Land of Medicine Buddha Retreat Center, Santa Cruz
Land of Medicine Buddha Retreat Center in the forested hills above Santa Cruz called Soquel is open to the public. Come and walk the trail, turn the three prayer wheels, see the red temple and meditation hall, ring the chimes and gongs, and admire the sculptures. It's a gorgeous place to walk around and be restored! There are three levels on a steep hill, so make sure you see all three! It's easy to get lost driving here, so don't miss the right turn onto Prescott Road. Your GPS won't notice you've missed it because the wrong road continues parallel in the same direction. Once you are on Prescott Road, you will reach the driveway, clearly marked with prayer flags and signs.
The first area has two prayer wheels, a gift shop, a meditation hall or gompa, and clean restrooms right next to the meditation hall. It's peaceful to sit at the sunny chairs in the little garden in front of the gift shop, taking in the sculptures and atmosphere. Beside the gift shop is a white-clad sculpture of Kwan Yin, Chinese goddess of compassion, mercy, and motherly love. She holds a bottle of pure water, the divine nectar of life, to relieve suffering. To me, she bears such a resemblance to Mary! I looked this up, and it makes sense, because during Nestorian Christians' residence in China and later Jesuit missions in China, there was syncretism between the two. Jesuit missionaries applied the title of Goddess of Mercy to Kwan Yin. Motherly love is, after all, one of the most beautiful things! Kwan Yin also protects mothers and children.
Walk up the hilly road to the second level, and you will find another prayer wheel with a gold roof, a gong, a huge bell you can ring by pulling a bar and letting it swing, and a golden Buddha sculpture under a red gazebo. Up a very steep road is the third level, where you will find a short loop trail through the redwoods with eight verses along it, and a large red temple called Wish Fulfilling Temple that is so beautiful. Approach the temple from the path on the left side to see how lovely it is from far away. There is a lovely white Buddha sculpture- I like his sweet facial expression. Take off your shoes and go inside the Wish Fulfilling Temple to see the painted scenes along the ceiling. Also, check out the dragon decorating the corner of the roof.
It is so special to visit this center. You may visit for free, but a $20 online donation is requested.
After, eat at Zelda's on the Beach in Capitola town, a colorful, pretty, coastal town nearby. It is a fifteen minute drive south.
The painted ceiling above the first prayer wheel.
Double redwood tree beside the first prayer wheel.
Prayer flags and a garden with blue sage and driftwood.
A prayer wheel with a pointy roof.
A building with red, green, and blue trim.
Goddess of Music, on the prayer wheel.
Whimsical entry sign.
Statue on an elevated brick area.
The first prayer wheel. Prayer wheels are cherished by Tibetan Buddhists.
You can turn the prayer wheel while chanting the long life mantra, or to send out light to those who have passed away.
Forest views from the balcony behind the meditation hall.
Redwood trees, by the balcony at the meditation hall.
A statue in the forest.
Inside the meditation hall or gompa.
Tibetan Buddhist statue inside the meditation hall (gompa).
Retreat center rooms in the sunlight, with forest behind.
The road you walk to get to the second level.
Decorations on the prayer wheel.
Prayer wheel gold-embossed decoration.
Beautiful colors of the prayer wheel designs.
This prayer wheel design almost looks Celtic, because the eternal knot is in both traditions! It symbolizes interconnectedness and the eternal cycle of life.
The second prayer wheel.
Statue in a little stand among flowers, at the meditation hall.
A heart-shaped stepping stone in front of a statue.
A delicate statue with offerings, by the gift shop.
The second prayer wheel, on the first level.
A statue with a fruit offering.
The gift shop.
Kwan Yin, goddess of mercy and motherly love, holds a bottle of pure water, the divine nectar of life, to relieve suffering. The white-clad Kwan Yin bears a resemblance to Mary, possibly because of Christians in China.
Pool beside the retreat center.
The third prayer wheel, with a gold roof.
Log benches.
A gong.
A bell you ring by pulling back the bar and letting it swing toward the bell.
The second level has a bell and a golden Buddha statue.
The third prayer wheel, at the second level. I love its golden roof so much, and the amazing treetops behind.
8 Verses Loop Trail.
Painted design on the Wish Fulfilling Temple.
Inside the Wish Fulfilling Temple.
Painted scenes in the Wish Fulfilling Temple.
Prayer flags in the forest.
Dragon on the corner of the Wish Fulfillment Temple's roof.
Stupa, which contains relics, near the Wish Fulfilling Temple.
The second level, with prayer wheel with gold roof, and golden Buddha statue.
A little carved sculpture on a grassy hillside.
Buddha with a sweet expression.
The Wish Fulfilling Temple.
Your GPS will get confused once the road splits. Make sure you turn right to get on Prescott Rd. Because the roads are parallel and close together, your GPS won't know you've gone the wrong way if you continue straight on Glen Haven Rd rather than turning right on Prescott Rd. If you have gone the correct way and you are on Prescott Rd, once you come to Land of Medicine Buddha Retreat Center, you will see prayer flags and a bunch of signs directing you to turn left for their driveway.
The public may enter for free, but a $20 online donation per car is requested.
Last Updated: Sun, 06 Jul 2025 00:22:25 GMT
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