Sadhana Forest

My experience at Sadhana Forest was nothing short of transformational. I am feeling so full of love. My heart and my cup are filled all the way up. I have immense gratitude for this place and more importantly, the individuals who have contributed and shared their love within this community. I had few expectations of what my experience would be like other than a knowing that it would be life changing. And as I leave this experience, I can say all the expectations were met plus so much more. I have found so many silver linings and the smallest joys that meant more to me than what one would think would be largely inspiring. Through the conversations I have had, the connections I have made, witnessing the freedom of all children, stepping up to help each other whenever possible, and deep listening I have both given and received, I am leaving with far more wisdom than I could have hoped for. As a vegan for the past 5 years, it was eye opening to have received many new perspectives on what veganism means to different individuals. It has not only reinforced the values I have had but given me many more values to hold going forward. Living within a forest has been a dream. Waking up to the sounds of the birds was beautiful. Going out each morning to the forest not only felt great to contribute to nurturing the trees but also I would find it so mindful seeing different critters and animals all around me. One morning I saw 10 peacocks while out there. Nature is so inspiring and there was always something new to see. Overall, being about to be outside first thing and get my hands in the dirt was a blessing and so grounding. I attended many workshops that filled me with joy. Almost every weekend there was a sound bath both Saturday and Sunday morning. These were very healing for me. The inner child workshops, sharing circles, and meditation workshops all held space for me in ways that were so needed. To have a space where we can practice deep listening and sharing from the heart was so special. I also loved all of the yoga and acro yoga workshops and was able to both learn and deepen my understanding. There were many more ranging from ecstatic dance to laddo making to learning about edible plants. These experiences and knowledge will be with me forever. I cannot forget to mention how amazing the Wednesday night non-talent shows had been. I would find myself laughing harder than in a long time during these “world famous” events. You are able to perform anything you like, no matter what level your skill or experience. The beauty was in the imperfections and vulnerability. There was no judgment, making it so easy to share a silly dance or a deep, emotional poem. One more thing that you must take advantage of at Sadhana Forest is the mud pool. Give yourself a mud face mask. Meditate in there. It is purifying, cleansing, healing. It is also insanely fun to enjoy with others. I have highlighted many of the physical beauties of the Sadhana community. However, I think the most important advice I can share when considering is to allow yourself to be open. Have as little expectation as you can. Be open to new perspectives and new experiences. Be open to being vulnerable with others and creating new connections. Be open to being yourself. Be open to just being. And allow the magic of Sadhana Forest to unfold.

Sadhana Forest is a truely unique community. The scale of the positive change that is made here is monumental.

This change is generated by the hard work, good will and compassion of such dedicated action oriented volunteers. It feels wonderful to be given the opportunity to contribute to this change in such a real and tangible way.

I've been so inspired by how well community aspect of Sadhana functions and the fact that this can exist in tandem with such strong social and ecological change fills me with real hope for the future.

Life in the forest is not luxurious. The way human needs are facilitated are so well thought out. Here you don't need to try to reduce your impact. All the systems from hand washing to food preparation are designed to automatically reduce your environmental impact. And give so much opportunity for reflection on your impact when outside the forest.

I stayed at Sadhana only 2 weeks, in that time I feel I measurable change in my level of compassion, my willingness to help other beings and my sense of purpose. This place attracts truely beautiful human beings and the relationships I've formed have left me feeling more connected then ever.

If you're looking for a place to do good and are up for some hard work (seva) come to Sadhana. I can't recommend it enough.

Bliss in Sadhana Forest
Living in Sadhana Forest is an enthralling experience. Waking up to the sounds of nature, starting the day with warm smiles in a community of people from all over the world,  doing Seva , preparing healthy vegan meals, relaxing in the serene environs, learning about different cultures, learning and contributing to sustainable practices of living by conserving water and much more is what you gain when you come to this forest.
Being in sync with Nature, community living  & having healthy meals, works as a catalyst for one's own self growth. I was touched by the compassion way of living here, with people and animals living in harmony with each other. The pace of the day allowed me to unwind in the lap of nature whilst indulging mindfully in the volunteering tasks.
The accommodation is comfortable for toddlers and adults. An experiential stay, where each day feels fulfilled and blissful.

This is a must visit for everyone. A beautiful place to enjoy the cultures of the world. Amazing people that will give you an eye opening experience. A place to understand what reforestation is and how it creates an impact to the environment. Visit Friday to get the proper guided tour. The vegan meals are delicious, please do not miss it.

My experience at Sadhana Forest has been wonderful! The community of volunteers is very strong, kind and generous. The most beautiful aspect of Sadhana Forest are the connections that you form with people from all around the world. The community attracts a diverse range of individuals, all who are consciousness and warm. I enjoyed living simply and spending time in the forest with my animal friends! We participated in daily volunteer work, in areas that supported the maintenance of the Sadhana Forest community (sometimes foresting, other times cooking and cleaning). Eating delicious vegan meals together was a favourite part of my day, and rewarding after challenging work. The community is very organised, and so adjusting can be difficult. However, I felt well supported and cared for. I would recommend staying for a minimum of 3 weeks to feel integrated in the community.

My experience in Sadhana was great overall, living in the forest for 10 days away from the city and in a vegan friendly environment was amazing. I really loved that.
It is also a great family friendly environment. The long-term volunteers are always available to answer questions and help if needed.
You help around the forest for around 5 hours per day in the morning (+2 afternoons a week) and you get accomodation in private hut for couples and families, or in dormitories for single travelers. You also get three big meals a day: big breakfast with fruits, lunch and dinner.
Beside that, I met incredible people there that I will definitely keep as friends.

Not to be missed in Auroville! This Conscious community is amazing! Best meal I had in Auroville!
Love to making new friends there and being inspired by the volunteers and the movie night!
Beautiful experience! My daughter was inspired to come back and volunteer!

It was my first time to Sadhana 🌳 I had a great experience and loved meeting amazing people! Loved how the age old traditions are being brought back, from cooking food on wood, washing dishes with wooden ash to bio composting and promoting sustainability! Loved the Goshala 🐮 and how cows are being taken care with love 🥰 All the activities are well organized. Missing the yummy chocolate pudding and ladoos 😋 Cheers to all those people who are collectively working on co-existence and empathetic living! Back from the trip but my mind is still wandering around Sadhana forest 🏕🙃

Thank you Sadhana Forest for a lovely experience, it’s amazing what you can do as a group/community. To learn about water conservation and reforestation has been great. And to find like minded people who share your values. I will miss this place and feel sad to leave even though it hasn’t been very long. We would love to return ❤🙏❤

I attended Sadhana forest tour on Friday...it was really nice. From bus pickup/drop, guided community/forest tour, delicious vegan dinner, documentary/movie we got to experience together. I love the genuine involvement of all volunteers and there 'Seva' towards this project is incredible.

You can volunteer too if you like to experience this lifestyle and do seva.

Coming to sadhana forest was something that I gifted myself with. This place offered me much more than just an forest experience. I came with a list of things to learn starting from reforestation, water conservation, sustainable lifestyle, living in a community and to name a few. I liked the non-judgemental environment that is offered by the place and people. It made me feel very connected to the nature and for that I'm very grateful. The conversations and people had a huge impact in my pursuit of purpose. This place offered me to channelize my thoughts and give a direction to venture out into the unknown with my recharged self and disconnected beliefs.

My Experience at Sadhana Forest

The people here are very warm and welcoming to everyone. I felt like I was already a part of the community since the day I arrived. Obviously, the first 2 days I did take time getting used to the schedules but, by the 3rd day, I had adjusted quite well.
There are people from places from all around the world, and was really nice to hear about their experiences.
At Sadhana Forest, they practice water conservation and reforestation.
The food here is vegan, and surprisingly it was really nice. We eat a lot of fruits which taste amazing and also keeps us hydrated.
It's so calm and quiet here unlike the cities with all that hustle-bustle and craziness, which is just nurturing and peaceful for my mind.
I would definitely recommend to stay here to get away from the chaos and just to experience life in the forest in a productive manner.

If you want an environment that demonstrates a full circle, natural response and that centers you all at the same time, please make your way down to the Sadhana Forest.

From the green entrance to the natural living spaces, its successful biomimicry solutions, to the amazing volunteers, and the passionate community members, this place is a sanctuary and a haven for the heart, mind and soul.

I felt thoroughly refreshed and centered in my visit here. Looking forward to visiting again sometime soon!

Sadhana forest is a reforestation community as well as a physical location. It used to be a desert and is now turned into a forest. I recommend the guided tour of approximately 2 h that runs every Friday where they tell you about how they manage reforestation technically. But the tour involves the reason to deforestation and what unsustainable living means. It is very educating in a non-judgmental way. Very including. This is my absolute highlight of my 3 weeks of travelling. I took my scooter there but there is a bus that takes you back and forth from Solar kitchen inside of Auroville. The tour ends with dinner for everyone for free.

Before coming here I was only used to living in big cities. While I had thought about the environment and had concern for it, I had never really done anything or thought about how my everyday choices affect the environment.

But after coming here, I have been exposed to a whole new sustainable way of living! I have discovered and learnt much more about many topics such as compassion, veganism, zero waste, indigenous reforestation, natural learning, non-competitive living, and many others!

This has enriched me as a person and has definitely got me thinking more about how to live a conscious life! I even got my younger brother to come stay and volunteer at Sadhana Forest, and even now I still tell him to come back and stay for a longer time.

I could not more highly recommend this place to anyone who is looking for a change from city life or is feeling lost or wants to make a positive change for themselves or the environment. Even if you don't fall in those categories, I still encourage you to come and experience the beauty of sustainable community living at Sadhana Forest! 🌱🛖🌟

This place is AMAZING. Truly a unique place where community comes together to create a warm & welcoming atmosphere centered around making the world a better place. From reforestation to group activities to veganism; Sadhana Forest is truly a special place that everyone deserves to experience!

I came to know about this place through my office colleague ( Harika Chavan ) as she visited sadhana forest in June and I wanted to visit this place as well. Cause of the long weekend I took and advantage and wanted to vist as well . The process of getting the information about the place and the do and donts were very clear in the email communication recieved from Shaik . Before reaching the place I called the project Director Olga Montoya and she has arranged for a pick up as well from the nearest place and Abhilash was the one who came and picked me up . Me stepping into the sadhana forest the reason was long weekend but the culture that is being followed in this community was mind blowing and i a du a hardcore non-veg eater and I never taught of the alternatives nor tried looking for some . Sadhana has shown me the alternatives for the protein which we get from the plant based products and I was so surprised knowing about it . I enjoyed dishes cooking by Shinu , Anish ( herbal tea in the night ) , Gopi , Gargi ( Poca ) , Kuldeep , Piyush & Ashley it was so amazing . I am going back for more . I miss the wake-up calls from Annette and it so amazing . Stretches that are done during the morning circle and everything was perfect and which I was missing or ignoring most of time . I miss the early morning walks and the visits to the mud pool during the night with yekiyav ( alias Boss men ) was so relaxing . I miss the fun which I had with Gopi and Samir “ The Bro “ it was memorable . Out of all the experiences I had the moon circle which we had by the mud pool was one of the best during this whole trip and I thank Olga for organising it . One big positive impact I had during my visit was to change my eating habits and I wanted to join the vegan club .

Also thanks once again to Olga , Abhilash , Luke , Annette Sandhya , Gopi , Anish , Piyush , Kuldeep , Ashley , Gargi , Sanjana , Ishika , Akanksha , Nipun , Ayan , Victoria , Shaik , Chandan , Jeff , Aravind , Tasneem & Rotam who made me very comfortable during my stay

Sadhana Forest has been a transformative escape for me, a sanctuary away from the chaos of city life of Delhi. In just three days, the serene embrace of the woods has untangled my mind, leaving me feeling very lighter. The profound shift in perspective is a gift; here, life is lived with compassion and a focus on health. Amidst the trees, a diverse community converges, each individual contributing to a cause that extends beyond personal well-being. Sadhana Forest is not just a retreat; it's a communal endeavor towards positive change. People from various backgrounds unite in a shared purpose, fostering an atmosphere of unity and understanding.

The allure of veganism, explained and embraced here, becomes more than a dietary choice—it's a harmonious way of living that extends kindness to animals and the environment. Contrary to common misconceptions, embracing a vegan lifestyle need not be expensive, even within the confines of a city.
This place is a beautiful haven where introspection meets action, creating a ripple effect of positivity. As I bask in the lightness that seeps from within, I can't help but envision a future where more individuals, seeking solace and purpose, find their way to this sanctuary in the heart of the woods.

Had an excellent volunteering stay at Sadana Forest. Plenty of people from various parts of the world to meet and share thoughts and views and experiences. The work that Sadana Forest organization does is amazing to make a this plant a better place live. The activities for the volunteers is another amazing experience. Wish I could stay longer. And will definitely come back one day. My stay hut was something out of the world.

A place to unsettle, settle and re-settle!

Whosoever who is reading this review, I feel really happy to see you following a path that your heart will definitely feel home at.

Well, have you ever heard about Satvic Movement? It’s an organisation working selflessly to make this world a bit more colourful, blissful via its mission for a plant based cruelty free Satvic World. I didn’t know that a normal reel posted by Satvic Movement on their social media handle, will actually make me land in a completely different world.

A world where Mother Nature with her wide opened arms, is eagerly waiting to welcome you with all her warmth

A world where human is constantly trying to live in sync with her. With his mother. With Nature!

A world where even the smallest forms of life are respected, are loved.

A world where you make sense but at the same time you actually not make sense.

A place where there is no syllabus. Where there is no deadline. Life is happily moving slow. Just slow…

A place where children are learning naturally. Where children and their parents are unschooling and blossoming together with colours, smiles and love!!

From colours on your plate to wholesomeness in your food.
From chemical free shampoos to beautiful dry compost toilets that actually let your emotions flow.

A place where there is no waste.
No physical and mental waste.
Everything here has a process, has a place to settle, unsettle and at the same time resettle 💛

A place to cherish. Cherish all the love possible!!

Hey, did I make sense?
If not, then you are at a right place 🌼

Grateful for Sadhana Forest for nurturing me inside out! 💛

Thankyou
Diksha Bathla
A shot term volunteer (24th October, 2023- 1st November, 2023)
Signing off for now!
An experience to cherish!!