A Place for purposeful pause

The 'Glorious promised land' is a facility Anna and I discovered two weeks back, in the outskirts of Bangalore, beyond 35 kilometres of the Bangalore air port, dedicated for those who want time for rest, retreat and recovery.

Regi and Esther, who founded this in a 12 acre serene setting, have paid much attention to make this place aesthetic and historic. They planted about 1500 trees, created, ponds to breed fish, tree house and play area for children and designed the cottages to bring an ethnic culture of houses of yesteryears in Kerala. The front wall of all the cottages are wooden panels brought from demolished houses in Kerala, mostly with a history of 150 years or more. The interior of the rooms are simple and add to the ambience for reflection. The dogs, hens, rabbit, turkey, etc provide a homely setting to the campus. The meeting rooms, dining halls and common areas too are distinct in their appearance and design. 

This is located in the plains of the Nandhi hills, where Tippu sultan built a fort, which is now a historic tourist spot.

What struck us most was the motto of the place, 'to provide a place for purposeful pause'.

A pause is between activities. The heart has a pause, which is referred to as 'diastole', which is when the heart receives blood to pump it during the contraction of the heart (systole). This pause is life giving.

The rhythm of life that most of us is used to is: 'work and rest'. But the physiology of the heart suggests, that the rhythm is 'rest and work'. Jesus of Nazareth practiced this as his routine. He paused in prayer early in the morning before he entered into work during the day. He spent long pauses such as forty days of fasting or short times in the mountains before he chose his followers before he walked on the water. 

It is not stress or tiredness alone that calls for rest or pause, but every transition in life.

For Anna and myself this place provided us inspiration and refreshment. 

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)