Shambhala: The Fascinating Truth Behind the Myth of Shangri-La

For thousands of years, stories have been told about an inaccessible garden paradise hidden among the icy peaks and secluded valleys of the Himalayas. Called by some Shangri-la, this mythical kingdom, where the pure at heart live forever among jewel lakes, wish-fulfilling trees, and speaking stones, has fired the imagination of both actual explorers and mystical travelers to the inner realms. In this fascinating look behind the myth, Victoria LePage traces the links between this legendary Utopia and the mythologies of the world. Shambhala, LePage argues persuasively, is "real" and may be becoming more so as human beings as a species learn increasingly to perceive dimensions of reality that have been concealed for millennia.

304 pages

About the author: Victoria LePage began her lifelong interest in Shambhala almost fifty years ago, when she was in her early twenties. Her research led her to studies of both the Hindu-Buddhist and Sufi traditions and to long visits to Central Java, where the Shambhala tradition is strong. Her articles on the struggles of Indonesia have been published in leading Australian newspapers. She lives in the province of Victoria, in Australia. This is her first published book.