Let’s give Pardesa a meditation hall

Together we can turn an old barn into a meditation hall

Together we can turn an old barn into a meditation hall for Pardesa, center for mindfulness and applied ecology. We’re creating a space to take care of the mind and the Earth, protected from the elements and in all conditions, in order to allow our activities to take place all year round.

Thanks to your contribution, you’ll make it possible to renovate an old, two-story barn of 35m² (375 sq ft), using green materials and improving the building’s energy efficiency. The new meditation hall and activity space will host the numerous volunteers and participants that join us every year for meditation retreats, courses on Dharma and permaculture, and all the events that bring people closer to each other and to the Earth.

We’re crowdfunding to raise the €50.000 ($52,000) necessary for :

• Waterproofing the roof so we’ll stay dry!
• Insulating the building with hemp-fiber panels in order to have a comfortable environment even in winter, improving energy efficiency, reducing CO2 emissions and allowing a greater number of people of all ages at our activities. 
• Opening a large window for lots of natural light and to enjoy the view of the spectacular valley.

Thanks to , the ethical bank in Italy, if we raise 75% of the funds by 4 February 2025, the bank will finance the remaining 25% of the project.

About us

Pardesa practice center is run by the Italian non-profit association “La Natura della Mente” (the Nature of the Mind), and was founded in 2018 thanks to the aspiration and efforts of many people, including Bar Zecharya, caretaker of Pardesa, president of the association, and Dharma teacher in the zen tradition founded by venerable Thich Nhat Hanh. 

Our aspiration is to bring together care for the mind and care for the Earth, by practicing and sharing mindfulness, regenerative agriculture and applied ecology.

Since its creation, Pardesa has hosted hundreds of people from all over the globe for retreats, courses and days of mindfulness, and to put into practice mindfulness and regenerative agriculture. Our joy and engagement have already been beneficial in our own lives, and also in the transformation of the land and the ecosystem: so far, we’ve planted over 700 trees and bushes, created a food forest and a fruit orchard, set up a productive vegetable garden and built a graywater filtration pond, thus creating a fertile and abundant ecosystem for humans and many other species.

Our meditation and permaculture activities take place principally in the open air and in direct contact with nature. When it rains, and in the summer heat and winter cold, the conditions are difficult without a protected and comfortable hall for indoor activities. The time has come to offer a refuge for the community, a safe, comfortable and beautiful space where all can find peace, take care of the body and mind, and contribute to a culture based on care for oneself, for others and for ecosystems. 

Thank you for your support now!

You can make a contribution via PayPal.

For this project please select the option “Building our meditation hall“

Thank you and looking forward to practicing together at Pardesa!