Tattva-viveka
Costa Rica
Swami - June 16, 2007 12:38 pm
It looks like I may be returning to Costa Rica after returning from Finland. Several devotees have contacted me with interest in my vision for Central America, and as a result it seems likely that we will acquire the land we are interested in. Below is a link to a site that will give readers a vision of what we would like to do there. Read it over carefully and then imagine a property minutes from the one on this site where the same type of village is being formed for devotees with a temple of Gaura Radha Madana Gopala in the center. This is the idea. Of course we could sell the plots for much less and could provide financing, having paid for the land up front.
http://www.fincalasbrisas.org/
Here is another site of a group I have spoken with that is interested in working with us to develop the housing, temple construction, etc., should we acquire the property. Note that working with them would substancially lower the cost of construction mentioned in the first site listed above.
Madan Gopal Das - June 16, 2007 4:04 pm
Wow Guru Maharaj, I'm really excited about this! Boy do I love the name of the deities! 
Swami - June 16, 2007 4:43 pm
I should also mention that a single person can live comfortably on $600/month buying all their necessities in stores. The CR government offers pensioner's visas to those who can demostrate and income from abroad of $600/ month. I am not sure how it works for couples, but it maybe the same amount. So living in a devotional community should cost less per month since we would be producing almost all of our own food in community gardens.
Shyam Gopal Das - June 16, 2007 6:07 pm
Also, most foreigners (US, Polish, Finnish, Swedish to name a few) visiting Costa Rica do not need a visa for a 90 day stay. If you leave the country for 72 hours, you can get back in for another 90 days.
For more information on residency visas
For monastics there are slightly different rules, somewhat like the religious worker visa in the US. Details are unclear.
Note: The Costa Rican government is in the process of changing the immigration laws, but the implications are rather vague at this point. And it may come down to a change that won't effect us.
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"Driving Guanacaste’s potholed back roads (almost all the area’s roads qualify as back roads), you’ll see barbed wire looped around gnarled and crooked tree trunks, improvised fences that keep the pale, hump-backed Brahmin cattle from wandering off. In the dry season, trees blaze with bright yellow and orange blossoms made even more dramatic because they grace bare branches, before the trees leaf out. The evergreen Guanacaste tree has a full, spreading, often perfectly symmetrical crown that provides welcome shade during hot afternoons. The tree’s long dark pods curl like ears, which is why the original inhabitants of the area called it quauhnacaztli, from the Nahuatl words quauitl, for tree, and nacaztli, for ear."
from http://www.livingabroadin.com/CostaRica/co...rimeliving.html
Vamsidhari Dasa - June 16, 2007 9:55 pm
This is Supremely exciting. I am sure that things will develop magnificently given the tutolage of GM and Their lordships. How splendid! I can't wait to get involved somehow.
Jason - June 17, 2007 5:22 pm
Over the years, I've heard quite often about how amazing Costa Rica is, but never really investigated further. I had a friend in Chicago who saved up to by a cottage on a beach there and gave up city life for a few years. Now she spends the summers in Chicago working and the rest of the year she lives in CR off her summer savings.
I was also really excited to read about the Fox Maple group in the link GM posted. I really appreciate GM's attention to detail when it comes to sustainable and conscious architecture. **On a side note, the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, where Fox Maple got their start, was where AIM (American Indian Movement....Dennis Banks, Leonard Peltier, etc.) got their start in the 60s, and where the FBI's crooked COINTELPRO infiltrated and ended an era of radical resistance.....(Wounded Knee II, Trail of Broken Treaties). It is nice to know that Fox Maple helped to rebuild traditional communities on the reservation for the tribes. Definately a great group to support...and subsequently, engage them in building a temple for Mahaprabhu.
Looking forward to hearing more about the developments.
Bijaya Kumara Das - June 17, 2007 11:01 pm
Over the years, I've heard quite often about how amazing Costa Rica is, but never really investigated further. I had a friend in Chicago who saved up to by a cottage on a beach there and gave up city life for a few years. Now she spends the summers in Chicago working and the rest of the year she lives in CR off her summer savings.
I was also really excited to read about the Fox Maple group in the link GM posted. I really appreciate GM's attention to detail when it comes to sustainable and conscious architecture. **On a side note, the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, where Fox Maple got their start, was where AIM (American Indian Movement....Dennis Banks, Leonard Peltier, etc.) got their start in the 60s, and where the FBI's crooked COINTELPRO infiltrated and ended an era of radical resistance.....(Wounded Knee II, Trail of Broken Treaties). It is nice to know that Fox Maple helped to rebuild traditional communities on the reservation for the tribes. Definately a great group to support...and subsequently, engage them in building a temple for Mahaprabhu.
Looking forward to hearing more about the developments.
I was associated with AIM at UND and worked with a lot of those people in the 70"s. Good folks mostly.
Shyam Gopal Das - June 18, 2007 5:50 pm
Today I got an email from James who is the alternative energy/ building site expert who went along on one of our visits to the property. When walking on the property he carried a GPS handheld. The day before Miguel, our realtor, had shown us Google Earth and remembering that I asked James for the longtitude and latitude when taking this photo.
What follows is a short aerial view of the property we will hopefully buy. Please mind, I do not know the exact size of the property and also these satellite images were taking in the summer, hence the golden look. (it's grass, not sand) Also, since the 3D is projected, it of course doesn't do justice to the real life experience at all, but in my opinion it does give you a splendid idea.
Note Finca Las Brisas on this picture, which Guru Maharaj linked to above. (it was supposed to be in the white pop-up, but doesn't show)
Note, the blue in the background is the Pacific ocean.
These photos are to be continued, once we get more information on building spots etc.
Syamasundara - June 18, 2007 11:38 pm
Audarya del Sur... I love it!
How about Madhurya?
Mayapurcandra Das - June 19, 2007 5:47 pm
Thank you so much Syama Gopala Prabhu for schare this pics and comments about whole plans in Costa Rica, it is very exciting!
Jaya Audarya del Sur
Vrindaranya Dasi - June 20, 2007 2:27 am
Due to zonal restrictions (of the non-GBC type), Guru Maharaja has always envisioned having a maximum of eight monastics at Audarya. As we have already surpassed that number and have several more candidates intending to join in the coming year, thought of how to best expand the mission has naturally entered Guru Maharaja's mind. Costa Rica emerged as a place worthy of further investigation.
Costa Rica has many things going for it: excellent year-round climate with its summer corresponding with the northern hemisphere's winter; stable, democratic government with an emphasis on pacifism; commitment to environmentalism and eco-tourism with 25% of the country set aside as protected land; reasonable land prices and airfare (a flight from California to Costa Rica is comparable to or less than flying to the East Coast); bustling eco-tourism economy that attracts a sophisticated international crowd, including many yoga groups; central location for preaching in Latin America.
Costa Rica has been experiencing a land boom. It was named the "best investment of 2007" by the Estate Reality Guide and Re-Max called it the "California coast of thirty years ago" (indicating that investments now will yield a fortune in the future). By all accounts, the time is now to get in on property in Costa Rica, before the prices balloon out of reach. Guru Maharaja decided that it would be prudent to investigate Costa Rica further to see if it really measured up to what he had seen and heard. Thus his recent trip.
What he found exceeded expectations. The possibilities for preaching and establishing a monastic and lay community are immense. Imagine a tropical Audarya, only ten times larger. The property he liked the most is only 20 minutes from a popular beach town, which could be played off of for preaching: kirtans, yoga classes, and shuttles to Audarya de Sur (Audarya South) come to mind. Since eco-tourism is Costa Rica's main economy, lodging with a vegetarian & spiritual focus is bound to be attractive to many people. This could bring in income for whoever wanted to live there--devotees of either a lay or monastic persuasion. It would be a great place to have festivals during the North American winter, and it is also much easier to get visas for those who have difficulty getting US visas. A self-sustaining Krsna-centered community and retreat center on a large scale is definitely possible and would undoubtedly be appealing to devotees the world over. Here are some of the pictures that I took (although they really don't do it justice).
Vrindaranya Dasi - June 20, 2007 3:58 am
Here are some pictures of Playa Samara, the beach that is near the land that Guru Maharaja likes.
Babhru Das - June 20, 2007 4:40 am
What about water. Are there any streams through the property? How's the water table? Do folks use wells, catchment water, or both?
And speaking of water, for those who are interested, it appears there are decent surf spots in the vicinity. (Sorry--I check out of habit. )
Swami - June 20, 2007 1:31 pm
What about water. Are there any streams through the property? How's the water table? Do folks use wells, catchment water, or both?
And speaking of water, for those who are interested, it appears there are decent surf spots in the vicinity. (Sorry--I check out of habit.
There are 2 waterfalls, one river, and many springs. Enough water for a hydroelectric power source. One waterfall is about 40 meters. Unfortunately we did not get pictures of it. We could bring water to all of the building sites with a ram pump (http://www.tcboats.com/prices.htm).
Vivek - June 20, 2007 2:30 pm
how necessary is it to learn spanish to survive in costa rica.
Syamasundara - June 20, 2007 2:48 pm
Hehe I also thought of surfs for inviting Narasimha maharaja...
Wow, I am starting to see where I could retire without being away from GM and his mood and considering how poor I am at 32.
I'll teach you Espanish, Vivek.
Swami - June 20, 2007 3:20 pm
Hehe I also thought of surfs for inviting Narasimha maharaja...
He has already invited himself!
Vrindaranya Dasi - June 20, 2007 4:19 pm
Here are some more facts about Costa Rica and the Guanacaste area.
While Costa Rica has only about 0.1% of the world's land mass, it contains 5% of the world's biodiversity.
* 500,000 to one million plant and animal species
* 9000 identified species of plants, including over 900 different species of trees, and more are being listed each year
* 1,500 species of orchids. Costa Rica provides much of the world's supply of orchids
* 850 species of birds with 200 species of migrating birds from as far as Alaska and Australia
* 1,250 species of butterflies
* 10% of the world's butterfly species reside in Costa Rica
* 150 species of amphibians
* 14 turtle species include both marine and freshwater varieties
Activities in Costa Rica:
* White-Water Rafting & Kayaking
* Canopy Tours
* Scuba Diving
* Surfing
* Hiking
* Bird-, Whale-, and Turtle-Watching
* Horseback Riding
* Volcano, Hot Springs, Cloud Forest, and Rainforest Tours
* Limestone Caverns
from Lonely Planet:
"Mention Costa Rica and people think paradise. The country's Disney-like cast of creatures — ranging from howler monkeys to toucans — are populous and relatively easy to spot. The waves are prime, the beauty is staggering and the sluggish pace seductive.
"This tiny nation draws well over a million visitors every year - and you can see why. The incredibly varied topography means you can cruise a cloud forest one day, climb a volcano the next, and finish passed out on a hot sandy beach."
from www.costaricavillas.com:
"Costa Rica is a peaceful democracy with no army and very little crime. The country boasts more schools teachers than police and its literacy rate, at 93 percent, is one of the highest in the world. Costa Ricans are very happy, laid-back souls. They genuinely like Americans and will gladly trade two or three words of English for two or three words of Spanish.
"For sun worshippers, the weather is especially spectacular. Between December and late May, there is very little or no rain. Even June through November, the constant sunshine is only interrupted by occasional refreshing late afternoon showers. The weather is always warm on the northwest Pacific coast where the villas are located. In San Jose and the Central highlands, temperatures are much cooler with high around 78 degrees and lows in the 60's.
"The amazing biological diversity that exists in Costa Rica, within such a small geographical area (about the size of West Virginia), is one of the largest in the world. The flora and fauna are not only precious, but also spectacular. Costa Rica has over 237 species of mammals, more varieties of butterflies than the entire continent of Africa, and more than 150 species of reptiles and amphibians. There are also more than 1,800 species of orchids native to the country and more than 850 species of birds (more than all the species in the entire North American continent)."
The land we are looking at is in the province of Guanacaste, by far the richest coastal region of Costa Rica. The nearest large city is Nicoya, which is the major town of the peninsula and the cultural center of the province of Guanacaste. It has the biggest and best equipped hospital in the Nicoya Peninsula.
The two closest beaches are Samara and Nosara. The land is situated midway between Samara and Nicoya.
A good site about the Nicoya Peninsula is www.nicoyapeninsula.com.
Shyam Gopal Das - June 20, 2007 5:20 pm
I don't know about all of you, but I'm getting more excited by the day!
Not a lot of people speak English in Costa Rica, so some basic knowledge of Spanish is recommended. But at the monastery English, Bengali and Sanskrit will probably suffice.
Babhru Das - June 20, 2007 5:40 pm
Yes, but in the meantime, as we develop the place, some Spanish will be very useful. And when we reach out to present Mahaprabhu's message to locals and visitors, both English and Spanish will be helpful. I apparently sold my Velasquez dictionary (alas!), but I'm looking for another good Spanish-English dictionary today, and spending a little time brushing up on my Spanish, either by formal study or reading Gaudiya literature in Spanish, will become a part of my day.
Shyam Gopal Das - June 20, 2007 5:52 pm
Reading Gaudiya literature in Spanish, wow that's a good idea to pick up some Spanish!
And yes, for people who really look into staying in Costa Rica, a good command of the language is very helpful and needed in the future. When I fly back to Holland next month, I'm going to look into taking some Spanish classes as well.
Syamasundara - June 21, 2007 5:30 am
Wow, how exciting. Is there any animal to be afraid of? Felines, reptiles, insects?
I know Paramadvaiti Maharaja is big in Latin America, but I can't think of preaching in those places unless they are big cities. People there all seem so simple and minimally educated, but maybe it's just the tropical vibe that gives me this impression.
I am all for interacting with the Costarican, just give me time to make a lot of money and I'll be flying there as soon as needed. It's always been one of my dreams to translate GM's classes simultaneously into the languages I know, or any similar thing (communicate with the workers?).
Shyam Gopal Das - June 21, 2007 5:17 pm
People there all seem so simple and minimally educated, but maybe it's just the tropical vibe that gives me this impression.
Literacy rate is 96% in Costa Rica.
Vrindaranya Dasi - July 4, 2007 1:27 pm
To see some examples of yoga retreats in Costa Rica check out:
www.lunalodge.com
www.puravidaspa.com
Jiva-daya Dasa - July 6, 2007 10:34 pm
Wow, how exciting. Is there any animal to be afraid of? Felines, reptiles, insects?I know Paramadvaiti Maharaja is big in Latin America, but I can't think of preaching in those places unless they are big cities. People there all seem so simple and minimally educated, but maybe it's just the tropical vibe that gives me this impression.
I am all for interacting with the Costarican, just give me time to make a lot of money and I'll be flying there as soon as needed. It's always been one of my dreams to translate GM's classes simultaneously into the languages I know, or any similar thing (communicate with the workers?).
Sounds amazing! Simultaneous interpreting for Guru Maharaja would be a wonderful and extraordinarily challenging service. Having spent a fair amount of time in that part of Central America, I am certain the tico guests would very much appreciate having that kind of access to the nectar. Audarya del Sur Ki Jaya!