The Rudraksha Forest on Kauai is the only one said to be located in the United States and is a part of the Kauai Hindu Monastery located just a half mile from where this forest is situated. The construction of a new all granite, hand carved monastery is supposed to be completed in 2017 and would another great site to see here on the Garden Island. The forest is considered to be sacred and you will find a statue of “Ganesha” the Hindu God is erected there.
Please be respectful of their culture and act accordingly. When entering this forest, you can sense the peacefulness and serenity of this place. If you are lucky, and the berries have just started falling off of the trees you will see their vibrant light blue color that I was so amazed with.
As they start to dry up, they turn different shades of blues and eventually turn to black seed pods. These pods can then be cleaned, scrubbed and tumbled to produce a reddish-brown colored bead. These beads are usually made into rosaries or “malas” which are used by the Hindus for praying. When worn they are said to provide good support for those who are constantly on the move and those who eat and sleep in a variety of places.
This is because it is claimed to create a cocoon of the wearer’s own energy. Also, it said to ward off and act as a shield against “negative energies”. Some other benefits include regulating blood pressure, minimizing stress and helps reduce anxiety and depression. Even the leaves and berries are used for medicinal purposes.
This place is opened from 9am to 4pm daily. When I first placed this cache, all there was was the forest of trees. Now there’s things to see and enjoy of this culture. The cache is a micro. You will need to bring your own pen or pencil to sign the log. Please put it back as you found it or even better. There are picnic tables here so you may want to have lunch here or spend some time here just to meditate. Beware of passerby muggles as you hunt and be respectful of the place. Hope you enjoy this most unusual forest that is located on this Garden Island of Hawaii.
Congrats to peep2isles for the FTF. Cache on!