Maui Eco Retreat

Our artistic and educational community is living ecologically and responsibly on 15 acres of sustainable land on the pristine North Shore of Maui. We are surrounded by 18 acres of cliffs and an oceanfront. Our land has been declared a "resting place of mature souls" by the ancient Hawaiians. Our hiking trails lead to freshwater pools and 150-foot waterfalls, yet we are only 20 minutes from Paia and Ho'okipa, the windsurfing capital of the world. We are only 35 minutes from the airport and yet we are "off the beaten path". Powered by the sun, our generator pumps the sweetest water from our very own well. The rain fills our ponds. The earth is nurtured by our brood of 11 chickens and through conscious composting, mulching, and restorative soil building. Bees pollinate the flowers and plants in our organic food garden. Until just recently, we specialized in structural bamboo, now we are focusing on soil restoration and food security. We have established an Agroforestry garden in our jungle and are involved in Food Security Hawaii.
The Institute, est. 1985 is the umbrella for many endeavors: the movement of Embodied Spirituality; the creation of music, meditations, videos, and spiritual retreats; the practices of organic farming and education in the field of ecotourism. K

We’ve been hosting volunteers from around the world for the past 30 years. More than 800 people spanning the ages of 21 years old to 65 years young have participated in this unique community where we live off-grid and from the land as much as possible. Having become a safe haven for many to live in tandem with Mother Nature, we not only teach ecology and responsibility for the land but also how to run a sustainable center. We prefer a 3 months stay. For those who do choose to stay longer, we offer a certificate that will confirm your knowledge in running an off-grid, sustainable and eco-friendly retreat center. Online classes and in-person teachings in Agroforestry are all included with your work exchange, which provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for those willing to learn. The internship is comprised of daily yoga classes and others as they become available. You will benefit from any additional classes taught by visiting guest teachers as part of the program. By joining our ohana (family), you will be experiencing Hawaiian culture from a local perspective. Coaching and mentorship are shared on a personal basis, bridging ancient teachings with our modern world, and whether in a group or individually, we have many opportunities for meditation in nature. Several beautiful meditation temples allow space to deepen your awareness through yoga, Shamanic, and Embodied Spirituality classes. At the end of your internship, you will receive a certificate of participation from the Institute if desired. In addition to teachings from the mentors, your work-trade hours provide for a comfortable room, hot showers, fiber optic wifi, laundry, and a communal kitchen in a bamboo house with access to an expansive spiritual library. We provide some staples but don’t provide/cook meals, though community dinners do happen spontaneously and we encourage buying/sharing food with others. In addition, you are always welcome to pick from the land and our departing guests often leave lots of great staples that are consistently added to the ‘community’ shelf.