Village Roots
Our Family's Journey to Settle in South India and Cultivate Global Community
It’s been a long time since we connected with you, our beloved online community and it feels fitting to re-introduce ourselves.
My name is Irie, I am mama to three glorious children aged 6,4 and 2. I was born in Ecuador, raised in Australia and now live in India with our growing family. My king-man is Aje. He was born in South India, raised between India and Europe and spent many years living in Australia.
The past 6 months we’ve been on a life-shaping journey of self discovery, un-learning and re-learning as we re-remembered what is most important to us.
This is the story of our journey. Of our family of five, including three young children and our beloved dog Congo, as we traversed the enchanting and often confronting landscapes of South India in search of a place to call our own.
Join us as we weave together the threads of what we value the most: simple, natural living, the freedom of ‘free-schooling’ our youths and wholistic, natural wellness.
The Beginning
This story actually begins on the Lions-gate portal of August 2022, Just 6 weeks after we free-birthed our third baby in the comfort of our home.
With this third birthing experience came the fullness of initiation into wild-motherhood that had somehow not quite landed after my previous 2 free-births. The unraveling, shedding, shattering, cleansing, opening, rebuilding that was that period of time was the medicine needed to be sure in the centre of my gut that the road to Zion (ultimate heavenly heights) was leading us first - to India.
Everything Shifted
Relocating back to India from the West was always something that we knew was on the cards for us - it was just a matter of when. I certainly didn't expect that directly after purchasing family land (with my mum and sister) and renovating a run-down farm house in rural QLD whilst pregnant with baby #3, we’d be up and leaving. We left my mother and our community of friends and customers in utter shock. It was a heart-wrenching decision, but one that came with the knowing that there was no other way for us now.
When the call is strong enough one has to answer it. Period.
So there began the 3 month journey of preparing to migrate from Australia to India with two children, a newborn baby and two dogs. From acquiring passports and migration visas, to liaising with pet-travel agents and Indian customs and immigration, mountains of paperwork and a solid serving of red tape we made it. We sold all our belongings, packed what was left into six bags and flew to Kochi, Kerala.
We spent the next year living a peaceful and fulfilling life. Reconnecting with our Indian family, re-establishing our herbal tea business, teaching yoga, tending to the gardens and animals and re-adjusting to life in the East. Something that was not (and still isn’t!) always easy.
Everything was perfect, until it wasn’t.
The nagging opinions of others began to find their way into my process and the age-old story that children need to be in school to learn & socialize became reason enough for me to second-guess my ability to home-educate our children.
In our quest for a more fulfilling and aligned way of living, we made the bold decision to sell our home in Kochi (a big bustling city) and set out on a journey of self-discovery as a family. We were seeking a more natural setting to grow our family and our dreams. We were seeking community, connection and a school for our children that would align with our values and natural way of life.
Our first stop was Goa. A melting pot of diverse cultures where East meets West. Endless stretches of beautiful beaches, eclectic people and places, music, arts and bustling bazaars.
We spent almost 3 months in Goa, the cleansing ocean too good to leave straight away. We also connected with beautiful people, one family in particular who became home for our little dog Sheba who was not cut out for life on the road.
As we immersed ourselves in two full days of trials at a school in North Goa, we couldn't ignore the contrasting dynamics between our children and their peers.
The initial apprehension I felt, fuelled by the fear projections that surrounded us regarding the necessity of traditional schooling, began to dissipate as we witnessed something remarkable unfold before our eyes.
On the very first day of the trial, it became evident just how uniquely our children approached life compared to their peers. Their unwavering confidence in expressing themselves, their innate ability to captivate others, and their natural leadership qualities stood out prominently. While it was undeniable that our children might be perceived as different due to their boisterous nature and assertiveness in voicing their needs, what became increasingly clear was the level of sovereignty they possessed.
In a setting where conformity often takes precedence, our children's unapologetic authenticity shone brightly. Their confident demeanor, clarity of expression, and sheer joy that emanated from their beings painted a picture of contentment and self-assurance rarely seen in children who are confined to the traditional school structure.
We soon came to a profound realization. We had actually been doing something ‘right’ the entire time. People were actually looking to us as examples.
The pursuit of finding the perfect community, school for our children, and external validation began to fade in significance as we delved deeper into our inner selves. We were reminded yet again that true fulfillment cannot be found in the external world alone. It's not in the structured education systems (no matter how nature-based-child-lead they claim to be) or in conforming to the wishes and expectations of those around us, even if they are well-intentioned.
This realization was a turning point in our journey as a family. We rediscovered that the key to genuine contentment lies within ourselves, in nurturing our inner harmony as individuals and also as a family unit and living in alignment with our true values.
It was a powerful lesson that reshaped our perspective on what it means to lead a truly fulfilling life—one that is rooted in authenticity, self-discovery, and a deep connection to the natural world, which we are undoubtedly part of.
It was a revelation that challenged the common preconceived notions about socialization and education, showing us that true growth and development stem from honoring a child's individuality and allowing them to flourish in their own unique way.
We experienced ‘school’ only to have the confirmation that it’s definitely not something we want for our children. Yes there are many positives about going to school and a traditional education system is favourable for some, but in my humble opinion children are not designed to sit between four walls for 5 days a week, their bare feet barely touching the Earth, their skin barely charged up by the sun.
Instead, I believe a natural, unstructured approach to learning is far more beneficial. Allowing the child to not only follow their interests and nurture their zone of genius, but to also allow them the freedom to make mistakes and to explore themselves without the constraints of time and projected learning outcomes.
When we realized we were no longer looking for a school or community that aligned with our way of life, the search became about finding our paradise. A place to call home where we could build a house, grow food, establish our global community and create offerings to share with the world centered around our core values across the landscapes of free-birth, natural parenting, homeschooling/free-schooling, spiritual upliftment and self-governing our health and wellbeing. A way of life that naturally supports a family-centered approach to being in the world.
Over the course of about 5 months we drove some 18000 km from Goa to Pune, back to Kerala and The mountains of Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore, Pondicherry and Auroville.
We had heard about the global sustainability and spiritual movement happening in Auroville for many years and felt that we had to explore this place as an option for settling down and growing our roots amongst like-minded, like-hearted, global families.
Upon arriving at Auroville we quickly realized we’d be packing up and leaving very very quickly. It was so confusing to us how a place apparently founded on the principles of environmental conservation, oneness/human unity, self realization and education could also be so full of garbage. Literally and figuratively. We saw forests strangled by ankle-deep plastic and waste, cows eating this said waste and a lot of empty earthen buildings and facilities that felt like they were all ‘for show’ or for wealthy European academics who came to write their thesis on some kind of environmental study.
It was confirmed that there was no place already in existence that would be able to house us in the way that our family needed. We were reminded that we are actually leaders in this time of worldwide disarray. We were reminded of our divine mission to serve from the heart and share our Natural Livity with all who are willing to listen. So from there, we drove straight back to the tropical Mountains of far north Kerala.
Natural Livity
Natural Livity is a term used to describe a person's commitment to upholding a natural and peaceful life. It can be interpreted as a religion, a spiritual calling, a practice. But really all that it is - is true oneness with creation, nature and The Most High. It is acknowledging the life force that flows through all sentient beings and in doing so advocating for the oppressed, not the oppressor. It is consuming all and only natural foods and drinks, self-governing our education, our childbirth, our healing - without dependence on any one person or system. It is to live simply, in support and alignment with the natural order of life!
Building home in the Mountains
Nestled within the wild mountain range of Kerala’s Western Ghats and surrounded by pristine-wildlife-filled-jungle, tiger reserves and national parks - we found our paradise. We are now the custodians of Hosanna Gardens - our dream mountain-top farm land with views of the sprawling mountain range.
It’s a dream, an honour and a profound blessing in this lifetime to be able to carry these visions of natural living, organic farming, food security, herbal healing, and free-schooling with us - and also have the means to slowly, but surely see these dreams manifest into our reality.
At a time and place in the world’s history where a shockingly large number of our sisters and brothers can’t and maybe never will have the privilege to live in true peace, let alone build their dreams from the earth around them. I acknowledge these blessings and give thanks every day for leading us here. To a place where we can sow seeds and witness their growth before our eyes, build a home from scratch and craft each and every day in freedom and intention to live in service to our communities near and far.
Truth telling
It isn’t always easy. Actually, it’s been very challenging. For me especially. A white, western woman, a descendant of colonizers and familiar with the soft cushioning of being raised in Australia. Balancing ‘raising’ three young children in a foreign land with sustaining business, family and tending to my own needs is a lot!
Sometimes I ask myself what I’m doing here. India has a way of cracking a person open. Similar to the way you are cracked open when you become a mother for the first, second or even third time! I’m sure there are other places on Earth and experiences in a lifetime that also have the very same effect. But these are the ones I’m familiar with now.
There's a process that takes place wherein all the (emotional/mental/spiritual) baggage you’ve been carrying with you is all of a sudden thrust into the light. You are confronted with truths you didn’t in a million years think you’d need to face. The vulnerability and polarities and sometimes utter poverty of the human condition can’t be ignored. It’s not enough anymore to go about your days only thinking of your immediate self, the wellbeing of your own family, the way in which YOU will survive and thrive on this Earth.
Sometimes my western mind falls back into the trap of ‘time’, of superiority, of blatant ignorance. I’m impatient, demanding and I still somehow hold the coverings that I have brought with me from the West. But I am also slowly shedding these coverings each and every day. Becoming stronger in some areas, softer in others, unlearning the ways of the patriarchal world in which we have been raised and re-learning the ways of the ancestors.
Offerings
If you’ve read this far, I do give thanks!
This is my way of reconnecting with all of you, whom I so dearly appreci-love (appreciate).
Within Hosanna Gardens we have a dream of creating a Global Wellness Village and do hope you can one day experience it on the ground. This village is a place where people of all nations can come and connect with nature and their true essence. It’s a place where children and families are at the center of the vision and are supported to learn and thrive in a natural space. This space will allow for the tribal, ancient ways of all nations to be honoured, celebrated and eventually instilled in the heart, blood and bones of our children.
Our global Wellness Village at Hosanna Gardens will at its core encompass several elements for nature and cultural repair that are necessary to create a sustainable, healthful and peaceful future for our children and their children to come.
Connection to place, the natural world and the elements
Cultural remembering of the ancient ways & how we can cultivate in our modern world
Food as medicine
Movement as medicine
Art, music and creative expression as medicine
Community connection and creation
We envisage workshops, residential retreats, day programs for local school children, sustainable tourism, community events and much, much more!
Volunteers
Toward the end of this year we will be opening our space to our very first volunteers who resonate with our vision and would be very glad to hear from you. If you are interested in assisting in establishing our global village or learning more about any of the above please reach out!
Volunteer positions are available for 3 to 12 week periods of time. Camping accommodation, all meals and facilities will be provided in exchange for your time and energy.
Volunteers will be required to work for minimum 4 hours per day 5 days per week. Duties will include, but are not limited to gardening/farming, building, landscaping, cooking & cleaning. We would also love to hear from you if you have special skills and abilities that align with any of our 6 main areas of learning and sharing.
If the children of our generation are supported in this way, imagine the ripple effect that will take place in the generations forwarding!
More Offerings
Hosanna Gardens’ Global Village is a long-term project that’s been germinating in our visions for many years. As we bring it forward to life we will also be creating family-centered wellness offerings online and re-opening our virtual wellness shop where you can purchase all your favourite herbal tea blends plus more!
Whether you’re here for our wellness content, our signature herbal blends, our new family-centred offerings or Hosanna Gardens Global Village, We look forward to staying connected with you as we birth these offerings.
Giving thanks every time!
Irie
Yes! I 💯 resonate with it all of it and am living the same. Your India project is a beautiful dream now manifesting. Thank you for doing this important work. I can’t wait to visit. 🥰