Sadhana Forest

As my backpacking journey through India was drawing to a close, there was still one significant experience I was eager to tick off my list: to immerse myself in a hands-on environmental volunteering project. My prior stint in Auroville had sparked a curiosity about alternative, sustainable ways of living, setting the perfect stage for my next adventure.

Discovering Sadhana Forest

Sadhana Forest stands on the outskirts of Auroville, encompassing a 70-acre area dedicated to the reforestation of the native tropical dry evergreen forest. The community’s name, ‘Sadhana’, which means spiritual practice, deeply reflects their ethos. Every aspect of life here aims to harmonise human existence with the natural world.

I first ventured here on my motorbike through the rural villages of Tamil Nadu, and was greeted by an enthusiastic British volunteer named Luke. He introduced us to the forest with an evening tour that began with an insightful discussion on the community’s vegan lifestyle. Luke explained how their rationale to adopt the vegan diet was cantered around reducing the environmental damage caused by livestock farming, and promoting a cruelty-free life.

At the end of the tour, it was clear that I’d seen perhaps the best example of a circular economy that I’ve ever seen. Nothing here is wasted. The community composts all organic waste, which then either nourishes the soil or feeds the animals. Everything that that the community needs is sourced from within the forest or obtain it locally, and plastics are entirely absent to minimise the  environmental impact.

A key part of the forest’s culture is built around the concept of a gift economy. For example, after each Friday tour, the tour participants are invited for a free communal meal prepared by the volunteers, fulfilling the mantra of giving without expectations. These gatherings are a fantastic way to educate communities, while showcasing the powerful impact of community spirit. Recently, the volunteers at Sadhana Forest had even hosted a free vegan wedding in the same vein. 

I was intrigued by what I’d learned over the short evening at Sadhana Forest, and was reminded of my previous experience at Trees for Life in Scotland. As I returned back to my hostel near Auroville, I reflected that I needed to embed myself in the community to learn more. And so, with my trip’s schedule wide open, I signed up for 11 days to join the community and support with their reforestation efforts.

Daily sevas 

The whole volunteer programme at Sadhana Forest is perpetual, with volunteers like myself arriving or departing everyday. The daily schedule runs like clockwork, Monday to Friday, with the key volunteer tasks assigned during a group Sunday evening meeting. 

Our days at Sadhana Forest began early at 5:30 AM, when the air was still cool and less muggy. We’d first gather in a circle for morning stretches, a gentle start that helped us prepare for the day ahead. Following the stretches, the day’s sevas—volunteer tasks—were announced, and we’d sign up by raising our hands. This morning ritual finished a round of warm, heartfelt hugs, wishing each other a great day ahead.

I quickly noticed that a significant part of our volunteer efforts focused on maintaining the community living spaces, more so as the reforestation tasks decreased. This was because as the forest matured, it began to sustain itself more independently, requiring less intensive planting efforts. 

The daily tasks ranged from meal preparation to the essential upkeep of the community’s infrastructure, and we’d typically pick up two of these seva activities each day:

• Meal Prep and Clean-Up: We took turns preparing breakfast and lunch, and just as importantly, cleaning up afterwards. This was a communal effort and a chance to learn about cooking large meals with limited resources.
• Bee Hole Plugging: Some of us attended to the wooden structures, plugging holes to prevent bees from nesting, which was crucial for both our safety and the preservation of the structures.
• Sanitation Duties: Cleaning the toilets and dorms was less glamorous but vital for hygiene. We also cleared pathways and managed the waste system, including the rather smelly job of shovelling waste from beneath the toilets.
• Nursery and Tree Care: In the nursery, we shifted young plants and prepared ground for new trees. Although it wasn’t the main planting season, we kept busy mulching the new trees, collecting leaves, putting them in sacks, and carefully placing them around the trees to nourish the soil.
• Logistics: Transporting logs to be used as mulch and clearing leaves from the paths to keep them traversable.
• Preparing for the Vegan Festival: As the date for the upcoming vegan festival approached, some of us were involved in flattening and preparing the land, ensuring it would be a functional camping ground for the event.
• Coconut Grinding: A seemingly odd task was grinding coconuts, used in various meals and as a nutritious addition to the vegan recipes.
• Feeding cows: Sadhana Forest’s goshala (cow sanctury) is home to a dozen or so rescued cows and calves. Three times a day, we would prepare food for them and clean the grounds, which was easier said than done – as the mere sight of food made them chase after us!

Some of the sevas were physically demanding – especially the log chopping, and sometimes a bit boring, like the bee hole plugging. But every task was crucial for keeping the infrastructure of the community functioning – the toilets wouldn’t empty themselves! But what made up for it was getting to know the other volunteers, and our deep conversations would often make the time pass by quickly.  

Life in Sadhana Forest
 

Living in Sadhana Forest offered a dive into simplicity that was unlike anything I had experienced in all my travels. Being a self-sustaining community in the heart of a forest, this shouldn’t have come as a surprise. The accommodations were the most basic I’ve ever stayed at: as a short-term volunteer, I stayed in a double-story open-air hut lined with rows of netted beds. There were no walls, no power, and no storage. Nestled among the trees, the hut remained dim throughout the day, a feature that probably saved us from the full brunt of the local insect population.

Despite the physical exhaustion from daily tasks and parting ways with any stimulants, I found sleeping to be a challenge. The mattresses were thin and uncomfortable, making it increasingly difficult to wake up at the sound of the 5:30 AM gong as the days went on. The simplicity extended throughout the living conditions. We used natural homemade soap and buckets of water for washing—a reminder of how luxurious a simple tap can feel.

The diet here was strictly vegan, with meals often based around ragi, a common grain in South India. The food was hearty, filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, but the extent of physical activity meant I often needed seconds or thirds to feel full. Before each meal, we observed a moment of silence, a practice that added a reflective pause to our communal gatherings.

Showering was another adventure, which involved filling a steel bucket with cold water from a garden hose and dousing oneself in a makeshift shed. While bucket showers can be refreshing, the chill was a jolt to the system. And after hearing about a cobra sighting near the shower area, I found myself gravitating towards the forest’s large mud pool for a cleaner experience. While it might not sound appealing, bathing in the mud was surprisingly good for the skin and quite enjoyable, especially with the sun warming my back and spotting colourful kingfishers flying above. I can proudly acclaim to smelling great afterwards, too!

The afternoons were free, providing much-needed downtime for relaxation. After cooling off in the mud pool, I often practiced Shambhavi Mahamudra yoga practice and meditated in the forest’s quiet meditation yurt. This slower pace allowed me to live more mindfully, focusing on simple tasks like washing clothes or preparing meals without the distraction of technology. With electricity supplied by solar power during limited hours, our evenings were lit only by moonlight, further deepening my connection to the surrounding environment.

Being part of the community
 

Joining Sadhana Forest meant becoming part of a vibrant, international community where collaboration was  essential. The diverse backgrounds of volunteers enriched the experience, bringing different perspectives and stories into the daily life of the forest.

The limited use of technology greatly enhanced personal interactions. With most digital distractions confined to a small area, volunteers remained fully present and approachable, fostering a sense of closeness and community that’s otherwise rare to find during usual travels. During all meal times, we’d sit in a circle in the main hut, and was the best time to get to know fellow volunteers. 

During my time here, the conversations often ventured into deep, personal territories. Many volunteers shared their struggles with mental health, discussing challenges related to personal relationships and career pressures—a struggle that seemed to resonate with people across the many places that I’d visited during my trip.

The community is a melting pot of nationalities, including Italian long-term volunteers who brought a slice of their culture to the table, literally, with some delicious meals. These interactions weren’t just superficial; we delved into personal stories and confessions. For instance, I had lengthy talks with Annette, an elderly British lady who shared her deep-seated fears about modern society and technology, reflecting mistrust and fear that had driven her to seek refuge in this community.

Life in the forest wasn’t without its quirks. One morning, a green snake casually dropped from the ceiling into a volunteer’s lap, causing a mixture of alarm and laughter. Food cravings were common too; many of us missed sweets and oily foods despite enjoying the healthy meals of ragi and jaggery served each morning.

Evenings in Sadhana Forest brought us together in a different way. We often gathered for sharing circles where we could choose a topic and practice active listening—a skill that deepened our understanding and respect for each other. Discussions could also pivot to the core philosophies of Sadhana Forest, like unschooling. One of the volunteers, Jazz, spoke passionately about the concept, explaining how some children were being homeschooled here as an alternative educational approach. These discussions highlighted the benefits of a non-traditional schooling system, though they also opened up debates about the potential drawbacks, such as the impact on long-term relationships and social skills.

Becoming part of Sadhana Forest’s community meant engaging in these complex conversations, sharing meals, facing everyday challenges together, and learning from each other. 

Final reflections

As my time at Sadhana Forest came to a close, I found myself with mixed feelings. Although I was ready to leave—craving the comforts of a good night’s sleep and a warm shower—I couldn’t ignore the profound impact this experience had on me. 

Initially, my goal was to gain knowledge about reforestation and conservation. However, what I actually learned extended far beyond the ecological aspects. The community life at Sadhana Forest introduced me to the deeper layers of human psychology and the nature of interpersonal relationships. It made me question the essence of selflessness. I came to understand that even my own seemingly selfless actions often had hidden motives. True selflessness, I discovered, is all about the motivation behind the actions. Particularly, the act of preparing and serving food became one of the most genuinely rewarding experiences, teaching me the joy of giving without expecting anything in return.

Living in Sadhana Forest was a stark difference from my fast-paced urban life in London. It offered a glimpse into a lifestyle that was once been second nature to us—a life less encumbered by materialism and more focused on community and sharing. The forest functioned almost like a time capsule, preserving a way of life that modern society has largely moved away from. It showed me a sustainable future where communal living and letting go of personal ownership of possessions could lead to a more fulfilling life. My only criticism with the community’s ethos lies with the vegan messaging which I found a bit overbearing. Some of the underlying facts being shared were downright misleading and the communication overly preachy, which I felt a bit jarring.

Managing a volunteer community, especially one as diverse as Sadhana Forest, presented its own set of challenges. The dynamics of people constantly arriving and leaving created a transient atmosphere, which was complicated by the different minimum stays required for Indian nationals compared to international visitors. This, along with the inherent challenges of cultural integration, sometimes made it difficult to develop deeper connections with people, and I haven’t kept in touch with anyone since I left.

I’ve since come to realise that places like Sadhana Forest, ashrams and temples are places that are sacred places to people, as places to seek space and time for reflection. Many people at Sadhana forest were hurting inside, and it can be difficult at times for large numbers of people to collaborate together, especially with such an international group of people. In fact, that’s actually the definition of Sadhana – practices intended to help find and heal oneself.

My experience highlighted how isolated many people feel in the modern world, and how places like Sadhana Forest offer an alternative. By stripping away the usual comforts and conveniences, the forest encourages a deeper connection with oneself , providing an opportunity for personal growth.

Living in Sadhana Forest was undoubtedly challenging, but it was also incredibly enriching, offering a unique environment that nourished my body, mind, and spirit. Meeting like minded people, embracing simplicity, and literally being head-first in the natural world all of it contributed to this feeling of nourishment.

Don’t get me wrong, living in Sadhana Forest is a tremendous leap outside of my comfort zone – and it was a real struggle at times. But the chance to live in an environment unlike any I’ve remotely been in before was startling. A trip to Sadhana Forest is bound to be thought provoking, perhaps eternally leave one questioning  the meaning and purpose of life, as I have been since!

-S