Paths and roads have been the great enablers for the Romans, the Vedic explorers, the early American pioneers, indeed all who wanted to go more than a hundred feet in a day. And the evolution from cow path, to walking trail, to dirt road to paved highway has marked mankind’s progress. So it will surprise no one that paths at the monastery are similarly evolving. For decades we had unimproved dirt paths and roads. A few years back we were able to upgrade a the major arteries, but until recently most access around the land (and visitor parking) was on unimproved dirt, often pitted with potholes that filled with water and mud whenever it rained, which is often as you know.
Fast forward to today. The monks are still getting used to proper asphalt paths, made possible by an unexpected gift. In the past 3 months we have paved virtually all roads and paths, several miles worth, so even on rainy days we can drive safely and comfortably around the monastery. It has changed our life in the same way cross country highways changed the dynamics of transportation in all nations. The slideshow shows the progress and the slider gives a BEFORE & AFTER of the path that now circumnavigates Iraivan Temple.