Asheville. Its name conjures up images
of lush green mountains that wrap around the city like a welcoming
hug. With a lovely four season climate, spiritual and metaphysical
pilgrims, musicians and artists eagerly flocking to the energy
that bubbles up in this beautiful area of Western North Carolina
it is like a spring of sweet water.
The Saturday paper may surprise you with its listing of spiritual
services from Bahia, Jubilee, Unity, Science of Mind and Pagan
being longer than its Baptist to Methodist one. Though a relatively
small city, in Asheville, one can enjoy meditating with Buddhist
monks, have a Oneness Blessing, practice TM, gather for a heart
meditation, join in a pagan or Native American ceremony or participate
in any number of other spiritual practices almost any night of
the week.
Asheville is being touted as ‘The Sedona of the East,’ with
its vortices in Western North Carolina from Mount Mitchell down
to Mount Pisgah creating a lively, sometimes cathartic, energy
that seems to draw healers from many parts of the country, as well
as spiritual pilgrims, and those simply yearning for a better quality
of life. Asheville is one of those places where ‘I was just
called here’ is a common statement. You will find a plethora
of expert yoga, nia, pilates and t’ai chi, as well as an
array of body workers with specialties from medical massage to
the ‘new’ Rolfing, Reiki masters, medical intuitives,
past life regressionists, acupuncturists, osteopathic and homeopathic
physicians, art and music therapists, shamanic healers, channelers,
clairvoyants, angel messengers and many other diverse healing arts
practitioners and instructors.
With a low crime, lots of cultural activities, an abundance
of natural beauty, and a lower cost of living than say New York
or California, Asheville seems to draw those who have ‘had it’ with the fast paced megatropolis’ with
their indifferent attitudes and disconnected and discontented spirits. You will
find Asheville listed in many of the ‘top ten lists’ of best places
to live in the country; in an ABC story, “’20/20’ Friday: What
Makes People Happy?” Asheville was rated number one as the ‘Happiest
Place to Live in the US.” And, yes, it’s also true, most folks do
say hello to you on the street, and are happy to direct you to the closest health
food store (of which there are several large and extensive ones) or the local
organic tailgate markets, if not take you there themselves. |
Speaking of food, gourmands and vegetarians
alike will find an impressive array of restaurant options offering
a wide diversity of ethnic cuisines, with many restaurants featuring
organic produce, free range poultry, and vegetarian and vegan
specialties.
Though no studies are yet available, Asheville is likely to
have one of the highest populations of ‘cultural creatives’ in
the country. Here you will find an embracing, a curiosity and concern
for the world, its ecosystem, and its peoples. There is an awareness
of and activism for peace, social justice and an openness to self-actualization
through spirituality and holistic practices,
Asheville is also known as a prime area for retirement with
such an influx of retirees that the University of North Carolina
founded a ‘college for seniors’. The North Carolina Center
for Creative Retirement, promotes lifelong learning, leadership
and community service opportunities and offers a vast array of
enrichment courses and activities including Happiness 101 (there
it is again!), “Deepening Inner Stillness, “Outside
the Box” (planning your own funeral – for our spiritually
inclined readers, I suppose we could call this one ‘Conscious
Dying’). So, no, not just more ‘how to improve your
bridge game’ here.
As one of the rising stars in the nationwide green movement,
with much emphasis on green building and environmental consciousness,
Asheville boasts of having its own Western North Carolina Green
Building Council. One of the major producers of green events
in the country is based here, along with many businesses interested
in promoting environmentally sustainable and health conscious
building practices, building energy efficient and sustainable
housing, and decreasing the use of natural resources.
The magical energy of Asheville awaits your visit. You will
be greeted by an atmosphere of relaxation and rejuvenation amidst
some of the most spectacular and varied scenery found on any
continent. Your soul will be soothed and your creativity enlivened,
while you are embraced by the happy, unpretentious and community
minded people of Western North Carolina.
Leena Rose Miller is a free lance writer and a medical intuitive
with a practice in energy medicine in Asheville, North Carolina.
www.leenarosesite.com ©2008 |
