What we are doing in Argentina and ways you can help.
Photo of the Blog: Organic Carob ready for milling at Yacu Yura, near Capilla del Monte, Argentina.
So the big question everyone is asking is “what are we doing in Argentina”?
By now you know that I am involved with a project in Argentina. I have bought land to build a healing centre where we will utilise all the best methods we know such as herbs, diet, body cleansing, energetic healing, yoga, breathing, meditation, healthy building construction and more to help people heal themselves of illness. That will definitely happen over the coming years but our immediate focus is on another property nearby, the 1000 acre centre for consciousness, healing, ecology and art: “Yacu Yura”.
Yacu Yura is nestled at an altitude of 800 metres in the Sierra de Cordoba Mountains, in the heart of Argentina, not far from the historic towns of Capilla del Monte and San Marcos Sierra. Yacu Yura is 1 ½ hours drive from Argentina’s second largest city, Cordoba and 10 hours from Buenos Aires. Yacu Yura was originally founded in 1991 as a project of Foundation ELPIS, a non-profit organisation working to create hope and opportunities for Argentine youth. In 2002 after the Argentinian economy collapsed Yacu Yura was closed and abandoned. In 2003 my good friend James Docker found out about Yacu Yura and with permission of Foundation ELPIS became custodian of the property. Since then James, his partner Mariana Labat and other friends that come and go, like myself, have been working hard to resuscitate Yacu Yura and get it fully functional and self-sufficient once again.
Yacu Yura can lodge 40 people. There are dorms, rooms for couples and individuals. All accomodations have private bathrooms, hot showers and bathwater warmed by the sun and wood stoves. All of the electricity is solar generated. Fresh water comes from an underwater spring nearby. There is a spacious community kitchen and dining hall where delicious vegetarian meals are prepared. There is a brick Igloo for meditation, chanting, drumming, yoga and other group practices. Other features include a stone ampitheatre, a huge organic garden and a large swimming pool filled with pure spring water.
There is lots of infrastructure but some of it needs a bit of work. We could also do with some new matresses, blankets and stuff like that.
So far James and friends have come a long way towards resuscitating Yacu Yura. Yacu Yura now has its own organic products such as organic honey, carob and fig jam. These products are sold in local towns and even in Buenos Aires under the brand name “Yacu Yura” funnily enough. Yacu Yura has also been the venue for a few retreats this year. In February, Leonard Orr came and held his 9 day Breathwork retreat there. In January James and friends held a “Dances of Universal Peace” retreat. Both retreats as well as the sale of Yacu Yura products have generated some much needed income. In the future we plan to have retreats in Yoga (Mariana), Astrology (James), Polarity Therapy and the Five Elements (Me), Permaculture and Organic Farming, Meditation weekends, Energy Efficient and Healthy Building Construction and much more. The intention is to host people from the local area, the rest of Argentina and the whole world.
Apart from hosting retreats Yacu Yura will also be display centre for self-sufficient and ecological living practices with further development of the organic garden, construction of energy efficient housing, expansion of the solar electricity facilities and exploration of other green techologies. We are committed to making Yacu Yura a model of living in tune with each other and Mother Earth utilizing the principles of Permaculture i.e. care for ourselves, care for each other and care for the earth.
Yacu Yura helps the local area, Argentina and the world in various ways:
- Yacu Yura employs many locals to help on the property. This is very important for the region and Argentina at present as the economy is improving but still sluggish.
- Yacu Yura will continue to be a model for living in tune with nature. With the existing infrastructure of Solar power, recycling and organic farming to name a few. Future plans include building energy efficient housing (straw bale or “cobb”) housing with “passive solar” heating.
- Yacu Yura will continue to work with the youth of the region to teach them very useful skills such as organic farming, permaculture, ecological building construction and more. The local youth will also get spiritual and emotional support from the community and can participate in the various programs in healing offered as well.
- Yacu Yura is a place people can come and take time out of their busy lives to relax in a peaceful natural setting, eat healthy organic food and particpate in Yoga, Meditation and other healing activities.
- All profits will be put back into developing the place further.
- I am sure this list will increase as the place evolves over the coming years.
Currently James Docker, Mariana Labat and Pablo Churin are out at Yacu Yura keeping it going day by day. They have sporadic help from local workers, volunteers, some international travellers and WWOOFers that come for various lengths of time. So far things are going ok but I am sure James would appreciate any help he can get out there. In short we are keeping Yacu Yura afloat but need more help to get it thriving again.
Anything help you can offer would be very much appreciated. James needs people to go there or help us get people to go there to help directly or as paying visitors. We have started to advertise on websites such as the “WWOOF network” (Willing workers on organic farms) and the “IdeaList” (http://www.idealist.org/) and we are currently looking at other ways we can get exposure. Money would be of great help at this stage too, we have a wish list of things that we really need including reparation of kitchen roof, mattresses and blankets, a new entrance road (it’s a bit of a muffler scraper at present!), 3 more solar panels, communications i.e. Internet. If anyone could give us a donation we would be grateful. Alternatively if anyone could help us raise money or has ideas on how we can raise money then that would be very much appreciated as well. If anyone knows anyone who could bring an event or training to Yacu Yura like Leonard Orr did last February we are ready and equipped to take up to 40 people. Finally, James is a professional Astrologer with 15 years experience. He is offering 90 minute full natal chart astrological readings over the phone for $100. Anyone who would like to arrange a consultation with James can email him at james_docker@mac.com. Other forms of help could include advice, ideas, sending your love and support, connecting with others who you think may be able to help, whatever you can think of.
Thankyou from me here in London and all out there at Yacu Yura in Argentina.
Love,
Dan.
