We continue our occasional series about the Joshua Tree Retreat Center today. Spread across 420 acres at the Joshua Tree/Yucca Valley border is the Joshua Tree Retreat Center. Begun in 1941, it was known as the Institute for Mentalphysics until just a few years ago. And while weekly breath and meditation gatherings replace a traditional Sunday sermon, the complex operates as Morongo Basin’s largest church. Come along with reporter Mike Lipsitz as we explore this unique and historic location…
On any given day at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center one might encounter yoga enthusiasts practicing relaxation techniques, or a women’s group studying the merits of Buddhism and Christianity, or a gathering of mystics on silent retreat. They arrive in groups from as few as 15 to more than 200 and may camp or stay in comfortable housing on site for days or weeks. Interim Executive Director Terry Taylor-Castillo has authored more than a dozen books on angels and related topics. She appears uniquely qualified for the job. Taylor-Castillo works from a desk in the bookstore. It is a hub of activity amid tomes on every religion and aspect of spirituality and meditation. Among them is the work of Edwin Dingle, the exalted founder credited with bringing the concept of Mentalphysics to the West. Dingle died here in 1972. His cornerstone books, including “My Life In Tibet,” offer relevant guidance for students even today, despite some dated concepts such as the white supremacist overtones found in the book’s forward. The Joshua Tree Retreat Center Bookstore is open to the public seven days a week.
