My name is Ålam... eating a fruit-based diet for several years and experimenting with transitioning what I eat since being 21 years of age.

Through this process I have discovered an experience of health, vitality and clarity that I am forever grateful for. Now I am devoted to sharing this knowledge with others so that we can all experience how it is to truly thrive in this body.

I have been practicing silent meditation (Vipassana) since 2017, regularly attending longer periods of silent retreat. I have completed acupressure therapy and traditional Chinese medicine studies in the UK at the European School of Shiatsu and have been helping people to discover themselves and find more balance in their life for a number of years.

Five Element Theory is a big part of the language in how I share my knowledge with others as I find it is a universal way to communicate about the root of our "dis-ease".

I now live in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica, on a beautiful property surrounded by pristine nature. There I am offering retreats, workshops and therapy to help discover how we find greater balance in our lives. The main tools I am using at the school are Traditional Chinese medicine’s five element theory, acupressure therapy, fruit-based living, fasting, detoxing and meditation. All of these tools we explore in group and community, in a supportive and safe environment.

5 years or so ago I had a strong vision come to me whilst living in a Vipassana meditation center to create a community that would have the shared practice of meditation at its core. This dream has evolved over the years: I have had different experiences and met different people who shared similar visions, both of which changed and refined this dream.

 

Once I arrived in Costa Rica, I began to dream more clearly what that vision would look like. I wrote the following on my fundraiser in September 2023: 

 

“The dream now, is a piece of land, that dwells and breathes in the tropics, with a growing food forest of fruit trees, big enough to support a small community, that in itself teaches gifts of sanctuary, refuge and health to those who will come and play their role in its co-creation.

 

Aside from the fruit trees, this will be a place for people to find deep rest in the stillness and silence of themselves and the nature around them. It will be a place that allows for serious meditation, and absorption in a pristine tropical environment, amongst some of the cleanest air and water in the world, and a centre of education in how to live a truly balanced and healthy life, good for oneself and good for others. Learning how to eat simply and truly clean and heal the physical body will be a foundation of what is shared on this land.

 

This in part, is a big part of the wisdom I feel I came to share with people here. This centre will embody and teach how we can simplify what we eat and learn what to eat in a way that elevates our awareness and creates no harm to ourselves and others. Other practices - of what some people call “natural hygiene” - such as water fasting, and also the wisdom and knowledge within the cosmology of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Five Elements and the meridian system are also a big part of the language and way this education will be shared.

 

Alongside the focus on supporting the foundation of physical health, this centre will offer an absorption in an atmosphere informed by the wisdom of Dhamma and the practice of silent meditation. What that means is that this place carries the intention to foster a supportive sangha (community) of brothers and sisters all together walking a path of devotion in cultivating a moment-by-moment practice of awareness. A practice that bears the fruit of peace, compassionate love and equanimity. This will be a sanctuary free from the use of any stimulants or intoxicants, and a place that is built on the very strong foundations of Sila (morality) and the five precepts (to not kill, steal, lie, take intoxicants or partake in sexual misconduct). In many ways, this place and dream is one of a living Vipassana community, self-sufficient and yet at the same time devoted also to an awareness of how to support the perfect health of our bodies and the ecosystem around us so that we may all thrive together.

 

I imagine a humble but comfortable place. Small huts for people to retreat in, scattered around the land. A central living abode. A classroom. An open kitchen and communal eating space. A meditation hall and meeting space. All informed and coloured in by the land; a river to bathe in and a luscious green panoramic all year round, brimming with vivid tropical fauna and flora.

 

This story will inevitably evolve, as the momentum of this dream gathers and the resources manifest.

 

Ultimately this is a dream dedicated to allowing others to find true physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health, so that they may thrive and come into their own realised gifts so that they can then serve others from a profound authentic place and from the purest of intentions.

 

A place that meets the individual where they are in their journey.

 

This is a place of Eden, a place of Dhamma, and above all else a place of simplicity.” 

 

Shortly after writing this, a woman, named Zoey, whom I had been renting from and living adjacent to, had asked if she could experience the acupressure massage therapy to help her find some rest and relaxation. She is a mother and had an extremely busy summer with her children. I had told her some weeks before that I was happy to recieve her. As we began the treatment together it was clear there was a strong chemistry and connection between us. I shared with her my vision and the fundraiser I had written. After she read it, her reply made me speechless. All this time, we had been living opposite one another, without realising that our dreams were very much aligned. She had already dedicated her land and property to a community project dedicated to meditation and the holistic education of children, she had just been waiting for the right person to come along and co-create this dream with her. Although neither of us knew exactly how it was going to look, it was clear that we had both found in each other a big missing piece of our dream’s jigsaw puzzle. 

 

Since then, mine and Zoey’s conversations have deepened, and our partnership in bringing to life this vision on her land has cemented. It has become clear that we are here to birth a conscious community, a village, dedicated to the exploration of holistic education (for children and adults), meditation and silence, as well as a safe haven for parents to bring children into this world in alignment with nature’s way. The name of this village will be called Anatta (link to Anatta). “Anatta” was a word used by the historical Buddha, Gotama, to describe the ultimate nature of the Self: that there is no “self”, no “I”, no “me”. The ultimate reality is that it is essence-less, formless. It is a realisation that naturally one begins to experience as they go into deeper states of meditation and presence. It is a special word for me, and an honor that it will name this vision and dream that has guided me for so long. 

 

As of 2024, The School of The Five Elements will open its doors, as Anatta too is born into existence, taking its first steps into becoming a beautiful example of what is possible when people come together with a shared vision that has service to all creation and life at its heart. We will be hosting people on retreat , running events and courses both online and in person for the community, as well as welcoming the right people and resources to come along at the right time to help us grow this dream. 

 

If you would like to support this dream, please find a link to the fundraiser here: 

And if you would like to become involved, you can contact us at: 

 

May you be happy, peaceful and liberated !

 

Ålam