Looking back, hopping forward – Our retrospective on 2024
As the year is coming to a close, here at Ananda Kalyani we have taken some time to reflect on all we accomplished in 2024 while preparing for what we have in store for next year. We are really proud of all the initiatives that our partner projects and we have carried out in our valley. Each one of them has contributed to making Ananda Kalyani a special place, and sharing its vision with the world. We are thankful for all the volunteers who joined us and gifted us their precious skills and time through our ESC program, and what we were able to create with the Erasmus + programs. Seeing these beautiful initiatives taking shape after months of careful planning, and seeing their impact on our local community and the people who join us in the spirit of shared beliefs, is an incredibly rewarding experience. It makes all the efforts and sacrifices truly worthwhile.
Ananda Guest House is officially here!
Brand new, fully licenced, and comfortably heated Ananda guest house is finally ready to receive you! Designed to merge with the natural surroundings and embrace the principles of eco-building, Ananda Guest House is finally able to host guests in our valley, allowing us to share our beautiful land and spiritual practices with even more people! We dedicated several years to bring this project to life, literally building it from the ground up! The structure can now accommodate up to 30 people at the same time. We are very excited about the recent, and for the occasion we’re planning something special! Don’t miss out on our inauguration party!
Before and after the start of Ananda Kalyani Guest House construction.
A rewarding year full of events and new initiatives
This year we had more Ananda Marga programs than ever before! And our calendar is filling quickly also for 2025. For the first time, we hosted the Sadhana Camp, an immersive retreat focused on spiritual practices and discipline, the Yoga Detox Retreat, and a 5-day Silent Retreat, bringing new exciting spiritual initiatives into the region! And thanks to our freshly implemented booking and payment system on our websites, the organisation of events went exceptionally smoothly this year. So much so that we have opened up the doors to host even more external events, renting out our spaces to all like-minded initiatives.
Also this year, our Erasmus+ programs have successfully brought people from all over the world into our small corner of bliss, sharing our knowledge about sustainable practices, spirituality and meditation. Through the projects Close Your Eyes, Open Your Mind Youth Exchange and Connecting Experiences Training Course we collaborated with organisations from 7 different countries, offering training courses and opportunities to youth workers, trainers, and other professionals.
The essential contribution of our partner projects
A special thanks go to our partners, who with their engaging activities contribute every day to making Ananda Kalyani a culturally vibrant place. In November, EcoAtivo joined forces with the Spanish eco-project ADENEX to plant native trees in our land, transforming what was previously a pine monoculture forest. EcoAtivo regenerated our pond and created a new vermicomposting system to nourish our vegetable garden. AMURT has continued to prepare delicious delicacies here in Ananda Kalyani’s kitchen for their social initiative Cozinha Solidária. The project works alongside refugee families to provide meals in support of needy individuals in the area.
This year, we also had the opportunity to join the olive harvest and press our very own olive oil. We harvested the fields of local farmers who were unable to work their lands, as well as fields that had fallen into disuse. We have collectively harvested over 1800kg of olives, producing 167 liters of olive oil. This was a unique opportunity that strengthened Ananda Kalyani’s connection to the local community.
Outside Ananda Kalyani the regeneration field is thriving
This year, we had plenty of opportunities to spread our vision and explore different approaches to regenerative practices. In September, we were at the Gathering of Tribes and the Feira Alternativa de Lisboa. That brought us new connections in the field of regeneration, bringing us closer to the ones who are working together towards a more sustainable future.
But it wouldn’t be a true close to the year without expressing our gratitude to everyone who made all of this possible and worked daily to turn our vision into a reality. This year we had a very consistent and stable core team, who carried us through all the challenges that 2024 had in store for us. Our volunteers brought so much joy and passion for our values that we are truly moved by their incredible work and ethic. And as we leave 2024 behind, we are already working on our next projects – expect everything that made this year special, but even more refined, with plenty of new ideas and initiatives to bring to life.
Wishing you a blissful end of the year.
Namaskar,
Your Ananda Kalyani Family.