Malin's hermitage
"In the ancient times, an ashram - which means retreat was a place where people came to gather their energies to live and study in depth the religious aspects of life. Nowadays such places have in general, a sort of leader … the leader cult has no place here. It is a place that should cause the awakening f inteligence that comes with compassion and love ... This place must be very beautiful, with trees, birds and quiet. beauty, peace and quiet exterior may affect inner peace '"
(from discussions with Krishnamurti about Brockwood Center)
Malin is a little village situated 10 km South of Beclean,between the Cluj and the Bistrita-Nasaud districts, in the North of Transylvania , the northern part of Romania
It is spread in the middle of a hilly region which is covered by woods and pastures, at the feet of the Carpathian mountains. Malin has four hundred inhabitants, speaking either Romanian or Hungarian
We have renovated one of its farms (altitude : 333 m), which is completely isolated and located on 8 ha of forests, pastures and orchards. We have here seven donkeys, our companions with which we organize several day trips in the surrounding areas.
When we say isolation, we mean it: there are neither cars, nor electricity networks. We reach the farm on foot (20 min) or by wagon, carried either by horses or donkeys. And, on site, a generator takes care of our basic needs in electricity ... waiting for solar energy to take its place.
Several sources provide us with water, we heat with dead wood available in abundance, have our organic vegetable garden, our hives, our cellars to store honey, fruit and vegetables. We rejuvenated the orchard, planted hedges, dug a pond and prepare a design for the forest garden’ …….
We constantly strive towards the highest possible, a practice that Romanian farmers have been experiencing for centuries.
Our approach is one of permaculture, of which we held the first certificate course in Romania in autumn 2010
Two streams traverse the woods and meadows around the house, a waterfall of 10 meters is hidden among the ravine, and there is a clearing perched high which takes in at dusk deer, wild boar and bucks.. And the song of the oriole accompanies our morning awakening.
Our accommodation capacity is currently 17 beds (for 22 people) but we offer other options: a 6 M tipi has been mounted in 2010 and we have raised a platform in the trees last september? We plan to bild cob cottage, mud hut, a blind observer, etc.. .
Philippe is from Belgium and Adriana from Romania. We have a small 4 year old daughter, Andrea
In 2005 Philippe took his bodhisattva vow in presence of his zen master sotoRoland Yuno Rech.
Two axes guide me in our activities educational permaculture farm and meditation
We will organize, in 2012, various participatory projects : self ecological construction with cob, mandala garden, top bare hive, solar cookers, cooking vegetarian, etc. to make the hermitage progressively an experimental and educational space for ecological practice.
But I would like Malin also welcomes individuals and groups seeking a place conducive to healing and meditation.
We have a covered terrace of 4m x 8m, (for bad weather), awaiting the cob construction.
A library (french, Romanian, English: nature guides, permaculture, spirituality and Buddhism) is available for visitors
We are looking for partners to achieve an ecohamlet A house is still to restore, a huge barn has an empty floor and the wild scenery leaves free rein to all suggestions.We are part of the WWOOF network
A new companion lives with me for 3 years: James Parkinson