Sadhana Forest

Sadhana Forest

Why choose Sadhana Forest?

Sadhana Forest is an international volunteer organization working on water conservation, indigenous reforestation and food security in India, Haiti and Kenya. Sadhana Forest operates from vegan, off-grid, low waste, substance-free, sustainable living campuses that provide food and accommodation to its volunteers.

Founded
2003

Reviews

Default avatar
Sanjana
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Sadhana forest experience

Sadhana Forest to me is a home with open doors. A sustainable vegan community with warm hearts and an intention to engineer compassion in every thought process. A day in Sadhana Forest starts at 6:00am where we join in for the morning circle and then choose our sevas (selfless service). Morning sevas could include planting trees in the forest which is so much fun with our community friends. We dig trenches, discuss about native trees and learn so much from the Forest Manager. Another seva I love is the Gaushala where we have so many cows who are all rescued cows. Feeding and brushing them just brings me so much joy! We shower them with love and care so that we can take away any memory of abuse in their past. Other sevas could include kitchen hygiene and cooking meals for the community where we all sit at the kitchen table chatting away as we help the chef. The meals are completely unprocessed, vegan food that will make you crave for a second and also third serving! After breakfast, we choose sevas that help with the general upkeep of the community, like accomodation, compound, toilet cleaning etc till it's lunch time. Afternoons are mostly relaxed and we hang out with friends, attend fun workshops to learn new things or go for a dip in the amazing mud pool. I personally love to curl up in the hammocks and read for a bit till it's 4:00 pm and delicious vegan tea and laddo is served at our tea hut! I have changed for the better and my life will never be the same again. I will always have Sadhana Forest in my heart wherever life may take me. I urge everyone to pay a visit to understand kinder ways to exist on this planet which is our only home.

Pros
  • Sustainable living
  • Reforestation project
  • Community
Default avatar
Sanjana
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Sadhana forest experience

Sadhana has changed my life in the ways I cannot imagine. Excited to find myself in this beautiful vegan forest with delicious food, amazing community with people from all walks of life and various countries around the globe.
I highly recommend Sadhana forest to anyone who wishes to spend time close to nature and live consciously.
We have beautiful days doing seva(selfless service) at the community in Auroville. We spend the afternoons exploring the nearby areas with friends from the community and also engage in workshops and discussions around interesting topics that are core values of Sadhana forest. Community living experience is something that I cherish here.

Pros
  • Close to nature
  • Sustainable living
  • Vegan food
Cons
  • Getting used to forest living can be a challenge initially.
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Amerthiya
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My 6 months in Sadhana Forest:

My experience in Sadhana Forest was one of the best experiences I have ever had in my life! It’s been nearly 6 months since I’ve been staying in Sadhana Forest, Auroville. I met a lot of incredible people from all over the world, every individual I met broke the monotony of my life, so many interesting stories and experiences were shared.

My favourite part of living in Sadhana Forest are the values of compassion, gift culture, natural learning, veganism, and seva that encompasses all aspects of living in this wonderful community!

Waking up every day early morning and listening to beautiful bird sounds, and getting ready to do seva in morning is just blissful, my favourite seva in the morning are gaushala, forest, and breakfast cooking.

My favourite second/afternoon seva was accommodation, I loved taking care of and maintaining the huts!

My best time in Sadhana Forest will always be in the gaushala. Previously, in my life I had never touched a cow until now. I remember when I brushed Hari, a friendly white bull, for the first time, I broke down into pieces realising how cruel the world is for killing animals for meat, leather, and other products

It’s been a great journey interacting with 9 cows/bulls and 3 calf’s….everyone have different character and personalities
For example Devi, Lucky, and Rosie prefer to be alone and take their time to understand us.
Happy, Vishnu, and Hari are starting to trust humans and love getting brushed.
So far I’ve experienced how Vishnu connects with every individual who comes to the gaushala!
I remember when one of our volunteers, Gargi, came to gaushala. I remember leaving Vishnu to Gargi to spend time alone and I was being with the kids in the children’s land to play with the other cows, then I saw Vishnu licking Gargi and this alone made Gargi decide to stay for 1 year just for Vishnu! The connection they formed in such a short time was truly incredible and touching!

You never know how one person’s emotions can make a great change in another person’s life.

The Tea Hut is a one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my life, it’s a cafe where we give coucunut milk and vegan laddu to any neighbours, local villagers, visitors, and volunteers as a gift, for free, and it was the best culture moment of my life. This idea of giving for free without any expectations really changed my outlook in life.

After spending time with lot of short-term volunteers staying for 4 days, most of them wish they stayed for more than 4 days. I would highly recommend anyone to come and live in Sadhana Forest for at least 7 days-21 days to fully understand the core values of Sadhana Forest. I also highly encourage families and kids to come stay in the forest, kids will certainly enjoy being free to play in nature and it adds a lot of liveliness and joy to the community!

Pros
  • Living close to nature
  • Sustainable lifestyle
  • Community
Cons
  • Could be hard if you are not used to natural living
Default avatar
Vanshika
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

An amazing experience of an alternative lifestyle

When I first arrived in Sadhana Forest, I knew I was in for a truly unique experience. I have been curious about learning more about sustainable living and veganism, Sadhana Forest felt like the best place to be. This is my first time living in a community and it has been amazing staying with like-minded people who are very open and accepting.
My journey at Sadhana Forest began as a fellow for Plant4India, a program that focuses on water conservation and reforestation in different villages in India. Through Plant4India training and forest sevas, I learned how to understand the land, dig trenches, make mounds, and plant trees. The experience was very grounding and I felt really good working with the community in the forest.
The dedication of the community to sustainable living is truly inspiring, and I experienced it through the compost toilets, hand washing stations, zero waste bins, and the huts (and many more). Walking through the lush greenery, I could feel the harmony between humans and the environment. The passion and care that the community pours into nurturing the land is a powerful reminder of the impact we can have when we prioritize the Earth.
Sadhana Forest is a place for anyone who is seeking a closer connection with nature and a path toward personal growth. If you are someone who is looking for an escape from the hustles of the city, I definitely recommend Sadhana Forest as it offers peace and a unique way of living. Life here moves at a different pace, I loved waking up to the soothing sounds of nature, feeling a deep sense of peace I hadn't experienced in a long time.
The meal preparation and dining are one of my favorite experiences. In the community, we cook meals together and everyone would sit down to eat together as a family. My first meal at Sadhana Forest felt very welcoming as when you sit for the meal first time, the community welcomes you and accepts you with open hearts. The food here is very delicious, healthy, and organically sourced.
My favorite seva also includes Gaushala, this was my first time being around the cows and it was one of the best things. During my seva, I got to interact with the cows by brushing them and making food for them. It's amazing how animals can understand you without saying a word and connect with you with just their eyes. Some cows would just come to me and allow me to brush them and create a bond with them.
My stay at Sadhana Forest has been a very healing process for me. The open and welcoming environment provides the perfect canvas for self-discovery. Whether I was participating in sevas, communal activities, attending eye-opening workshops, hosting non-talent shows or simply meditating under the trees, every moment felt like a step toward personal growth. I found myself connecting with people from various walks of life, sharing stories and insights that enriched my understanding of the world.

Pros
  • Community with Like Minded Individuals
  • Sustainable Living
  • Veganism
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Lara
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Community

My experience was unique because for the first time I felt like everyone could allow themselves to be true and authentic, while usually in society humans hide aspects of themselves in order to fit in. I resonate with the community’s values a lot, veganism gets supported, there’s lots of love for animals. Core values are compassion, unschooling, giving, seva and so much more. During the sevas we had lots of fun and I enjoyed the forest and goshala the most. Every day I had the chance to decide which seva I’d like to do. I felt very respected as a human being and enjoyed all the different workshops (sharing circle, non talent show, etc)

Pros
  • Freedom of self expression
  • Positive impact on the environment
  • Learning about sustainable living

Programs

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Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Why did you choose this program?

I had already spent a good amount of time at Sadhana Forest India and think of it as my second - or maybe first - home. I was really interested to see how the organization worked in another, very different part of the world. While the India project works mostly with replanting the forest indigenous on publicly protected lands, the Kenya project works primarily on planting drought-resistant, food-producing trees on privately held land such as homes, schools and churches. I thought it would be a great way to support local people while traveling.

What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

I didn't have any sort of program provider. Some friends and I were already at Sadhana Forest India and contacted Sadhana Forest Kenya directly. We organized our own flights. Since we were traveling in a large group, the staff at Sadhana Forest Kenya helped us to organize transportation from Nairobi to the site. On the way back, I organized the transportation on my own. It was affordable and not particularly difficult.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Be ready for a new experience! Sadhana Forest is in a pretty remote part of Kenya. The landscapes are beautiful, wide-open semi deserts spotted with loads of zebras and gazelles, plus occasional hyenas, elephants and lions. There are NONE of the usual shopping or entertainment facilities that you are probably used to, so volunteers need to be relatively self-sufficient. Bring some books, an instrument, a journal, a camera, a meditative practice, or something else to do in your down time. The campus does have wifi access and plenty of charging power.

Also, be aware that this and other Sadhana Forest projects are places to do service. The focus is on using our time and energy to bring benefits to the local environment and population. The experience of living simply and focusing primarily on giving is one great gift that Sadhana Forest can offer to volunteers.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

All the exact details are available on the website and in the welcoming email that Sadhana Forest Kenya will send you once you've contacted them.

Volunteers wake before or around 6:00AM and generally do some work on the land (tree planting, watering, tree care) in the early morning. Then breakfast, then another work session, then lunch, then a break, then some more work before dinner. Volunteers can expect to be working at least six hours per day (which is great, because there's not much else to do there aside from admiring the scenery).

Sadhana Forest Kenya also makes regular trips to nearby homes, schools, churches, hospitals, villages, etc., to plant trees. Generally these trips require two visits - one before lunch to make mounds and prepare for planting, and then one before dinner to actually plant the trees.

Volunteers also participate in cooking meals, cleaning the kitchen, dealing with the food and human waste compost, and other routine maintenance tasks.

There is a weekly Samburu market every Saturday where you can go to buy clothing, produce, simple snacks and souvenirs.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

I did not have any particular fears concerning my trip to Sadhana Forest Kenya. I have known the organization for a long time and was confident that I would encounter a truly eco-friendly campus and participate in work that was really serving local needs.

I must admit I was a little apprehensive about Kenya in general; much of what I had read made me a little anxious about the risks of petty theft. I was a little more careful than usual and had no problems at Nairobi or on the way to or from Sadhana Forest Kenya. At Sadhana Forest Kenya itself, I felt 100% comfortable.

What is it like to live a really eco-frienldy lifestyle?

It's awesome! Sadhana Forest serves fresh, local vegan food; composts all food and human waste; uses biodegradable toiletries and cleaning agents; runs on solar and wind power; draws water up from its own bore well; provides free water and charging power to locals; AND actively improves the environment by planting food-producing trees with local people.

Sadhana Forest is a fantastic place to live a life of consciousness, compassion and service. It's also a great way to experience a remote part of Kenya and to get to know local people.