Sadhana Forest
Cause Area
- Children & Youth
- Community
- Environment
Location
Sadhana ForestAuroville, 605101India IndiaWebsite:
https://sadhanaforest.org
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Organization Information
Mission Statement
Our main project is the reforestation of 70 acres of severely eroded land. We are working to re-create the Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest indigenous to our area. This forest type is found only in Southern India and Sri Lanka and provides a rare biological richness due to its very high species abundance (over 1000 species of trees, shrubbery and liana). The Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest is now close to total extinction as only 0.01% survives. This is a last moment effort to keep this very rich and beautiful forest on earth. As part of our reforestation effort we are also working on water conservation and soil management.
Description
Our projects include the work with local children, hosting many groups of people interested in conservation, the UniverCity of Compassion and an animal sanctuary where we care for rescued animals.
We practice an eco-friendly way of life including veganism, alternative construction, solar energy, biodegradable toiletries, and compost toilets.
Volunteers mainly plant, mulch, and water trees during the season, work on water conservation in the forest and around the community, cook, clean, maintain the community area, and spend time with local and community kids.
Reviews
Would you recommend Sadhana Forest?
61 reviews
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(May 26, 2024)
No information whatsoever,,, I expressed my interest to volunteer long time ago and no answer so far
(March 18, 2024)
ഹേയ് sadhana forest അത്ഭുതകരമായ വന സമൂഹത്തിൻ്റെ വിപുലീകരണമാണ്, ഞാൻ ആരോവില്ലിൽ യാത്ര ചെയ്യുമ്പോൾ വെള്ളിയാഴ്ച ടൂർ പ്രോഗ്രാം കാണാൻ അവസരം ലഭിച്ചു. സുസ്ഥിരമായ ജീവിതശൈലിയും പിന്തുണാ അന്തരീക്ഷവും നിങ്ങൾ കണ്ടെത്തുന്ന ഈ കമ്മ്യൂണിറ്റിയിൽ ഞാൻ ശരിക്കും മതിപ്പുളവാക്കി. ചുരുങ്ങിയ കാലത്തേക്കോ ദീർഘകാലത്തേക്കോ volunteering ചെയ്യാൻ ഓരോ വ്യക്തിയെയും sadhana forest സ്വാഗതം ചെയ്യുന്നു, ഇത് പരിസ്ഥിതി പിന്തുണയുടെ പ്രാധാന്യം സമൂഹത്തിൽ പ്രചരിപ്പിക്കാൻ സഹായിക്കും. മനുഷ്യൻ്റെ ആരോഗ്യത്തിന് ഉത്തമമായ veganisum സാധന സമൂഹം കർശനമായി പിന്തുടരുന്നു
For volunteering ചുവടെയുള്ള ഇമെയിലിൽ ബന്ധപ്പെടുക.
india@sadhanaforest.org
(March 13, 2024)
While I came to Sadhana Forest to volunteer in reforestation, I learned and experienced so much more. You can expect to learn information across a wide variety of topics, including zero-waste, composting, water conservation, and vegan cooking. The different types of volunteering range from low to high physical work, but all of it was a welcome change from desk work. With the volunteering I had the opportunity to develop new skills and knowledge, such as different methods of planting new trees or how to make coconut milk from scratch. I loved being part of the Sadhana Forest community and spending quality time with the people here. Everyone is ready to listen and lend a helping hand. If you’re looking for a well-rounded experience that includes volunteering, skill-building, sustainability and community look no further and stay at Sadhana Forest!
(March 13, 2024)
One of the things I like most about Sadhana is that it’s not only the forest that is growing, it’s also the people. You learn so much here, and you can really bring your full self to the community. No one judges you and everyone is so welcoming. The work itself is so meaningful - helping to regrow the natural forest here, cooking for the community, cleaning, preparing water irrigation devices. In that way, you also learn a lot about conservation, sustainability and plant-based diets. These are all things you can bring back and integrate into your life at home. If you’re already thinking about coming here, think no further - do it!!
(March 10, 2024)
It is the perfect vacation and volunteering project for me. I get to put my believes in action again and reconnect to parts of myself I hadn’t accessed in a long time. The community is really a safe space and really takes all the social anxiety off you. Also constantly living in the forest helps regulate the nervous system well with all the forest bathing that happens. Doing hands on physical work also helped me learn and start taking care of my body again. And considering the resource footprint minimisation while staying here is an added advantage. And you do all this while helping sustain an evergreen dry forest which has been grown in a dry arid land supporting the local biodiversity and recharging ground water table. I wouldn’t ask for more from a place.
(March 12, 2024)
I have been a hatha yoga practitioner for a long time now and I wanted to experience the path of karma yoga in a meaningful way. Sadhana Forest gave me an opportunity to practice this path in the best possible way. It was difficult for me at first, but after a few days, I became a part of this place. I performed different sevas each day which led to an understanding of water conservation, tree plantation, identifying indigenious varities of plants, using compost toilets and lot more. And most importantly, I got to be with some of the warmest, compassionate people from all over the world.
(March 10, 2024)
I came to Sadhana Forest expecting to learn more about reforestation and water conservation techniques, with the aim of understanding how my ecological footprint impacts the Earth. Although this expectation was met, I was also warmly welcomed into an accepting and unconditionally loving community of people from different backgrounds. In Sadhana Forest I got to know more about myself through meaningful interactions with others. The individuals I have met here were able to hold space for me and showed no judgement. If there is one thing I could take home with me from this experience it is the capacity we have to impact others through selfless acts, even a simple smile can change the trajectory of ones day!
(March 10, 2024)
I'm spending 3 weeks at Sadhana Forest, and every day I'm meeting lovely, unique people from all over the world. I've learnt so much in a short space of time - sustainably planting trees, maintaining compost toilets, conserving water, maintaining the culture of a community. At first Sadhana can feel quite different from our conventional lives, but after a few days of settling in, I really started to experience what makes this place special. There's nothing quite like living in the middle of a forest!
(March 7, 2024)
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.
It's a delight for vegan travellers for getting all 3 vegan meals and an awesome vegan Masala tea made with coconut milk and Indian spices. It was amazing to learn and engage in conserving water by practising hand washing and cleaning utensils in such simple ways.
The pace of the day allowed me to unwind in the lap of nature whilst indulging in daily volunteering tasks.
I was touched by the compassionate way of living here, with people and animals living in harmony with each other.
(March 7, 2024)
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 it 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.
(February 28, 2024)
My time at Sadhana forest has been a whirlwind of fun and learning. I had no idea about this place before coming to Auroville. A friend told me that he wanted to see and go on the tour around a sustainable living community. I was happy to join him and after Luke, a long term volunteer, told us about the impact that this place has, I paused my tour around India and signed up to volunteer for 10 days. I have never made a better decision. From reforesting to tending the rescue cows, each day has been a blessing and my mind has never felt so balanced in my life.
On my first day I was welcomed in with open arms and was given the full run down of the week ahead. I was impressed by the division of sevas (selfless daily activities) and how they made the community almost completely self sufficient along side the reforestation project. These community tasks and the reforestation projects really help you bond with other volunteers.
(February 28, 2024)
今天是來到Sadhana Forest的第九天，越來越適應在森林裡的日子，愜意平靜。我是在前一陣子跟朋友提起我即將要到印度旅行我會飛到Chennai城市 ，他跟我提起了Auroville這個地方，他覺得我會喜歡這個區域，特別提起了Sadhana Forest，就決定到印度的第一站就是Sadhana Forest了，也想要體驗在volunteer based community 生活。
這是我第一次跟community 生活的經驗，我們每天都有不同的工作需要分工合作，我們會一起早起、煮飯、清潔、去森林澆水….等等，只要森林有什麼需要大家幫忙的我們都會- 一起去完成。在Sadhana你會認識來自各個地方的朋友，就像是個大家庭一樣，你也會很容易就認識大家，每天都有不同的tasks你都會- 跟不同的人一起seva (selfless service)，也會有各式各樣的工作坊、活動你可以參加，下午結束seva你可以出去探索周遭，也可以在森林裡享受這份安靜愜意，有mud pool如果你想泡泡水，也有圖書館如果你想看本書，有meditation hut 如果你想有個安靜的小空間，冥想也好瑜珈也好睡覺也好。我偶爾也會走到Tea hut去喝杯coconut milk chai 。我很享受我在森林裡的這段日子，而且時間會不知不覺的溜走你不會意識到，不管你是想來認識新朋友還是了解他們如何林地復育還是體驗團體生活，來Sadhana Forest 絕對會是一段難忘的回憶。謝謝Sadhana Forest！
(February 25, 2024)
“Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They came through you but not from you and though they are with you yet they belong not to you.”
- Kahlil Gibran
These lines form my core in my identity as a mother. I volunteered together with my children at Sadhana Forest with the intention to be in an environment where life pulsates freely providing rich earth for their growth.
It is also a place which resonates with my ideals of children be raised in communities, vegan/raw vegan food, sustainability, inclusiveness, appreciation, exchange, connection to the elements and a contributive way of life.
It can happen only if there itself is a lot of air flowing in terms of diverse and wide array of people coming in, sharing their ways of life through the course of stay and loving in a way that responds to their life’s calling as against the ‘this way’ or ‘must be done
(February 25, 2024)
I stayed in Sadhana Forrest for 3 weeks in february 2024. It is a peaceful, friendly and healthy place. It was a marvelous experience and I would highly recommend this to anyone!
Forest.
You will have the experience of staying inside the jungle. It is wonderful to be waken up by the birds singing. Staying inside the forrest maked me calmer and more connected to myself. You can also contribute your work and go planting or watering the trees on the morning.
Connecting with people and community leaving.
During my stay in Sadhana I met many people from around the world. We spend a lot of time working together, eating together and having great conversations. Sharing joy and difficulties together was a great pleasure. I hope friendships i made in Sadhana will last for a long time.Quite often people were making workshops on different topics so it was never boring. I enjoyed this community life much more than isolated life the western culture!
(February 25, 2024)
Sadhana Forest is a truely unique community. Real change is generated here 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
(February 25, 2024)
It has been a truly life altering experience, giving me fresh hope and perspective on the future of planet earth. The people here from the founder and lead volunteers to the one days volunteers, guests and children all make this an incredible community to be a part of. People have great values and openness of mind here and it's showing in the selfless service, development of Sadhana Forest and attitudes of the people.
The food is great and of compassion and future thinking, helping with disease prevention and wellbeing, physical and mental.
Community involvement is high, there are plenty of activities to learn from and the wider external community have the chance to come and learn from the forest.
(February 13, 2024)
The focus is on selfless service and putting materialistic gains on the backburner. The idea of compassion can truly be understood here living in the forest that’s always giving. I’m humbled and in awe with the way of living in true unity and seeing hands on work being encouraged in an age where we are all behind screens. Thank you Sadhana for being one of my biggest mentors and giving me more than I could ask for.
(February 13, 2024)
The comfort zone of our daily lives makes the mind dull and makes life very monotonous. For me, Sadhana Forest is to get out of my comfort zone. It makes me feel very vibrant and gets me out of the rut of my own thinking process.
The whole place is designed to throw you out of your comfort zone, right from the dry toilets to living in a shared dormitory with fellow volunteers to working together in different sevas where you cook food for the community or clean utensils in which food is cooked or taking care of the forests and the community etc
The non judgmental space that this place provides one is another major reason for me to flock here again and again. Majority of the people who one meets here have in someway broken away from the established pattern of the society and they understand each other’s mental struggles and provide space for everyone to just ‘be’ and not be this or that!
Happy volunteering if you make to Sadhana :)
(February 5, 2024)
My time here at Sadhana Forest was quite a unique and beautiful experience.
Sadhana is a place where you live within a community, working together through selfless service called "seva". Everyone contributes to the community in different ways, such as, helping in the kitchen, cleaning the toilets and accommodation areas, helping with the reforestation project, working in the Goshala - cow sanctuary, and many more jobs.
We come together as a community at meal times where we enjoy fresh, whole, organic food prepared by the volunteers in the kitchen. It gives us the opportunity to get to know one another, sharing and learning about one another's experiences.
There are many other activities that connect the community like core value talks, sharing circles, non-talent shows, nights out and eco-documentaries. Various activities can also be hosted by volunteers where they can share what they know like yoga, meditation, NVC, men/women circles and much more.
(January 29, 2024)
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.
(January 29, 2024)
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.
(January 23, 2024)
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.
(January 17, 2024)
Sadhana Forest is a beautiful community. Everyone who comes here seems to be, almost by default, interesting, compassionate people. I'm leaving here with a very full cup, and some heightened aspirations for my life.
One of the most special aspects for me was being able to live mindfully in almost every moment. This space is so generous and supportive that I could let go of thinking about what I'd be doing later.
It's easy to slip into habits of generosity.
(January 15, 2024)
Hi all,
I know Sadhana forest from couple of months back, from one of the traveller and have seen the Chart of food timings were it relates to me in my diet plan.
I had no clue that some day i am going to be in Sadhana forest as a volunteer.before arriving to Sadhana forest its just a glance of direction for me to sadhana forest.
Now I am Sadhana forest and the time schedule is amazing. Here the day starts up with ...
orientation tour about sadhana forest - it's completely with plant based food Vegan, natural way of preparing for compost, chemical free liquids for bathing and clothing.
5:30am morning waking call with melodious song with soothing bell sound.
6:00am all need to be present in common open ground for some morning stretch up exercises.
6:15am 1st seva starts
8:45am to 9:45 Break fast starts with serving to everyone in the community & introduction of the new members. some community announcements.
moment of silence before having breakfast.
I recommend this place.
(January 2, 2024)
대안을 실험하는 일은 언제나 어렵다. 없는 길을 가는 것이기에. 오랜 시간 초심을 잃고 지속하는 것도 쉽지 않은 일이다. 그런데 이렇게 오랜 시간 초심을 잃지 않고 지속해가면서 이만큼 많은 사람들이 드나들고 있다는 것 자체로 의미가 깊다고 생각한다.
아침과 오전에 세바를 하고, 오후에 자유로운 시간과 다양한 커뮤니티 활동을 하는 하루 일과의 구성이 좋다. 다양한 사람들을 만날 기회를 가지면서도, 사다나의 본래 목적을 한 발짝 한 발짝 꾸준히 실현해가는 지속가능한 방식이라고 생각한다.
처음에는 딱딱하고 엄격한 제지가 조금 당혹스럽기도 하였으나, 시간이 지날 수록 왜 이러한 규칙이 있는지 이해하게 되었다.
장기봉사자가 있기는 하지만, 대다수는 8일에서 20일, 길어도 6개월에서 1년 정도 머물기에, 이러한 방식으로 정말 마을을 이루고 살아가기 위해서는 어떻게 해야할까 고민이 든다.
일반적인 여행에서는 이만큼이나 많은 사람들과 교류할 수 없다. 그것이 이곳의 가장 큰 매력인 것 같다. 영어가 유창하지 못하더라도, 함께 땀 흘리고 일하면서 마음을 나누게
(December 26, 2023)
A volunteer wrote "Let there be more forests to grow people." and this for me is an apt definition for Sadhana Forest and it's people. The sevas are very intense, there is so much work that on somedays it can push you beyond your comfort zones. It takes a lot to grow and maintain a forest, and at the end of the day, in sweaty t-shirts, getting through another day feels very cathartic... I come back to this place every few months, and every single time, I meet amazing people. The conversations that we have here are unlike any other place that I have experienced, it has burst all my bubbles and changed my outlook for life. There are so. many. amazing. people out there, it just blows my mind! Dear reader, if you feel like you want to connect with people who are challenging the system and showing us a way of sustainability, and of kindness to everyone we share this planet with, then this is the place for you.
(December 26, 2023)
I had an exceptional chance of starting my journey in Sadhana Forest. This opportunity not only ushered me into a world of learning but also gave me the privilege to bring about a positive impact on this green community. I got to participate in various sevas from plantations, taking care of the cows, etc. Other sevas could include kitchen hygiene and cooking meals for the community where we all sit at the kitchen table chatting away as we help the chef. The meals are completely unprocessed, vegan food!
This whole experience has been significant in shaping my perspective towards life. The community taught me life without money is also very possible. Caring for not only the environment but also each other. I got to meet a lot of people and make new friends from within the country and outside. One can experience warmth even from total new people.
There are also meditation sessions, group sessi
(December 20, 2023)
Je suis resté deux semaines en tant que bénévole à sadhana forest, c'était vraiment une expérience unique qui prônent de belles valeurs comme le véganisme, le minimalisme, le zéro déchet. Le but premier est de planter des arbres et de conserver l'eau.
On se réveil à 6h pour faire quelque étirements et participer à la vie communautaire, certains vont planter des arbres, d'autres vont couper du bois, s'occuper des repas, de l'hygiène des différents lieux. On travaille environ 5h avec une pause pour le petit déjeuner.
L'après midi on est libre, il y a souvent des activités artistiques que les bénévoles proposent. Il y a aussi un mudpool où on peut se baigner, c'est un lieu très apprécié.
Il m'a fallu quelques jours pour m'adapter aux conditions de vie, car même si je savais peu près a quoi m'attendre, c'est différent de le vivre mais au final je m'y suis fait assez vite.
Il y a des bénévoles du monde entier.
Je recommande a tout le monde de venir en faire l'experience.
(September 21, 2023)
Sadhana Forest to me is a home with open doors. A sustainable vegan community with warm hearts and an intention to engineer compassion in every thought process. A day in Sadhana Forest starts at 6:00am where we join in for the morning circle and then choose our sevas (selfless service). Morning sevas could include planting trees in the forest, the Gaushala where we have so many cows who are all rescued cows, kitchen hygiene and cooking meals for the community where we all sit at the kitchen table chatting away as we help the chef. The meals are completely unprocessed, vegan food that will make you crave for a second and also third serving! After breakfast, we choose sevas that help with the general upkeep of the community, like accomodation, compound, toilet cleaning etc till it's lunch time.
(August 31, 2023)
When I first arrived in Sadhana Forest, I knew I was in for a truly unique experience. I have been curious about learning more about sustainable living and veganism, Sadhana Forest felt like the best place to be. This is my first time living in a community and it has been amazing staying with like-minded people who are very open and accepting. My journey at Sadhana Forest began as a fellow for Plant4India, a program that focuses on water conservation and reforestation in different villages in India.The experience was very grounding and I felt really good working with the community in the forest. My stay at Sadhana Forest has been a very healing process for me. The open and welcoming environment provides the perfect canvas for self-discovery. Whether I was participating in sevas, communal activities, attending eye-opening workshops, hosting non-talent shows or simply meditating under the trees, every moment felt like a step toward personal growth. I
(July 12, 2023)
If you want to be surrounded by a forest tucked away in Auroville with a bunch of strangers but still feel perfectly at home, then Sadhana Forest is the place for you.
I came here for the community values, to be surrounded by nature, to eat fresh organic food and mainly to be a part of a community that valued all these. I got all these and many more, I served my minimum period of 4 days and going back feels like I'm leaving home.
I'm so grateful for this place because I'm taking back with me so much more than I could ever even imagine. I hope to come back and join this place for longer and if you're reading this review, I really think you should come here too, I'm sure you'll find something you didn't know you were seeking for.
(July 12, 2023)
I'm a 19 year old, who came to Sadhana Forest with one of my friends as a volunteer and I met lot of people from different backgrounds and ages!
All the days of my stay here, I did activities while being mindful and calm. I could notice that I became a very interactive person and was patient enough. It is a really great place and the people here are welcoming.
I'm excited to share this to my friends and bring them here! I'm sure they will enjoy the little details and funny stories that I will share. But most importantly, they will want to hear about my experience so they can make a more informed decision about whether or not this a good fit for them.
(July 5, 2023)
The commitment to prioritise low-impact living practices, implementing off-grid systems, vegan gaushala, dry composting toilets, and solar energy solutions is what initially drew me towards Sadhana Forest. After coming here, I realised it’s completely true.
The most beautiful thing here to experience was a sense of being in a family. Having support from volunteers, from all around the world, who have come together and share their experiences, values and skills.
Working in a vegan gaushala, cow sanctuary, was a unique experience. From learning their traumatic past experiences about how they have been rescued; to earning their trust and knowing they can communicate with you, be it in any language. They know their names, and will come to you as you call them. I assumed it would be difficult and a very long process to build a connection with all the cows and bulls, but talking to them gently, giving them space and loving them is the key I learnt.
(July 4, 2023)
I heard about this place a long time ago, and was finally able to come volunteer a few months ago. I was expecting a lot, and yet I wasn't prepared for all that I experienced here.
The most incredible thing about this place in my opinion is the community. Living with people who all share the same values, are here for each other in the most compassionate way possible, and all striving for the same purpose is the one thing that was truly missing from my life before.
The second best thing is nature. Living here is not living in nature, it is being a part of nature, just as much as any other animal living in this forest. You can directly see the consequences of every action. Every action helps in making the forest greener, denser and full of life. We are nature, and nature is all around us.
I would recommend this place to every single human being on Earth.
(June 5, 2023)
I’ve know about this selfless pocket of green for a long time but to actually experience it in person is like eden.
The serenity of the forest washes over you, inspiring you to be the best version of yourself. Growth Is a corner stone of Sadhana Forest.
Personally, the city life just got too overwhelming and I needed a space to escape to which would allow me to self reflect and grow. This community, their ideology, and my interactions with like minded people and the forest itself really helped facilitate this.
To be a part of nature in such an intrinsic way, and to give back to the community and forest felt transformative.
Apart from the self development, to really feel part of a community (even within the short span I was here) and work towards something so much bigger feels really fulfilling and nourishing to the soul.
Coming here was a truly transformative process for me and I would urge everyone to visit at least once in their life.
(June 5, 2023)
1. Safe and easy to go for solo female travellers.
2. Eco friendly, close to nature
3. Vegan friendly
4. Slow living
5. Unschooling
6. Community living.
We all look forward in life exploring and experiencing different things. And that's how I initially reached Sadhana Forest.
This place felt more like a place where I belong to. The people here are the warmest people I have ever met. This place helped me connect to nature better than before, it helped me connect with myself more deeply and with the community too!
Living in Sadhana forest helped me understand nature, the vegan food that Sadhana Forest offers helped me connect with my body and health much better.
Definitely recommended for everyone
(June 1, 2023)
Sadhana Forest has been an awakening to the absolute truth of conscious living, which created such an incredible sense of awe within me.
Here, I get to awaken my senses and use my eyes and ears to see the raw beauty of nature and to listen to the sounds of native wildlife and experience it by living in the present.
This creates such a sensation of amazement throughout your day and it gets your adrenaline pumping by doing seva.
One learns how to actually live their life to the fullest. This is something that I have always looked forward to, and now I have found a place where I can give all of me to Mother Nature.
(June 1, 2023)
At Sadhana you get to experience life at its purest form. I have always wanted to learn and understand the ways of living sustainably and with all of the constraints in a city life, I wasn’t very happy with the lifestyle I was leading. Sadhana has
taught me so many ways of making green choices while un-learning all the non-sustainable lifestyle choices that I had consciously and unconsciously made.
Life at Sadhana is very grounded. You work for yourself, community and the nature. I wish to visit Sadhana again and contribute more towards projecting and nurturing nature.
(May 27, 2023)
Sadhana Forest was an amazing and unique experience where I got the chance to deepen my knowledge regarding sustainable living and also be surrounded by the kindness & wisdom of so many like minded people! The food is a dream and the community is based is amazing values such as non violence, compassion, gift economy and non competition.
I highly recommend to anyone interested in reconnecting back to Mother Earth and nourish it in a regenerative and sustainable way. I know I’ll be back for sure eventually one day and I’m so grateful that I had this experience.
(May 10, 2023)
Sadhana forest was an amazing experience for me. The lifestyle, food and volunteering here were all interesting and unique . From the Sadhana community, I have met many people from all over the world, that was an interesting experience for me. Sadhana forest was an alternative style of living. I was able to get more into nature. I loved how they prepared and served food, bringing people together. I had some very beautiful and unique days in the Sadhana community. I really recommend this place for those who want to do such service and volunteer work.
(May 10, 2023)
Great experience of sustainable community living in harmony with nature.
Diverse set of people from all over the world. Wonderful setting to practice veganism, experience different cultures and get insight into eco-friendly living.
(May 10, 2023)
Although I wasn't mentally prepared to begin with, given the kind of alternative living this involves, once you do get used to it, it's really completely fine. There is a built-in community here, with many people to guide you through the volunteering process.
The place is quite pretty, too - being a proper forest with a lot of different species of birds and a mud pool to cool off in after seva.
Eventually, you do begin to realise how a lot of different everdyday things can not only be recycled, but upcycled. It is a self-sustaining place where all waste goes back in through a different process that makes it useful somewhere else, at least as much as is possible, which I find interesting.
(May 10, 2023)
This is one of the few places that focuses on living a more sustainable life. In the process they are also reviving the biodiversity around the place. The food is completely vegan and is prepared entirely by the volunteers themselves. The volunteers here do a variety of chores everyday making the community an almost independent community. They also practice other values like unschooling that makes you time here an entirely different experience. Overall, they practice a very healthy lifestyle that might be hard at first but worth the experience!
(May 10, 2023)
Working at Sadhna forest
Pros
Give you a chance to quit cigarette
Great experience to live in a community and forget your past traumas
Meet various people around the globe and and interact with them
Get a sense of living a minimalistic life style
Spend time away from your routine and spend it in the nature
Highly sustainable living and zero waste
CONS
More than 5 hours of hard labour
Harsh and humid climate and away from the main city of Pondicherry.
Don't expect any luxuries as there are no fans and lights .Which gets makes sleeping at night very frustrating due to extreme humid and hot climate.
(May 10, 2023)
It's a great getaway from the world for a sustainable living.
(May 10, 2023)
For people who need a retreat from their daily lives, volunteering at Sadhana can provide to be a great experience. The place gives a sense of living with the nature, so do not expect too many modern facilities and be prepared for the hot and humid weather. A lot of selfess physical labour goes behind its community's functioning, called Sevas, which you will get to be a part of. You will also get to meet and socialise with people from all around the globe and experience being part of the Sadhana community.
(May 10, 2023)
We came here as a group of 11, with my college friends. Definitely an experience. We had a lot of fun cooking and playing in the mud pool in the Sadhana forest. There are tonnes of birds for budding bird watchers and insects for biologists.
We were pleasantly surprised with the aesthetic huts and the bamboo architecture. It gives a lot of space for beautiful pictures and videos.....good ig content. There are couple of dogs and many cats which make wonderful companions throughout our stay here. Overall it was a memorable experience.
(May 10, 2023)
Sadhana Forest as an organisation is a great place to learn the value of self service or seva, sustainability goals, veganism as a lifestyle as well as community living. The organisation emphasises on their core values as well as creates pathways to put it in to effect in reality. It's an ambassador of an alternate way of living that protects nature.
Although the heat can get to you as there are no fans because of lack of any sort of machinery, the values learnt are worth the sweat. One has enough opportunity and space to engage with different forms of physical labour and reflect on the morale behind. Overall, a 10/10 experience. There's a 24/7 operating banana counter as well!
(May 10, 2023)
This is a place for people who want to enjoy and experience a minimalist and forest life. You will get to work in the forest, goshala, kitchen. You will also get to stay in the huts. You can play in the mud pool that they have. In order to experience these to the fullest, you will have to come here without any work commitments. This is because everyday you will be having community sevas for a minimum of 5 hrs a day. I feel like a week should be fine to experience the community. But you are free to extend your stay, here in Sadhana forest !!
(May 10, 2023)
I highly recommend this organisation for the one who is trying to be vegan and looking for a community who is in support of it.
(May 8, 2023)
So I visited Sadhana Forest because I was a little confused about my life and I wanted some time alone to think about all the issues happening in my life. I needed to find an answer to them and I always wanted to have a more minimalistic life that is connected to nature but I never had the chance previously.
When I learnt about Sadhana Forest, the life I imagined and never experienced, I finally got the chance to try it. I packed my bags and came to Chennai from Udaipur, Rajasthan.
So if you ask me now, if I achieved what I wanted in Sadhana then the answer is YES! Outside of seva, I get my own free time to be explore my interests. I also got the first-hand experience in helping take care of the forest and animals, like the cows and dogs here. The food they serve here is pure vegan and it is very healthy and I feel that my health has improved.
(May 3, 2023)
The community is the best part of Sadhana Forest. It's a dynamic community centered around compassion and sustainability that expands and contracts all the time. But the friendship and comradery are always constant. It is a place where the east meets the west in perfect harmony. I left my country 44 years ago, and this is the closest I have come to "home." The hardest part is saying goodbye to friends.
Sleeping huts are comfortable and rustic. Made of all natural material. My first impression was Robinson Crusoe's hut. Waking up to the sound of birds is the best part.
The food is great. Plant based whole food. Just my style. The breakfasts are heavenly with so many different types of fruit. Other meals are a mix of internal cuisine depending on the lead cook. No one goes hungry here. Most people socialize during meals. I usually eat mindfully in silence.
The tea hut is the most amazing place. The ambiance is great. It reminds me of the old west.
(May 5, 2023)
Sadhana embodies the values it stands for.
It reflects in each person, who is residing there, and that's a difficult feat to achieve,
And as the name suggests if you wish to truly let go of the self, and engage in selfless practices it's the right space to be.
Also personally, I have felt disconnected from my body due to the nature of my livelihood and the kind of highly cognitive livestyles we live in. The few days I spent there helped me to stay grounded with my body, and just forget the daily grinds and be attuned to nature at its rawest.
There are few things that definitely can improve, but if I share that you might miss the experience
(May 2, 2023)
I have learned a huge amount after spending several weeks in the forest and I believe my life has been changed, in big and small ways, because of it.
I learned, firstly, what it means to function as part of a collective. Everyone works together in selfless service to maintain the community and grow the forest. The result is that no matter how much I give, I always feel like I recieve more. Additionally, I discovered a model for living which doesn't cost the planet. I thought I was already environmentally conscious as a vegan who avoids excess consumption etc. But until coming to Sadhana, I didn't consider the impact of my toilet, my hand and clothes washing facilities, my meal choices, and so much more. (Or if I did consider them, I didn't believe I could implement them as I didn't have a model of people who were living this sustainably). I will not be able to continue many of my pre-Sadhana lifestyle choices that are taken as a given in England.
(December 20, 2022)
A must do for a true nature lover! Sadhana forest welcomes all with a compassionate heart and relentlessly tries to make it a worthy experience for you. You will not regret joining hands with them to make this world a better place!
Learn about forest regeneration and sustainable living - experience living in a community, conserving water, eating vegan organic food, nurturing cows, practising Zerowaste, using compost toilets, getting hands on experience in planting/ mulshing/ digging, and even cooking and cleaning together!
Day starts at 6am, volunteer till 12.30pm with one hour breakfast break. All three meals are served on most days except no dinner on Thursday, and no lunch on Sat & Sun. Weekends, usually there is no seva (volunteer work)
You live in a dorm if you are a short term volunteer. Each day is a different experience - sharing circle, core value talk, non talent show, moon circle, acrobats, meditation and so on!
(December 19, 2022)
Absolutely amazing community. They are doing through selfless service here, serving others, animals, and the environment. They have very high ethical standards: are vegan, practice unschooling and off-grid sustainable living. Anyone is welcome to come and join. There is a beautiful community atmosphere. They are really making a difference in the lives of people and for the environment.
(November 12, 2018)
It's a awesome vegan community, there is not just a sense of doing good by planting trees but a sense of togetherness and of community.
The food is Vegan the lifestyle is simple and lovely.
The 2 sevas a day along with the community sevas help the functioning of the community. Seva a selfless act in essence is the spirit of the community. We all pitch in to help the community run smoothly.
If it is serving lunch or being a runner to bring plates to everyone before meals the community sevas show the togetherness of all.
The water conservation techniques used are beautiful and the forest itself is filled with trees and life.
Volunteering at Sadhana Forest has enriched me as a human being as I grew with the trees.
I wish everyone could experience what I did.
(October 11, 2018)
Sadhana Forest is one of my favorite places on earth! I highly recommend a stay of at least one month to anyone who is looking for a way for humans to live a happy, fulfilling live while giving benefit to animals, the environment, and future generations. I also recommend the Friday Eco Film Club and tour to anyone who doesn't have time for an extended stay. Short stays of a few days or weeks are also possible.
Particpants from all over India and the rest of the world (over 1000 people per year in total) come to plant trees, cook meals, maintain structures, care for animals, and sustain the project in hundreds of ways. They come together to form a vibrant community and bond deeply with each other during their time there.
This experience of conscious, low-impact living changed my life. It taught me a lot about what really matters, and about all the ways that we can practice compassion and kindness in even small acts.
Come see for yourself, you won't regret it!
(October 12, 2018)
“Sadhana Forest surprised me in many ways, I did not expect to develop such a deep connection with the land and with myself. The conservation work Sadhana Forest does is long term and sustainable and the local community really understands the benefits and gets on board wholly.
I particularly learned a lot about self reliance, I enjoyed learning how to fix a a 4x4 van, and to upgrade a solar electrical system. Also about living simply, there is free time to read, talk or to improve a skill, away from all the stresses of modern, connected life.
The food is amazing, vegan, whole foods were not the main factor for me coming to Sadhana Forest but after eating like this for a few weeks I feel I have so much energy, not to mention every meal is delicious, particularly the chocolate mouse.
All in all I would really recommend Sadhana Forest, for growing yourself there is no better way to spend a few months.
Also you get a great tan!"
(September 2, 2018)
Sadhana Forest truly is my dream come true! This organization creates endless possibilities for people with diverse backgrounds to do something meaningful for the world and find joy and purpose in giving back. It is hard to express in words how beautifully compassion is integrated into every detail of the day-to-day life. This place is transformative - to people and the land :)
If you want to do some voluntary work to help where it is needed - ecologically and socially - and are looking for an organization that is not profit orientated, which community is living VEGAN and eco-friendly, planting trees, educating on sustainability, encouraging compassion in all forms, enabling volunteers to discover different cultures in a safe environment, reducing waste wherever it's possible, supporting longterm instead of shortterm solutions and practicing an all-in-all conscious, natural and down to earth lifestyle – Sadhana Forest is the organization for you :)
(February 22, 2010)
Volunteering in Sadhana Forest is one of the best things I have ever done. Not just for the amazing work being done there, but for the lifechanging experience it provides. In just two weeks I learned more about myself than I ever thought possible. I developed a love for working with my hands and not at a computer and met some amazing friends that I still keep in touch with. You go to Sadhana Forest to help the community and find that you can't help but grow internally. Some people there have stayed for months, many return time and time again. I can't recommend this place highly enough!
No 1,000 word description can do Sadhana Forest so I invite you to read more at my blog where I wrote essays on the place with photos and videos.
http://www.adventuresofagoodman.com/blog/tag/sadhana-forest/
Hope this helps convince you that Sadhana is THE place to volunteer!