About PachaMama

The ecological, spiritual community of PachaMama located in Costa Rica, is a platform for a deep voyage into healing, self-acceptance, and expansion of consciousness. The PachaMama Community is also an intentional and alternative eco-village where people live their normal lives in harmony with nature.

There is no belief system practiced in PachaMama, rather a safe space is created for each fellow traveler to shed old layers, transcend limitations, and discover wholeness. The Six Pillars that hold this alternative way of life are Meditation, Emotional Healing, Physical Rejuvenation, Native Ceremonies, Ecological Living, and Mystical Musical Journeys.

History

PachaMama Eco-Community was founded in 1999 by Tyohar and fellow travelers. A group of people who responded to the invitation to manifest together a commune that embraces a new way of life. Ever since it was founded, the oasis became a gathering place for people from all over the world in the meantime creating a colorful and unique energy field.

Located on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica in a forested valley, PachaMama was founded in 1999 by Tyohar and a cluster of fellow travellers, following a vision to manifest an intentional community and embrace alternative living. Since it was founded as a spiritual commune and intentional community, the village has become an international gathering place, a colourful and unique energy field comprised of diverse personal and cultural backgrounds.

PachaMama is both a spiritual community for residents who have made it their home and a nonprofit centre of transformation that offers retreats and workshops to hundreds of visitors each year. All income is reinvested to support the village’s operation, maintenance, and growth. The community also has a Waldorf-inspired School to serve the growing number of children born in the village and the families that have joined it. The school also welcomes visiting children.

As an eco-village, PachaMama continuously creates projects to increase biodiversity and sustainability and to minimize its carbon footprint. The principles of permaculture, waste reduction, soil regeneration, water retention, and recycling (to name a few) are explored and applied in the village.  PachaMama is wholly committed to providing nourishing, healthy food that is kind not only to the body but to the Earth as well. Superfoods, fruits, and leafy greens grown in the village are 100% organic and the community works in partnership with and supports local farmers using responsible growing practices.

The community of PachaMama is unique amongst communities in Costa Rica and throughout the world. It allows everyone to experience spiritual community living with authenticity, close to nature, and in harmony with the cycles of silence, meditation, and celebration. What unites the village is the shared journey of awareness: a meeting of individuals beyond personalities and ideas. The intention to live a conscious life, looking into the mirror of one’s true self, is what binds the community together. Yoga, meditation, and sacred Native healing ceremonies are key to the soul of PachaMama, much more than mere lifestyle choices but rather deep-rooted commitments to the nature of this unique place.

Nourishing Cuisine

The Verde Restaurant is in the PachaMama village centre. It is surrounded by a lush forest and is nourished three times a day by a team of creative chefs. It is a vital part of the transformation process and is in tune with the needs of the meditations, workshops and cleansing groups.

The kitchen has combined the philosophy of cutting-edge nutritional knowledge: raw food, vegan, macrobiotic, the flavours of different cultures living together and the influence of a tropical climate. Most of the food is 100% organic and local and reflects the understanding that freshness, simplicity, awareness and love are in fact crucial ingredients in each meal.

The Wild Treats Raw Bar is also located in the village centre. It certainly has a unique vibe, offering fresh organic juices, smoothies, raw chocolates and desserts, and other goodies. All food at PachaMama promotes a healthy and high-vibe lifestyle.

Volunteer Program

The Volunteer Program is an opportunity to experience PachaMama and become an integral part of the community through service. It allows the participants of the program to cover a substantial part of their visiting costs by working for the community.

The Volunteer Program has been successfully active for some years. Its continually evolving and allowing people to melt into the ways of PachaMama and become a part of the tribe. The contribution of each person who is welcomed into the program is honoured. Equally, joining the Volunteer Program is a commitment to the community.

PachaMama has the intention to hold the balance between work, meditation, and personal growth. Aside from the practical duties, there are opportunities to go deeper into learning hands-on skills within the various branches of work, to enjoy the social intimacy of the volunteer circle, and to be part of PachaMama through workshops, events, and gatherings. Work will be designated according to each one’s interests, skills, and community needs.

As an international community, PachaMama is a unique place to connect with people from all over the world. The Volunteer Program has visitors from many different countries and cultures.

Family Life

Children are a natural part of the commune and have been so almost since the commune’s beginning. The population is ever-growing and currently counts 25 kids with more on the way. The communal environment is naturally supportive towards their growth, learning, and experience, and they are an integrated part of the village. As PachaMama is an international community, the children here communicate in many languages and learn in many ways from one another.

Longer-term resident children, or visitor children who plan to stay for an extended period attend the Jungle School in the mornings. The educational system of the school programs is inspired in part by the principles of Waldorf Education developed by Rudolf Steiner.

Through a holistic approach to the different phases of childhood, education is to be experienced, through the heart and hands, as well as the head. Music, dance, theatre, writing and arts does not simply subjects to be studied mentally but rather experienced actively. The emphasis is on rhythm and the richness of direct experience and creativity to naturally cultivate inspiration and a love of learning. Children are encouraged to grow and develop physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually.

Eco Village

When PachaMama was founded, the land was a former cattle farm, virtually bare of trees and many of the native animals absent. Through reforestation efforts, native flora and fauna have returned to this land and the ecosystem thrives.

The community is committed to harmonious coexistence with nature. This means consistently aiming to protect the Earth, and live an ecologically conscious life. To stay close to the principles of conscious community.

PachaMama holds its residents and visitors alike to a high standard of ecologically responsible living. The jungle shop provides organic produce. In addition, dry goods and other products are sold in glass jars and paper bags, due to the conscious choice to refuse plastic. All of the water taps in PachaMama provide drinkable water. Compost toilets are found throughout the village, in some visitor neighbourhoods and accommodations, and down by the river. Food scraps are also composted and used by the Eco Team for planting efforts throughout the forest.

Silence

Silence is woven throughout life in PachaMama. Each evening, a silent sitting is held to encourage residents and visitors to take time out and go within.

There are three silent retreats a year, inviting the qualities of silence and inquiry to daily life in the village. All public spaces are held in silence – from the shop, restaurant, Wild Treats, and life in between. This way helps to create an environment that allows participants to deeply explore their inner landscape.