Have you ever had dreams of  a “Shangri-la”, or place of paradise, where people live in total harmony with each other and nature, where love rules and peace is assured..... a spiritual place where co-operation is actively expressed and self sufficiency on all levels is a reality? I certainly have, and maybe you have too? Some may see it as an impossibility in today’s seemingly mad house world but I believe our ‘dreams’ can now  become ‘real’. 

This dream of forming a truly spiritual retreat, was consciously revived 6 years ago after being guided back home to NZ, after a long series of travels through many ‘ancient’ countries. During my travels I witnessed many powerful visions and began to experience the synchronicity of true living, which led me to open my shop on 17th September 1994. After experiencing many ‘highs and lows’ over the years, I’m now aware that our lives do have a real purpose and everything happens for a good reason.
 

One week in June 2000, over the winter solstice, I had 2 vivid ‘night dreams’ which were to be a defining moment in this synchronicity. The first was of a beautiful sub tropical looking piece of land, which I was clearly told was on Great Barrier Island in the outer Hauraki Gulf of Auckland. The second, a few nights later, was of an oasis looking area surrounded by Tibetan temples and had a  very beautiful serene feeling. I clearly heard the words, “This is Shamballa”. I thought no more of these dreams until a few days later when we came across the book “Secret of Shamballa - In search of the 11th insight” written by James Redfield, author of the international best seller, “the Celestine prophecy”. At the moment this new book came into our hands, my friend and I both knew  that our retreat could be a reality and it would be known as Shamballa. 

A few days later, on the 7th of July an Australian Aboriginal woman walked into my shop and began to relay a fascinating story about her life since being guided to NZ. As it turned out she owned land on Great Barrier Island where she had begun setting up a retreat centre, called no other than SHAMBALLA! She had even grown up in a house called Shamballa and she KNEW, like myself, that we had been guided together for an important reason.
 

 Since 1985 this lady's’ life has been an incredible  tale of heartbreak, conspiracy, black magic, intrigue and constant legal wrangles with the authorities over her land and single-handedly sued a major telecommunications company for blatant disregard of her basic rights under the famous English document the “Magna Carta” of 1215 and WON!. This document presents the idea of liberation from authority with the emphasis on personal liberty and the rights of the individual. This victory  is a symbolic victory for us all, with humanity as a whole seeking true freedom.
 

Myself and 2 friends, Susan and Stephen, managed to travel to the Island shortly after. The land, Shamballa, is a perfect triangle shape of 11 acres, apex facing directly North with stunning views of Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf, dropping down into a  valley covered in mature native bush and Manuka and featuring 3 streams, huge 40 foot waterfall, large rock pools and an abundance of  birdlife. Another main feature of the land was the 3 massive stones which rise majestically from the steep ridge which encircled the property on  3 sides.
 

 Upon my return, I read the book, ‘Secret of Shambhala.....’  which led me to James Redfield's’ web site, so I submitted my personal details in the guest book section, along with a simplified version of the Shamballa story to this point. About 3 days later I received an email from a Belgian man called Gaston, or ‘Stone’ as he liked to be called, with a request to know more about Shamballa, as he felt very drawn to helping the project, with the possibility of investing the needed money into the ‘Shamballa Trust’. After numerous long emails where exchanged,  we both felt there was a strong connection so he arranged to fly to NZ on the 11th November,  a very powerful energy day of 11:11:2000, perfect for the ‘11th insight’  and the 11 acres! 

Around this time the land owner came into my shop and showed me an amazing book called “Signs of Christ”, a  collection of channelled material from Djwal Khul and other ascended masters through Alice Bailey and other early theosophists. There is a  chapter entitled Shamballa, which is full of amazing information including the following statement..... “Shamballa is the place where the will of god is focussed and from where his divine purposes are directed.......The sacred island in the Gobi desert. The centre is central Asia where the lord of the world, the ancient of days, (Sanat Kumara) has his headquarters...” 
 

I set off once again for another pilgrimage to Great Barrier, complete with my new Matua manaia greenstone pendant and ‘Kokopu’, an obelisk shaped greenstone as guardian for the land and conducted a  ceremony for the stone. Afterwards, as I admired the beautiful view and large obelisk rock in Tryphena bay, I  realised that I was looking directly West, towards Silverdale where, outside my shop, is located a  6m  sign with a  purple pyramid on top and a crystal in the apex. I also planted a programmed amethyst crystal on the Great pyramid in Egypt, (1992), and  an Amethyst pyramid on Needle rock which looks down over the land and directly in my view to the NW. As I visualised  all this, I could feel a huge link up of energy  which nearly blew my mind!
 

On the 6th October I flew out with a party of 11 other people to Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s Ashram to once again bathe in His pure divine love. This “Journey to the Spiritual heart”, as it was called, provided a huge amount of  information about Shamballa and the truth of  us as divine beings.
 

I was to be given a fitting confirmation of Shamballa just half an hour before leaving the Ashram for home, while in a Tibetan shop in the village, when the proprietor fetched a print of the Kalachakra Mandala. I noticed it said “Journey through the wheel of time”, which I thought was so appropriate as our bus was late. I asked him what does the mandala mean, and he replied “This is Shamballa, this is our goal!”, pointing to the centre of this sacred geometrical pattern.
 

Stone has since been and gone, after staying for 4 weeks and it was an absolute pleasure to experience the wisdom and love which exudes from this man. Since his departure the synchronicities have continued to flow and the trail has now led us to an ancient Tibetan teaching, passed down through the lineages and reputed to originate from the ancient valley of Shamballa, showing us how to walk the sacred path through everyday life as a “Shamballa warrior”. Also we have discovered another amazing book called “The Legend of Shamballa” giving detailed information  on the “Legend” and uncovered a series of powerful meditations, especially for each full moon, involving the great invocation, which is powerfully enabling us to anchor and assimilate the energies pouring forth from Shamballa.
 

This journey has now shifted focus from a “quest for a spiritual retreat”, to a conscious inner journey, as we set about to cleanse, clear and heal on every level, in order to be a suitable vehicle to ground the Shamballa vision as we hold that eternal peace in our hearts. We have begun to realise that by paying attention to the many seemingly insignificant events in our lives and holding more stillness and silence IS the magic, and leads, like any journey, to the “great magic” which awaits us all, the meeting of our hearts longing, Shamballa.

The Flames in Shamballa
Who are ready to strike the lightning
and clear the way for humanity?
As the will to love
grows and knocks at the gates
of Shamballa.

Search and you will find,
knock and it will be opened,
ask and you will receive” *

Om Mani Padme Hum
Tony Knight