Our dream is to create an educational retreat center that empowers both visitors and staff to learn, create, teach, and, perhaps most of all, take charge of their health and wellness. We believe that fostering our connection to Nature needs to be a higher priority and we want to help people connect to the healing power of Nature, as well as the healing power within.
Phase One
We believe that the first element necessary to improve our connection to Nature is to improve our understanding of our food and where it comes from. Because of this belief, the first major phase of development at our retreat center will be building the foundations for a regenerative organic farming operation. Our dream is to cultivate property that produces at least 50% of all the produce consumed on the premises.
In this phase, we will also invest into conservation. We believe that it’s imperative for our generation to set aside untouched areas of land where Nature can heal itself. It is our dream to set aside a portion of our property as a conservation easement in order to allow this healing to occur. This project will most likely include the development of a minimal trail system that eventually allows visitors access to the easement on foot.
Phase Two
The second phase of development at the retreat center will be the construction of the central gathering space, yoga shala, and several “tiny-home” living spaces. Our vision for this central gathering space includes a communal kitchen with several “cooking stations”, a donation-based library, and several raised planters for the stable herbs and greens we’ll be using in the kitchen.
Phase Three
The third phase of development will see us begin to welcome paying guests to our property. This will be in the form of retreats, workshops, recreational outings, farm-to-table meals, and other educational activities. During this phase, we plan to continue construction projects on the property as well. Our vision includes a small amphitheater where we will host live music events, speaker series, and special ceremonies.
Phase Four
Once we begin to host retreats, workshops, recreational outings, live music, ceremonies, and other events, our final phase of development will involve the continual assessment and reassessment of sustainable systems on the property. This will include, but won’t be limited to, composting, recycling, sustainable energy, rainwater catchment, and much more.
To us, these considerations will be at the forefront of our minds from the outset. We know that it’s easier to grow slowly and invest in regenerative systems from the outset, rather than attempting to go back and retrofit everything on the back end.
So, sustainable growth will be part of everything we do as the property develops. The fourth phase of our development, however, will be all about refining our systems and implementing new ways to make them function as efficiently as possible.
Our Current Phase
Currently, we are investing our time and energy into what we like to call the “knowledge gathering and skill building phase” of our dream. Together, we are managing an
Katie’s Projects
Individually, we are also working on a number of projects. Katie is the host of Namaste Podcast, where she regularly interviews entrepreneurs and thought-leaders in the health, wellness, and personal development fields.
Her Manifestation Bootcamp will teach you the techniques you need to align your intentions with elevated emotions so that you can manifest more money, a new job, improved relationships, or anything else you desire that serves the greatest good for all involved.
In the fall of 2019, she will begin a four-year doctorate program in Traditional Chinese
Tucker’s Projects
Tucker is an Outdoor Guide and Freelance Writer. He currently manages a number of websites devoted to providing resources for outdoor enthusiasts, writers, and aspiring property managers. The Backpack Guide offers gear reviews, trail recommendations, hiking tips, and reports from personal trips. In the near future, Tucker will be guiding backpacking trips in his native California.
Ballister Writing is home to Tucker’s book reviews and writing tips. It also spells out his freelance writing services if you’re looking to hire an experienced writer. In more than five years as a freelance writer, he has created hundreds of traffic-generating content pieces for clients in many different industries. He will soon be releasing a full, six-module course that will take you through all the steps you need to follow to become a freelance writer, as well as those necessary for sustainable success in the industry.
His personal website, tuckerballister.com, is a collection of essays, short stories, poetry, and tourism commentary. It is also home to his three self-published books.
How YOU Can Help!
We firmly believe in the power of asking for what you want and working hard to obtain it. We are asking for your help to create a savings fund that will get us started down the path to ultimately purchasing and building out our dream property.
Fundraising Goal #1
When we receive the first $1,000 in donations, we will create that savings fund so that it can begin to earn valuable interest. In addition, we will begin contributing $50/month from our personal funds so that those savings continue to grow.
Fundraising Goal #2
When we reach $10,000 in donations, we’ll know it’s time to step up our game. When this goal is reached, we will double our input and begin contributing $100/month from our personal funds.
Fundraising Goal #3
Here’s where things start to get real. When we reach $100,000 in donations, we will start our property search in earnest. We will also double our monthly contribution once again, pushing our personal input to $200/month.
We know that we want a sizeable property for all that we want to achieve with our retreat center. The number we have in our heads is 100 acres. And we’re not silly enough to think that $100,000 will be enough to purchase that 100 acres outright, but we do know that it will allow us to take the time off from our other ventures to look at properties and evaluate their viability. It will allow us to invest in a real estate agent and other resources that will help us narrow down our search to the ideal setting.
Fundraising Goal #4
The question you may be asking is: How much do you really need to purchase property and begin construction on the retreat center?
To us, the more important question is: How much do we need to have in savings before we truly feel comfortable reducing the amount of time we’re spending to earn our more reliable income so that we can take the leap into the project of our dreams?
Our answer, at present, is a big number. When we reach $500,000 in donations, we will know that it is time to take that leap. At this point, the creation of our retreat center will leap-frog the other items on our priority list and we will dive into the project of our dreams.
The ‘Slow Life’ Retreat Center
It’s just a working title. And we know that our dream is lofty. But we believe in ourselves and in the power of our community to guide and assist us in the realization of this dream.
Every dollar pushes us one inch closer to building the foundation of our retreat center. In the meantime, we will be working hard behind the scenes to grow our skills, learn from others who’ve come before us, and create new connections that will help us ensure that our center gives back to the community we choose and does its part to improve the overall health of the natural world.
As Eleanor Roosevelt said, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
We appreciate your support of our dream and we are incredibly thankful for your donation!
I commend you on your efforts of opening a retreat centre where people can harness and optimize their state of being and way of relating to the natural world around them. Your content, mission and additional sites lend itself to instilling and encompassing and empowering and wholesome mindset to living in this world. Something that is valued and much needed! Kudos to you and all the very best in your endeavours!
Thank you for your kind words and positive feedback! We know that our vision will require a community, so we’d love to stay in touch as we move closer to bringing this dream into our reality!
First question… Can I move in? This sounds like a great idea that should really be the norm. A self sufficient retreat center is something you do not see very often and I think more people need to see this. You can be self sufficient and grow your own food etc, you two are now proving that it can be done with a business as well. Living this way and going away for a few days to a place like this will work wonders for your soul. I am in love with the concept and I wish for everything that you need to come your way. Namaste
We are highly motivated to bring this dream into reality and we know that, while it’s a big vision that will likely require a community, we are certainly capable. If you donate, we’d love to reserve a stay for you down the line!
Hi,
This is really excellent article . I know this from experience . My reaction to my early professional life . I thought I should have a better life that I had because of my hard work and because of the lifestyle of my friends . So , I spent money to chase that mirage . Thanks for sharing this informative information .
This is such an excellent idea and I have nothing but great things to say about it. You’ve laid out some very ambitious (and absolutely reachable) goals here and it looks like you’re going about it the right way. I know I’ll be sharing the page with several close friends who would probably love taking part in something like this.
And just running that AirBnB probably helps a lot with understanding what people are looking for in a resort or a rental space, so that’s fantastic as well. I imagine that it’s rewarding but also a lot of hard work. Would I be correct in that assessment?
Thanks for the info and best wishes!
Thanks for your support Buck! The experience of managing this Airbnb and doing several improvement projects on the property has indeed been very rewarding and eye-opening. It has given us a lot of experience to build on moving forward. Both of us have extensive experience studying and working in hospitality and tourism, but you can never really get enough. We appreciate you sharing our dream with close friends and would love to hear from you directly as to how you feel you could contribute! Feel free to Contact Us directly to keep the dialogue going!
This is a great and simple to follow guide on your dreams.
You laid it all out clearly and showed series of examples that helped emphasize your various points.This is a dream and a vision that should be brought alive. I would be glad to join the team if I am chanced in order to execute the project together.
I await your response.
Thanks Ola! What ways do you see yourself supporting and/or contributing to the project? Feel free to Contact Us directly to discuss further!
Hello there great team, let firstly start by saying, I really commend and appreciate your efforts towards building a retreat centre where people can harness and optimize their state of being and way of relating to the natural world around them, it’s really a great dream and let say it’s achievable and I hope u see people around the globe that will contribute towards you guys achieving this dream, through donations, kinds words and even in term of advise. I will do my best by sharing across all social media that I know and I hope there’s a way people can donated in the article???
We really appreciate your support and willingness to share our message and dream across your social media channels. We’ve placed a button to our GoFundMe page at the bottom of the article you read, but if you’d like the direct link, here it is: https://www.gofundme.com/regen…
This is awesome! I think places like this are necessary to keep us grounded in this often crazy world. Most of the time, we’re rushing around so much that we don’t even eat the right foods, much less commune with nature on a regular basis. The best some of us can hope for is a walk in the park once a week, it seems. Having a library on site is a tremendous plus, as well. I read a lot, but I often find myself reading one or two pages at a time, usually during short breaks when I can find the time. I’ve noticed that when I’ve taken a book with me on a camping trip, I can get into it so much more easily and probably absorb what I’m reading much better. That’s probably due to the fact that there are so many fewer distractions in a natural setting. I totally love what you’re putting together. Best of luck on your endeavor!
Thanks for your appreciation and support Mark! The detriments of this often crazy world that you mentioned are large motivators for us to make our dream happen. I’m a huge reader and also find that reading in a natural setting makes it easier to concentrate and truly absorb the content. If you’re a reader, you might be interested in some of the content I create on my other sites, thebackpackguide.com (gear reviews and hiking tips) and ballisterwriting.com (book reviews and writing tips)! Cheers!
I must commend you for all the plans you have in place for retreat center,it really takes a lot of courage and time planing all this along with people and organisations in other to make the dream come true. There are many things to do concerning the building of the retreat. But I will like to ask how long will it take before the completion of the retreat center
Thank you for your support! This is our long-term dream. As you might imagine, it may take several years before all the pieces are in place, but it could certainly be sooner. We believe in the importance of being clear with what we want, sending positive energy toward that outcome out into the universe, and detaching from the WHEN and the HOW. Sometimes doors (or windows) of opportunity present themselves when we least expect and all we can do when this happens is to step confidently through those doors towards our dream future!
Thank you for sharing your dreams. An educational retreat center that teaches everyone about reconnecting with nature would be a company I would want to be associated with>>Learning about the foods we eat is a great place to start. Over time the human race has gotten sloppy with the way we consume foods.>>I like your dreams, having land conservation on your property is going to be nice for people to go hiking through and observe life in a natural way.>>More people need to learn how to live off the land and off the grid. City life stinks. And I can see myself relaxing and meditating at your resort.>>
Hi Lenard! Thank you for your support of our dream. We will do our best to keep you updated as to our progress and would very much enjoy having you relax and meditate at our retreat once it’s up and running!
The thought of you opening a retreat center to empower people to learn, create and to be in charge for their health is really commendable. Only few people have such a dream and only few make effort to embark on making it a reality. Your effort is greatly appreciated. This will be a great impact in the life of people all over. I will try my best to be part of this movement in making it a reality.
Thanks for your support and appreciation! We’d love to know how you feel like you could contribute to our dream. Feel free to respond to this comment with ideas or to Contact Us directly!