krishna Valley, and the energy spots of Márokföld and Zamárdi. Winter is perfect for spending some time alone and refill our energy stocks.

Zamárdi, Donkey Rock

Temples and churches have always been built in energetically special places. Our ancestors lived in harmony with nature and they looked for places where they could fill up with sacred powers. Fertility sacrifices were already made thousands of years ago at Szamárkő (Donkey Rock), near Zamárdi, which was later used by the Celtics.

Several legends are connected to the place. According to one, the rock came from the volcano of Tihany, while others believe that baby Jesus crossed the region with Mary and Joseph on a donkey back, and the prints on the smaller rock are that of Jesus and the donkey. However, it is much more probable that they are fossilised snails.

The Donkey Rock can be found in the eastern corner of Zamárdi. You should be walking there alone, on a sunny day in January. Also, you should keep going for a few more metres to see a beautiful panorama of Tihany from behind the trees.

Krishna Valley, Somogyvámos

If you really want to escape from the everyday hustle, plan a trip to the Krishna Valley in Somogyvámos. The 23-year-old Indian Cultural Centre and Biofarm-ecovillage has longer and shorter staycation-offers for a spiritual journey.

You’re welcomed by an imposing gate with elephants, after which you have to walk a bit to reach the central building complex, but it’s worth it, because you get surrounded by a beautiful landscape and shrines, pavilions, suited for meditation. All shrines were consecrated by saints from the Krishna culture. The region, which is the home of the Hungarian Krishna Valley, was dreamed about by spiritual father Srila Sivarama Swami Maharaja, which was a sign that the valley had to be built there.

There are much more tourists in the summertime, so don’t expect group tours in winter, however, people will kindly guide you through the temples while telling interesting stories about the life of the valley.

When it comes to spiritual practice, it’s worth letting them know of your intentions in advance, because they have different meditation programmes. You can sleep in guest houses, pilgrim houses, or in the neighbouring Rádhé Resort, if you happen to desire wellness services as well. They also organise seasonal programmes that guests can join.

Catholic Church of Velemér

You don’t really have to hunt for Catholic churches in Hungary, but if you decide to visit one, maybe you should look for a church in a special location full of curiosities. Velemér, found in the Őrség, close to the Slovenian border, used to be called Saint Trinity after its church. It is believed that the church was built at the end of the 1200s, its frescos are amazing (even in their poor condition). Those were painted by János Aquila, who studied in Italy, in 1378. Its only, naved church is very small, because it only had to serve 60-80 people when it was built, which equals the current population of Velemér.

Why it is so special? The detailed lay-out of the windows and the murals result in spectacular play of lights that depicts the important events of Christianity on the days connected to them. For instance, on the 24^th of March, Gábor day, the fresco of Archangel Gabriel becomes illuminated by light. Unfortunately it’s a bit hard to catch these moments, because the church is surrounded by a quite bushy forest, so the sensation is not like it used to be once, but visiting the church is still worth it, because one can feel the good vibes and the pure faith of the old times.

Try to visit the place on a sunny day and buy the small guide book which tells you all about the play of light, or just talk with the lady here, who herself is a walking story book. Also, if you’re sensitive to force fields, make sure to stop at the lime-tree across the cemetery (on your way to the church), because even miscreants believe in its good vibes.

Energy parks in Zala

According to travelo.hu, if you haven’t been here before, you might be surprised at how rich the South-Transdanubian region is in energy parks. You’re welcomed by the Thermal Bath of Lenti and the Saint George Energy Park, which are unique places where three energy lines meet instead of the usual two. The radiation is believed to be so strong that it’s not advised to spend more than 1-2 hours in the park. The energy spots are signalled by poles, where you should spend 20-30 minutes and then top the spiritual experience with in the thermal bath.

On the way to Lenti there are other energy parks as well: one at Márokföld, and another that is signalled with a board saying Fairy Garden, which is a well-mapped energy park. There are more than twenty healing spots which are said to be good for different organs, diseases. Right behind the park, you’ll find Hungary’s first natural-art park. Furthermore, the Fairy Garden is a station of a value-saver movement, which aims to save ancient fruits at the verge of extinction – apples, pears, plums that only live in the memory of our grandparents.

[box type=”info”] What are the Saint George lines? According to an old concept, the Earth is netted by energy lines. Imagine that your body is an electric car that needs to be charged from time to time – this is when places where two or more energy lines meet come into the picture. We can recharge and heal at these spots. Hungary’s biggest energy meeting-points are believed to be in the regions of Pilis, Szentendre, Fertőszentmiklós, Csobánka and Lenti. The most well-known in the world are probably Stonehenge and the Pyramids of Giza. We could call them the acupunctural points of the Earth. It is believed that they can’t be found in such a density anywhere else than in the Carpathian Basin.[/box]

Zalaszántó, Peace Stupa

The stupa built in 1992 and consecrated by the 14^th Dalai Lama in 1993 is one of the biggest stupas in Europe: it is 30 metres tall and 24 metres wide. It is found on a hill called Világosvár, which has never been dwelled, but ancient Magyar shamans held ceremonies here. A South Korean monk, Bop Jon had a dream about a Buddhist shrine here.

The stupa can be found in the Park of Human Rights, where the wind blows many Tibetan pray flags. Believers advise going around the building clockwise three times. You can climb up to the Buddha statue on three levels, where you can light candles or joss-sticks.

You can have a longer spiritual experience in the Milarepa Meditation Centre on the side: in the winter you can look it up from Friday to Sunday between 10 am and 4 pm, and even take part in the joined meditation at 11 am every Sunday. There’s also a gift shop with souvenirs made by Buddhist monks in India. You can support the maintenance of the stupa by buying souvenirs.

Majk, Camaldolese Hermitage

Masseurs don’t like moving to new places, because they know that the room where hundreds of clients have relaxed is full of positive energy. So, if you desire a spiritual refill, you should do it in a place where others have been successful before you. The Camaldolese Hermitage of Majk is a prime example, because you can even stay in the cells of onetime hermits.

The magical radiance of the place is guaranteed due to the double, star-shaped Saint George line meeting-point at the demolished church. It is advised to walk along the lanes surrounding the monastery, or even join de Via Margaritarum pilgrimage route. The hermit houses have two simply furnished rooms, a well equipped kitchen, a bathroom and a dining area. Don’t forget to bring the flannel pyjamas you got for Christmas from grandma, and even bring some extra blankets if you plan on a winter visit. Don’t calculate with breakfast, but there’s a great restaurant at the lake below the hermitage. You can even order a pizza from them at night – you’ll find menus in the hermit cells 🙂

Photos: www.uj-vilagrend.hupont.hu, www.siofokportal.com, www.facebook.com/ZalaszántóBékeSztupa, LentiTermálfürdő, Krisna-völgyIndiaiKulturálisKözpontésBiofarm

Copy editor: bm

Source: http://travelo.hu/