Gaia Sagrada Eco-Community & Retreat Center

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Gaia Sagrada Eco-Community & Retreat Center

Located in Cuenca, Azuay, Ecuador

Mission Statement
Retreat center organic farm, community living

Community Description
We offer monthly 12 day shamanic ceremony retreats, with AYAHUASCA shamans and SAN PEDRO shamans. The retreats are at cost, non profit, and very transformational for all who come to them.

Gaia Sagrada Eco-Community & Shamanic Retreat Center is nestled in the magical Andes Mountains near Cuenca, Ecuador. Gaia Sagrada is approximately 150 miles south of the equator, consists of 55 acres of pristine land with fresh clean mountain air, peaceful pastures, gardens, whispering pine forests and incredible views. Walks on various dirt roads offer breathtaking views of the mountains and sky.

Live at Gaia Sagrada in your own private room (shared bath), shared room, or dormitory. Small apartments are on the way. 7 hrs/wk in the community is required to keep everything neat and clean, things that you would normally do to keep your own home in order. This helps us keep the prices low and at cost. We don’t make money, but must break even. Everyone must chip in for chores and upkeeping the gardens.

Live at Gaia Sagrada affordably month to month, no lease or obligation, for 3 months per year as a tourist, or up to 6-9 months per year on an extended tourist visa in Ecuador. With residency in Ecuador, one could stay indefinitely.

Unfortunately we have no facilities or education for children, and there are none nearby. Only a poor, indigenous elementary school that only speaks and teaches in Spanish, no English.

If you really like living at Gaia Sagrada and want to have your own small home, you can join with our Build It Forward program and have your own home. We require you rent for a little while first though, 6-12 months at least, and make sure Gaia Sagrada is a good fit for you.

Residents can participate in retreats if they want to by paying the difference between the housing fees and the retreat price. The retreats vary between shamanic ceremonies with the Ayahuasca shamans and the San Pedro shamans, and we occasionally have yoga, weightloss and detox retreats between the shamanic retreats.

Life at Gaia Sagrada is a beautiful experience with a laid back lifestyle in a supportive and serene atmosphere with retreats with visitors coming every month. If you are coming for experiencing an eco-village community, you will find a beautiful model in action. You can also take day trips into Cuenca and enjoy the historic district where restaurants and activities abound.

We practice living in the moment, gaining self understanding, and living as gently on the earth as possible. We also have the goal of helping visitors with life changing and transformative shamanic retreats with the Ecuadorian traditional plant medicines.

You will meet people you’ll become friends with for life and live a beautiful adventure during this era of change and awakening of humanity in a truly safe place.

If you are looking for the experience of a lifetime, this is the place to be! Gaia Sagrada is the only community of its kind in Ecuador and is the most advanced. You get so much more than just a place to live. You get a balanced lifestyle and you can blossom into your highest potential with others on the same journey.

Housing
Status: We have land we have developed on
Area: 55 acres
Current Residence Types: Room(s) in a house or building, small apartments
Planned Residence Types: Room(s) in a house or building, small apartments and cabins
Housing Provided: Rental
Land owned by: Non-profit organization in USA
Additional Comments:
country roads to walk
University of Metaphysical Sciences at http://www.umsonline.org
all buildings house several people, up to 50 people, also community center & dining patio, as well as other buildings for community use
We allow those who have lived here for a while and fit into the group to build small houses

Membership
Adult Members: 10
Non-member Residents: 40
Percent Women: 50%
Percent Men: 50%
Visitors accepted: Yes
Visitor Process:
Make a reservation at http://gaiasagrada.com/reservations-booking/reservation-form/. The prices are very low so it is easy to just visit, relax and enjoy what Gaia Sagrada has to offer. As a participant in retreats, if you want to enjoy an at cost, non profit retreat, you will see what Gaia Sagrada is all about.
Open to new Members: Yes
Additional Comments:
Meditation, yoga
all spiritual practices welcome
We don’t offer schooling or facilities for children

Economics
Dues, Fees, or Shared Expenses: No
Shared Income: None
Required Labor Contribution per Week: 7
Open to members with existing debt: Yes
Additional Comments:
The work is just normal household tasks, a few hrs/wk to help keep things clean and keep up the gardens and community areas.

Sustainability Practices
Energy Infrastructure: We are connected to the grid.
Current renewable energy generation: Up to 25%
Energy sources: Solar, we collect rainwater, reuse some water, and we are developing passive hot water solar showers
Planned renewable energy generation: 50-75%
Current food produced: Up to 25%
Planned food produced: From 50-75%
Food produced locally: 100%

Lifestyle
Common Facilities: Common House, Garden(s), Library, Outbuilding(s), Swimming pond or pool, Hot tub or hot springs, Fire pit, Swingsets & play areas, Internet
Internet Available: Yes, community provides it
Internet Fast?: Yes, exceptionally.
Cell Phone Service: Good for most people.
Shared meals: 2-5 times per week
Dietary Practice: Organic (no pesticides or synthetic fertilizers), GMO Free (only non-genetically modified organisms), Vegetarian Only (no animal meat; dairy and eggs okay) – Please check this only if you are 100% Vegetarian
Dietary Choice or Restrictions: Somewhat – there are some dietary restrictions or customs.
Special Diets OK: Sometimes
Alcohol Use: Yes, used seldomly, or ceremoniously.
Tobacco Use: Yes, used seldomly, or ceremoniously.
Additional Diet Comments:
During retreats three meals a day are served that you can join in on for a fee
Organic farm always expanding, growing many things
Not required to be vegetarian, can keep cold meats in fridge, cannot cook meat in communal areas. Vegetarians preferred.
Special events and celebrations
Smoking allowed in designated smoking areas only
Common Spiritual Practice(s): Ecumenical (accepts all religions or spiritual practices), shamanic medicine ceremonies with Ecuadorian shamans, Ayahuasca & San Pedro
Spiritual Practice Expected?: No

Source: https://www.ic.org/directory/gai ... ity-retreat-center/
             http://www.gaiasagrada.com