Monk?

Yesterday I was bored and had a lot of energy (probably because of the Iced Venti Coffee unsweetened with 2 add shots of espresso), so I went up to this random monastery in Trabuco Canyon.  I don't know what kind of monastery it is: Buddhist, Hindu, New Age... however, it was NOT Christian, which made it kind of strange.

To get there, I ascended a windy road. It was beautiful because it reminded me of how much I love being in nature.

It was so quaint and so not-OC!

There was a library you could go to and read. They had all kinds of religious texts, but what made me so happy (and even helps me justify going to a pagan monastery) is the HUGE collection they had of early Christian literature, church fathers, commentaries, and spiritual formation!  I picked up a book I have been wanting to read again for a long time, "Practice the Presence of God" by Brother Lawrence. 

All in all, my experience was interesting.  I'm not crazy about the idea of a pagan monastery, but I LOVE the books.  So, I might go back on Friday to finish the second half of my book!