On April Showers, May Flowers, and Our Rockin '26 Retreat Season

All of April absolutely flew by, nary a post. Alas, we have triumphantly returned in full force, having now run two deeply healing Way of the Contrary Ceremonial Weekend Retreats. “From the warm greeting by Paul and his dog RoZie, to the wonderful lunch, the Ceremony, the shared meal, and even a standout yoga class, my April experience at The Higher Haven was nothing short of amazing,” writes Collette. “I feel better than I have in months! And I hope to attend again and explore other events as well.”

Spring showers were on, ticking off major floods in Michigan triggered by increasingly extreme rainfall. Post retreat, local flooding had South Haven’s middle branch of the Black River overflowing like never before. In the Bible, Peter walks on water, the tumultuous wind and waves representing chaos and the unknown. But by faith — by prayer and spiritual practice — he chooses divine mastery over fear. That’s how we do it ‘round here, not quite by the book, but lead by, our own unique, Eastern-indigenous take. The short clip above also spins you down the road to happy destiny Higher Haven style for 1:24, as my confident, waterless shuffle echoes out our work to step up, up above the mounting calamities of the external world.

The Good News is that all the great energy Collette experienced and expressed is readily available at our next Way of the Contrary Ceremonial Retreat Weekend, currently open for public registration the last weekend in June. Scheduling conflicts also shifted our Spring Noble Silence Meditation Retreat to New and Improved status, with spots still available June 5th-7th. Finally, if a retreat isn’t quite currently in the cards, you can take in some of the best of our teachings in a straightforward, three-hour class, the special Mother’s Day Meditation + Mindfulness 101 class happening this Saturday, and our Father’s Day class occurring June 20th. That’s our exciting Xuân (Spring) line up, with a cool Dark Sky Event, a Killer Deep Summer Yoga Retreat Weekend with the illustrious Kellie L., and other Summer and Fall healing happenings up soon. Until then, may you work to step without fear from the sinking boat of the material world and walk in Peace. Toksha

Xin Chào Ban! Greetings from South Haven, Michigan, United States of America

I’m taking in the photo above with an enormous grin and gargantuan sigh, having traveled home 8,106 miles from northernmost Thailand and my beloved Chang Rai, after two healing weeks in North and South Vietnam, welcoming the new year of the Horse 2026. In the past, It’s been important to me to write and I suppose post while traveling and visiting with my fiends and family in Vietnam. And books will soon be written inspired by Phan Doan Tuan, my northern brother, as well as his daughters, my sweet nieces Phan Châu Giang, Phan Châu Anh, and Phan Châu Phuong. Alas, this year, so many tuyet voi (wonderful) experiences and realizations occurred, I took notes, I even clearly took videos, but the trip was mine. And now, safely home, as the magical Mekong Delta dust settles, we’re happy to share.

So much posting must occur, fortunately or unfortunately. After a week in Saigon with Phuc traveling to new seaside cities like Vung Tàu, New Year’s Day led us North to the sacred Huong or Perfume Pagoda, where Tuan first took me in 2009. The name "Perfume Pagoda" is said to come from the sweet fragrance of the wildflowers and herbs that fill the area during the blooming season, particularly in spring. The fragrance is believed to carry the blessings of the goddess Quan Am, electrifying the spiritual atmosphere. In Vietnamese, "Chua Huong" directly translates to "Pagoda of Fragrance", a name that perfectly encapsulates the divine aroma that lingers in the air during pilgrimages. An exotic, peaceful, prayerful New Year’s Day.

Call me Diên, “Crazy” in Vietnamese, and some good Viet people no doubt have, but I spotted this beautiful Catholic Church from aways off on the motor bike ride back to Ha Noi, and had Tuan stop. “This is the Church in Phu Xuyên - Ha Tay”, Tuan informed me later. It was a wonderful moment, capturing the congregation happily celebrating New Years Day, along with wishing some curious children Chuc Mung Nam Moi, Happy New Year! This happens all over the land, the locals sweetly curious of the người nước ngoài (foreigner).

After all expectations for Holiday healing and renewal were blown sky high, we made our way to the mountainous city and province Chiang Rai, the very special area known as The Golden Triangle. There, where, Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar all converge along the banks of the Mekong River, I made a few new friends as well as a new commitment to land and animal conservation at Elephant Camp. I also learned valuable information about the Moh Phi, or the Soul Doctor, the traditional healers of the White Hmong, Lahu, Akha, & Padong “Long Neck” Tribe of Myanmar. It doesn’t all occur in one visit, and so we’ll be back.

Lastly, our visit concluded with a visit to Thailand’s Opium Museum, highlighting Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother of Thailand, recognized for her vital role in transforming the Golden Triangle by promoting alternative livelihoods for local hill tribes. Through the SUPPORT Foundation and royal development projects, she helped shift the region from opium poppy cultivation toward sustainable agriculture and traditional handicrafts, reducing poverty and improving rural living conditions. Quite a feat, and the work of a true, beloved leader

As a former marketing guy, I found the video marking the concluding corridor of the museum pretty brilliant, accompanied by quotes like: “Live not as though there were a thousand years ahead of you; Fate is at your elbow, make yourself good while life and power are still yours.” ~ Marcus Aurelius Roman Emperor-Philosopher (A.D. 121-180). Truth! Powerful new aims have overtaken our efforts at The Higher Haven. Yet, I’m happy to report that having just completed April’s Way of the Contrary Ceremonial weekend, we will indeed be offering our semi-secret, supercharged, signature healing weekend in May, and June, and July, to the general public, for now. And 2026’s first chance to take in our world-renowned, signature Vipassana Meditation class - Meditation and Mindfulness 101- happens Mother’s Day weekend. Welcome Xuân (Spring)!

Tucson Trains As Promised

“I got so down and out in 'Frisco
Tired of the pills and the rain picked up, headed for the sunshine
I left a good thing behind
Seemed all of our love was in vain
My baby's coming in on the Tucson train

I come here looking for a new life
One I wouldn't have to explain
To that voice that keeps me awake at night
When a little peace would make everything right
If I could just turn off my brain
Now my baby's coming in on the Tucson train

We fought hard over nothing
We fought till nothing remained
I've carried that nothing for a long time
Now I carry my operator's license
And spend my days just running this crane
My baby's coming in on the Tucson train

Hard work'll clear your mind and body
The hard sun will burn out the pain
If they're looking for me, tell 'em buddy
I'm waiting down at the station
Just praying to the five-fifteen
I'll wait all God's creation
Just to show her a man can change
Now my baby's coming in on the Tucson train”

That’s Bruce Springsteen’s ode to one of the coolest, most transformative Western towns around. The pic is of my Teacher, the great Shinzen Young, crossing paths with my trusted sidekick, Rosalita Bernice Tootalian,at an impromptu Christmas Day Dim Sum. Rosalita (Don’t) Jump a Little Higher! Like a good Heyoka, I’m trying to talk Shinny into visiting Crooked Tooth or Borderlands or some other Tucson brewery, before RoZie and I turn the boat around to complete our perhaps now annual mission, and head back East on Interstate 10.

Relishing our time under the Sonoran Desert sun, our off-season odyssey will soon have us back in South Haven, Michigan for a cold minute. Then we’ll visit Vietnam for Tet, welcoming the New Year of the Horse (Ngựa). Post Lunar NYE, we venture Northwest to spend some quality time with the Pachyderm Nation residing in The Golden Triangle, the mountainous region where Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand come together, and the Mekong and Ruak rivers meet. Goods times. And we’re grateful to be able to renew our own practice on retreat.

We’ll be back in March for more 2026 planning, but, for now, if you’re interested in discovering a happiness that has little to do with the outer world’s worsening warble, then come out for April’s Way of The Contrary Ceremonial Retreat Weekend. Or join us for a deep dive into the Meditation Master Shinzen’s teaching on what the entire sweep of Mindfulness is truly about: Concentration, Relaxation, Insight, and Unconditional Love, coupled with days of stillness practice, at our Spring Noble Silence Meditation Retreat Weekend (NMSR). Sending good thoughts and prayers from The Road that Truly Leads Somewhere. Until the Next, P + R