The place

The Evergreen Project lives on a piece of forested land near the village of Anavra in Fthiotida, Central Greece. Acacias, oaks and pines shade our tents, our kitchen and our shala; paths wind between them, and the sounds of the forest change with every hour of the day.

Away from the noise and hurry of the city, the land offers a simple — sometimes austere — environment, ideal for self-study and for slowing down.

Above us rises Mount Kallidromo, a mountain of fir forests, meadows and plateaus where horses and cows graze freely. On the plateau lies Lake Nevropolis, a peaceful place for walks. From the higher paths the view opens over the Malian Gulf and the island of Evia.

Just a few kilometres away are historic Thermopylae and its hot springs, and the seaside towns of Kamena Vourla and Agios Konstantinos.

Our electricity comes from the sun, our toilets are dry compost toilets, and water is managed with care. We follow a zero-waste philosophy, compost our kitchen scraps and build with natural, local materials wherever we can.

The facilities are simple and rustic, in the spirit of traditional ashram life. This is not luxury: here, comfort comes from simplicity, community and connection with nature.

From May to early November life moves outdoors: we pitch the bell tents together, practise under the shala roof and eat at long tables in the shade. In early November we take the tents down at our season-closing gathering, and the community moves to a cosy house with a fireplace in the village of Anavra, a 15-minute walk away. In winter snow sometimes covers the shala — the land rests, and so do we, until the spring equinox calls us back.