What does it mean to live in an awakened community?

If you had asked me that question one year ago, I would have no idea about 'awakened' or 'community', but this year with the Essence has taught me about both, and so much more. I came to the community for a retreat they hosted in June 2025 at Villa Mimosa, just outside of Lisbon in Portugal. Before signing up for the retreat, I was in a dark place, and had come to the conclusion that 'something needs to change, now!' The word 'transformation' was mentioned in the retreat description and caught my attention. That word and the pool pulled me in. In all honesty, I had no clue what I signed up for — in the mental state I was in at the time, I had no energy to read the website or details in the description. Little did I know that it would be the single most significant decision in my adult life.

Arriving for the retreat felt like stepping into another world. A world where peace and connection became real words to me. Previously, they had just been floating concepts I could not remember experiencing for more than very brief moments. There were no distractions; I gave my phone away and fully immersed myself in the experience, the practice, and the space. It was a (huge) shock to my system, and it took only a few days to feel the dramatic effects on my body and mind. The body started to soften, the stress slowly became more distant, and I stepped out of survival mode for the first time in many years.

What happened in my mind was even crazier. My anxiety stopped completely — so much so that I stopped taking the anti-anxiety medication that I had been taking for years. I could actually rest. This was wild to me, because I had spent the last year on edge, constantly — even when I was still and practically resting. After about a week at the retreat, I started to wonder if maybe it could be my life too — not just a retreat. After all, Chi, Chia, and the community were there, and this was their life already.

The retreat premise was essentially 'this is our life, come and live it with us', and I found out that I could stay on as a part of the community Chi and Chia were forming. I first committed for 2 weeks as a community member, then another 2 months, and finally for 1 year — which meant moving with the community across the Atlantic, to Tulum, Mexico. The effect that being with this community had on my entire system was so intense that there was no question of whether I'd stay. The slow lifestyle, the food, the effect of the practices, and the feeling of support made me finally feel like a real human being again, not just an exhausted piece of meat that was barely scraping by. These were the things that really changed me, and the things that are at the core of how this community lives:

Real interactions with real people

In the beginning, this was intense. I was used to all conversations being clouded by various politeness phrases and social norms dictating the interaction — and it was completely void of connection. In this community we support each other to show up without the mask, without the need to be politically correct, and without the fear of judgement. We welcome judgements because we see that it's all nonsense thoughts, and they are a part of the human experience — no thoughts are right or wrong, and judgements are not criticisms — but rather a way of saying: 'Hey! Look at what my mind wants me to think about you/this now'. And I find there is so much space for connecting with the people around me when we get to share our human experience openly. It might not always be comfortable, but it is so rewarding to actually get to be myself, and to offer the same for the people around me.

Guidance, not gurus

Every day Chi is present to guide us in the right direction. Not because he has some big 'master' hat, but because of his ability to bring clarity to any situation. To have a human in the space who really sees each one of us, who has our best interest at heart, and who is willing to share his wisdom time and time again is really a gift. We are encouraged to drop our masks and usual filters of the world, but this is not so easy (at least not for me), so Chi's reminders and encouragement make all the difference in the world. And while most teachers and gurus hide away in some secluded quarters, Chi is actually available and present in the space every day; he knows what's going on and is there to support. And if no one has energy to do the dishes — he is the one who will finish the job.

We do it together

Of course Chi is a huge support, but the power of having a group of people — a community — around you to go through this crazy thing called life with, changes the game. Meditating together, exercising together, cleaning together, and doing all the things that are challenging to do for us, become so much lighter when we can do them together. Plus, we all came to this community with the intention to grow and learn, so just being around people with that kind of attitude is quite rare and makes for a whole lot of interesting conversations.

Practice first

Every day, the first thing we do is the morning practice that consists of meditation, movement, and a Satsang where we sit together and each share some words of reflection and appreciation for the day; it's a space where there is really room to share what is going on inside of you. Each of these components makes up what I now call a 'quality morning', a morning that actually sets me up for the day that's ahead, gives me energy, and brings my mind to the present moment. We practice first thing in the morning because it is the most important aspect of our day: to live a quality day, and many years of experience have formed this morning practice to be just that.

Conscious eating and living

The amount of attention that is put on what we feed our bodies here amazed me from day one! All the food we eat is made completely from scratch every day. There is no processed food, no meat or animal products, no harmful chemicals and preservatives. And the effect on my body has been a complete turnaround. So much of this heaviness that I had has gone away, both physical and mental. There is a different energy in the food and what we consume that gives a different feeling. And it's not just the food — it's this way of making mindful choices about how to live, with presence and awareness in every decision. For me, I also stopped using commercial soap and beauty products, partly because it feels better for the skin, but also because I see there really is no need. When taking the time to really think about what we put on and in our bodies, we see that so much of what I was taught to do — and did for so many years — makes absolutely no sense. So now I can choose what really makes sense for me, and not just follow the mainstream.

Slow living

Now this is where the magic actually happens: in the stillness and slow pace that allows us to really see the people around us; in taking the time to question our beliefs and thoughts; in choosing to only do what is truly important; and in slowing down enough that we can start to enjoy the little things in life. We don't have any big events in our calendar, and we don't focus on entertainment and 'exciting' activities, so for many people this life seems quite flat. But after doing it for some time, I feel such a strong sense of peace. I see that the stillness supports us to connect to the peace within ourselves. And for me, I have found out that what is actually the most important thing in my life is exactly that feeling of peace — so having found a space where this is so available is incredible!

There are many other things I could say about this community — I have so much love for this place and its people — but these are the main things that make it special. The fact that each element is intentional and thought through — with guidance from real life experience — is where the 'awakened' part of the 'awakened community' comes in. It is not because we are all enlightened, but we focus on doing everything consciously and with intention, wide awake. And more importantly: we remind each other when we 'fall asleep' and forget to be in the present moment.

If you ever feel the urge to try something radically different, or you're completely stuck and need a structure to pull you back to reality — this is it! I've been here just over a year, and if you ask me today, I'll tell you I'm staying for the rest of my life. Feel free to reach out if you want to hear more. I found my home. <3