Zentauria: The Island of Mind, Body and Spirit

Day 1 – 4:51 PM (Guest Quarters in Zentauria)

“Holy shit!”

That’s been my mantra today. And it would not be an exaggeration to say that, as I sit here with my laptop, in an isolated retreat house in Zentauria, I feel like I am literally on a different planet. I have never heard of a place that is even remotely like this. I never could’ve imagined that this kind of utopian community were even possible on this earth, in this lifetime. And yet, I am here, and it is real. And now I am left alone this afternoon to try and digest all that I have seen and experienced today.

Since my last entry on the plane, it was hard to know what to expect. We connected to a commuter flight in Kenya and wound up touching down on a tiny airstrip in an East African jungle. From there we hooked up with our guides, Chang-Sun and Shoop, the same two Zentaurians who picked up Lady M for her first trip here. She introduced them to us and it was hugs and handshakes all around. Both of these guys were gracious and welcoming with auras the size of the Grand Canyon. They were also a couple of characters. They looked like muscular rock musicians who taught meditation at a martial arts academy.

We all threw our luggage into the back of a black 15 passenger van, then settled in for a three hour drive up the coastline through pristine African scenery, on mostly dirt roads. And while it was eerily devoid of human life, we saw zebras, elephants, impalas, monkeys and even a couple of lions glancing up from their blood-soaked lunch. This was definitely a little different than the view from the 405 back in LA, let me tell you.

Throughout the trip, Chang-Sun and Shoop offered up interesting cultural insights about Zentauria. Chang-Sun told us how the basic layout of the island, which is really only the size of a large city, has remained relatively intact since the beginning. He explained that when Zentauria was initially established, the main community of art studios, temples and home quarters where the artists and monks lived and worked was called The Mecca and was built from the center of the island out. Then the warriors established protective villages around the entire perimeter of The Mecca, enabling them to guard Zentauria from all sides. Eventually, the warrior areas evolved into four distinct regions that to this day are still known as either the North, South, East or West Villages. Chang-Sun said it was the combination of the newer, more modern buildings standing alongside these three, four or five-hundred-year-old structures, that gave Zentauria a unique architectural look and feel. I couldn’t wait to see it.

We eventually arrived at a private dock area and drove directly aboard the small ferry that would take us the last hour to the island. We all got out of the van and loitered around the boat, as we enjoyed counting dolphins in the blue-green sea and watching as that distant speck of an island grew larger by the minute. Once docked there, we all jumped back in the van and drove directly through the thick of the jungle, and onto a two-lane highway. Within minutes, we were being waved through a security checkpoint, beyond thick black gates and into the South Village of Zentauria. It was at this moment that it felt like we had pierced the proverbial veil of another dimension and driven straight into a parallel universe. The whole atmosphere of this place was different from anywhere else I have ever been.

As we descended into The Mecca, it was laid out like a free-flowing hybrid of a giant university campus and a futuristic Eurasian village. There were old stone temples, modern looking conservatories and sleek, artsy storefronts, all segregated by multihued flowerbeds and other skillfully manicured landscape. I saw a tall rolling hill of golf course green grass, with a cathedral-style museum on top, called the Zucharian. I caught a quick glimpse of its jaggedy stained glass windowpanes, glaring through a flock of weeping willows.

Another block down, I saw a huge white marble building, with majestic religious imagery sculpted into its trim and pillars. This was Central Library. Then, right across the red brick road was a round granite temple, with classic dragons-and-samurai mural work engulfing its base like a fire, in brilliant crimsons and purples. The Mecca continued to unfold as a stunning, east-meets-west amalgam of their deeply rooted heritage and ultra-modern innovation and technology.

I figured out pretty fast that every part of life in Zentauria was rooted in creativity and evolution. Everyone here seems to do something to encourage “right-brain” development and nurture their own sense of the artistic lifestyle. Music, books, art, writing…these are all daily components of life, even to those who seem to play more “left-brain” roles. Likewise, there is a reverence for organization, numbers, science, memorization, ritual and complex technology; key left-brain elements providing a foundation for all of the creative energy. They live the classic DaVinci credo of “Study the art of science and the science of art.”

As for the physical, these people are breathtaking in their natural beauty. The women are lean and shapely, with feminine curves and a nurturing sort of sensuality. The men generally have muscular builds, very much like our professional prize-fighters, with dark features and longer hair. All the Zentaurians seem to have gorgeous complexions, with super healthy hair, eyes and teeth. And yet, for as physically attractive as these people are, they carry themselves without any kind of pretense. They move about easily and gracefully, but without knowing it…like lions and tigers. And their way of dress is a physical extension of their individual personas; distinctive, yet practical, an eclectic merging of different cultures and signature ornamentation. And I didn’t see one motherfucker wearing a traditional suit and tie!

Our initial interaction with some of the townsfolk was warm, uplifting and inspiring. These are centered, easy-going people who look into your eyes without any sense of judgment about who you are, what you do or even why you’re visiting. There was a Zen-like calm at the core of everyone I met today, even those Zentaurians with more outspoken and flamboyant personalities. And again, the auras of these people cannot go unnoticed. They all exude a grounded sense of purity, of centeredness, even holiness, you might say, but not in a pious sort of way. They are definitely tapped into something around here.

Rigorous physical activity is a major part of Zentaurian culture, as Conditioning Centers, or dojos, seem as prevalent here as 7-11s do in our country. There, men and women lift weights, do cardio on all of the latest gear, stretch, work on yoga positions and practice a variety of different fighting styles. Everyone in Zentauria seems to be able to throw a punch or a kick, including the women and children. At a glance, their reverence for martial arts seems in stark contrast to their peaceful nature. But upon watching the joy they take in training, you see that it’s more about the “art” than the “martial” around here. Additionally, you see people outdoors all the time, walking and biking places, or jogging through the town’s many intricate running paths in any of their dozens of lavishly arranged parks. There are also plenty of hiking trails through the area mountain ranges.

On the other side of the scale, libraries, art galleries, music schools and institutes of study abound throughout the community. Many of Zentauria’s most revered citizens either spend a lot of time in these places or actually teach there. There is an intense spirit of reverence, encouragement and support for anything dealing with evolving or learning in your chosen areas of interest. Accordingly, the public not only rabidly supports the various weekly performances or science/media exhibits going on around town by showing up for them, but many will also drop by a conservatory, art studio, acting school, lab or multimedia center during the day to observe how things are progressing. This is an unimaginable redefining of the word “community.”

As the day unfolded, I noticed a multidimensional richness in the Zentaurians. There are so many seemingly contradictory elements to these people, based on the limitations and stereotypes we’ve cultivated. And yet, with each new person I encountered, I came to expect the absolute unexpected. Imagine…Muhammed Ali, playing the sax like John Coltrane; an Einstein-esque elder, with an impressive bench press; Bruce Lee, finishing up his 26th novel; a Mother Teresa-type community worker, as a jaw-dropping poet; the most prolific gymnast in the community, known for her huge, surrealistic murals; and the “custodial arts” guy from the Wisdom Center – the town’s lone retirement facility – renowned for his memory skills, as he can recite huge chunks of the greatest literature upon request, 10,000 words at a time.

As a result, just when you think you’ve summed someone up, you find another layer. It seems to be a modern throwback to the classic Renaissance times of old. This place is all about expressing your potential in a way that’s joyous and authentic to you and, in the process, embracing the results, no matter how diverse or eclectic they may be. At the same time, everything always gets back to the notion of service, of how your expressions and actions may somehow raise the collective vibration and improve the quality of life for others. In this way, it seems that the modern day Zentaurian is a completely integrated version of the archetypes with which their society was built. Everyone practices like a warrior, creates like an artist and serves like a monk. This is truly the island of mind, body and spirit.

At lunchtime, we all stepped into a clean and cozy café for a bite to eat. The menu reflected a diverse selection of entrees and side dishes…with one notable distinction; there were only plant-based food choices available. When someone in our party asked about the prospects of a “fish or chicken” dish, our waitress chuckled and politely explained that the only place you would experience those creatures in this community is alive and well in the appropriate surrounding habitat. She went on to explain that the raising or breeding of farm animals simply doesn’t happen around here. If you were to see any cows, chickens or pigs, it would be because they happened to be rescued from a neighboring community outside of Zentauria, and the Animal Guardians elected to bring them here and let them live out their days at Shazza Quo, a farm-style sanctuary in the West Village. (Animal guardians at a farm animal sanctuary on a remote-ass African island? This is what the hell I’m talkin’ about, people!)

Chang-Sun confirmed my suspicion; these people live their lives with the principles of non-violence so deeply etched into the fabric of their morality, that they’ve been a completely vegan society for more than two centuries before the word was even invented. In short, all life is revered and respected here, and all companion, farm and wild animals are treated with the same kind of respect and compassion that humans are.

After a delicious meal, we ventured back out and stopped by one of the town’s many distinctive temples. The architecture of these temples is among the most incredible of all around town. As we stepped into the peaceful ambience of candles, soft lighting, plush décor, hand-carved furnishings and relaxing incense, the vibe was palpable. This is clearly a place for spiritual renewal, and one that is regarded with great sanctity. There are regular events, speakers and services held at these places, all designed to nourish the spiritual journey. And at any given time around the temple’s schedule of events, these places are open 24 hours a day for anyone who wants to drop in for some meditation time. Just like we might hang out in a Starbucks, you can almost always find at least a handful of people in there meditating…even in the middle of the night.

As we headed toward our facilities, I thought about Zentauria and all that it so clearly represents. The artist, the monk, the warrior…the mind, the body, the spirit; all of these elements, so prominently displayed in their buildings, art, landscaping, schools, labs, gyms, temples, and, perhaps most profoundly, their people. They have created a world where all of these elements are woven into their culture. Or maybe it was that, because all of these elements were woven into their culture, they created this world. Who knows? But if a heaven-on-earth utopia is really possible, this is it for me.

© 2009 Bobby Rock

 

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