A balanced settlement that acts as a volunteer hub and living research centre where everyone can fully realise their inner potential, in harmony with nature and the surrounding community.
Our Vision is:
Ananda Kalyani is a multi-dimensional development project run by an international team from diverse backgrounds and with a wide range of skills. Its goal is to develop a model of sustainable living in response to modern social, economic and environmental challenges.
Ananda Kalyani aims to create its nucleus in a rural community based on ecological principles in the centre of Portugal near the beautiful Serra da Estrela Nature Reserve, as well as to facilitate the development of other sustainable projects in the surrounding areas.
It envisions becoming a centre of environmental and social excellence that will serve as a source of inspiration and innovation for the wider community. It also aspires to become an important centre of eco-tourism, with a residential area, camping facilities and on-site programmes of international appeal.
The project is being developed using the latest scientific methods of agricultural production based on cutting edge research, ecological materials and bio-architecture, renewable energy sources, including woodland management and water and waste treatment systems. It further aims to promotes holistic child-centred education and lifelong learning as well as a lifestyle encouraging personal development and responsible citizenship.
In recent years a team of volunteers has organized international events, workshops and conferences at Ananda Kalyani, attracting interest from around Europe, thus preparing the base for the next steps, which will be taken in cooperation with local institutions and associations.
Our Aims are:
- To create a model for sustainable 21st century living,
based on neo-humanistic values and all-round service, which will be a replicable educational, research and service resource for society at large;
2. To act as a social hub,
bringing together people who are interested in music and the arts, education, culture, health, economics, innovative scientific techniques and consciousness studies;
3. To help improve the quality of life of all living beings,
both human and non-human, and to create a supportive environment which provides for the needs of the residents and the surrounding community within a governance framework based on sociocratic principles;
4.To strengthen the local economy and the surrounding communities,
through interaction and by helping them in their efforts to become self-reliant in terms of food and energy as well as through the creation of employment opportunities;
5. To promote a healthy and ecological lifestyle,
supportive of activities that lead to joy and happiness and stimulate the regeneration of biodiverse sustainable ecosystems;
The Ananda Kalyani team is a solid and steadily growing group of people inspired by a common vision of creating a new model for a sustainable society that promotes integral human development.
The model and its guidelines, values and aims, are based on a Neo-Humanistic outlook on life. This model was proposed by one of the founding members of Ananda Marga.
Ananda Marga is a global spiritual and social service organization founded in 1955 by Shrii Shrii Anandamurti (Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar). The mission of Ananda Marga is self-realization (individual emancipation) and service to humanity (collective welfare): the fulfillment of the physical, mental and spiritual needs of all people.
Ananda means “bliss” and Marga means “path.” So Ananda Marga means “Path of Bliss.”
As an organization, Ananda Marga has a global network of centers in virtually every country of the world. Its activities encompass a wide range of projects for the welfare of humanity, animals, plants and the whole planet. These include yoga and meditation centers, schools, children’s homes, food distribution centers, disaster relief, medical centers and community development projects. Emphasis is placed on meeting the needs of the local people and assisting them in developing their personal and social resources for the prosperity of all.
The philosophy of Ananda Marga is one of universalism. It recognizes that a balance is needed between the spiritual and mundane aspects of existence, and that neither one should be neglected at the expense of the other. Hence the goal of Ananda Marga is “Self-realization and the welfare of the universe.”
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