Join us for a week-long immersion into three interlocking traditions: animism, mysticism and anarchism. At first glance, these fields may appear diverse. Upon deeper contemplation, one might start to feel the uniting force between them as “coordinates of possibility” in a time of deep societal unraveling.
Animism is not simply about thinking about the Cosmos as something alive, but rather, thinking and sensing with the living Cosmos. It is partly about accessing and practicing other ways of knowing, being and relating with the pulsating world. Various mystical and Indigenous traditions have cultivated pathways to Gnosis (direct wisdom), the disintermediated connection with the Divine whole.
We will discuss some of these and apply the practices of Damanhur, a modern mystery school, as well as Sufism, an ancient mystical tradition. We will also weave in teachings about anarchism, not just as a political philosophy of self-rule and localization, but anarchism as consciousness. The old anarchist slogan, “No gods, no masters” applies as much to popes, imams and rabbis as it does to politicians, the media and the military.
We will explore how the political is the spiritual, and the spiritual is political. We will contemplate the role of capital in our lives, how it affects our spiritual journeys, and pathways towards a more de-colonial, de-conditioned approach to healing and liberation. We will deepen our practice into moving from neoliberal understandings of individual healing into how we may be able to hold a deeper prayer and praxis for collective liberation.
The program will not be theoretical. We will continually come back to the body and somatic practices including daily breathwork, movement, guided meditations, journaling and other ways to deepen “embodied cognition”.
Our aim is not to suggest there is a complete system or alternative to the ethno-nationalist state system of the US or Israel or Saudi Arabia, but rather, there is and always have been direct paths to collective liberation that require ongoing contemplation, dialogue and praxis
MEET YOUR GUIDES
This program will be co-hosted by Esperide Ananas Ametista, one of the most experienced teachers and ambassadors of the renowned community and mystery school of Damanhur in Italy, a project that started over fifty years ago and has created one of the most beautiful spiritual temples in the world https://thetemples.org. Esperide (link to page: www.esperide.space) has lived in the community for over 30 years and brings a wealth of experience in community design, time explorations, ritual and healing,
The other co-host is Alnoor Ladha, one of the co-founders of Tierra Valiente. Alnoor was born into a Sufi lineage, and has anchored his political work (as an activist, organizer and strategist( in this spiritual practice. He was the co-founder of the economic alternatives thinktank The Rules, the social movement advisory Culture Hack Labs, and the funder-activist collective Transition Resource Circle. He is the co-author of Post Capitalist Philanthropy: The healing of wealth in the time of crisis.
This gathering will be held from January 24 to 31, 2026. Immediately after, we will start an immersion in a Peruvian shamanic tradition (Shipibo) and we encourage participants to stay for the open nights (3 days) if not the longer Amazonian dieta (12 days).
ITINERARY
January 24 - landing day and potential sound bath
January 25 - opening circle and sweat lodge
January 26 - intersection of animism, mystical and anarchism (Kali Yuga talk; ancestors session)
January 27 - The Damanhurian experiment as a laboratory for the future.
Born in the foothills of the Italian Alps, Damanhur is a unique community that has spent decades weaving together spirituality, ecology, art, and social innovation. In this session, we’ll explore Damanhur not just as a visionary project, but as a living response to some of the most pressing questions of our time: How do we live together with purpose? How can we align individual growth with collective well-being? Through the lens of this ongoing social experiment, we’ll reflect on the elements that make communities thrive—and consider how these insights might shape new ways of living in a world that urgently needs them.
January 28 - Atlantis: its history and its calling to us, now. A journey in search of lost memory and find a meaningful direction for our collective future
What if the myth of Atlantis holds more than legend—what if it carries a message for us today? In this session we will explore Atlantis not as a fantasy, but as a symbol of a turning point in human history. By revisiting this distant past, we open the door to forgotten knowledge—insights into the roots of civilization, our patterns of rise and collapse, and the choices that brought us here. This is not only a personal journey of memory, but a collective invitation: to reflect more deeply on who we are, where we come from, and how we move forward with greater responsibility, awareness, and purpose.
January 29 - Mystical anarchism; Sufi poetry writing workshop; weaving with Esperide
January 30 - Closing circle - Departure Day
TIERRA VALIENTE | BRAVE EARTH
Brave Earth is located between San Ramon and La Fortuna, nestled in between Arenal Volcano and the Children’s Eternal Rainforest, the largest reserve of protected wildlife in Costa Rica.
As a living lab, we have experimented with different building modalities using AirCrete and materials sourced on the land including bamboo and adobe. We have implemented biophilic design, closed-loop systems and permaculture design principles. Ornamental, food, and medicinal gardens surround the center as well as hiking trials to a nearby river, and a natural swimming pond.
CULTURES OF TRANSITION
The impulse for Tierra Valiente stems from an awareness of our civilizational trajectory within the dominant culture with its source code of extraction, domination, commodification, colonization, control, entitlement, and separation from the living world.
We are both informed by this critical lens and inspired to create outside of the old values and incentive landscapes to build a culture based on reciprocity, regeneration and resiliency.
In this collective transition - whether you call it the Anthropocene, the Kali Yuga, late-stage capitalism or capitalist modernity - our intention is to become more attuned to this cultural context in order to decolonize the conditioning of the dominant system and be in deeper service to our collective potential.
Our living lab is located on the northwestern Caribbean slope of Costa Rica, about 2.5 hours from San Jose. We have created an 80-acre commons nestled between the Children’s Eternal Rainforest, one of the largest protected regions of rainforest north of the Amazon and Volcano Arenal.
LOCATION + TRANSPORTATION
Juan Santamaria International located in San Jose is the nearest airport to Brave Earth. We are approximately a 2.5h drive from San Jose.
We are located 11 miles south from La Fortuna Arenal Area in a community called San Isidro de Peñas Blancas, La Fortuna, Alajuela.
GPS Coordinates:
10°23’16.2”N 84°35’50.8”W
Our address is:
Transportation:
Please reach out to maxine@braveearth.com with any transportation or logistic questions. We can support you in coordinating shared shuttles to and from the event. *This is not included in the registration fees*
Private Taxis (1-5 people)
$165 each way / 2.5-3 hours
Private Van (6-9 people)
$185 each way / 2.5-3 hours
Public Buses
~$10 / Approx. 5 hours
Bus 1: San Jose bus terminal to San Ramon, Bus 2: San Ramon towards La Fortuna. Get off at San Isidro de Penas Blancas or Chachagua. Take short taxi ride to Finca Luna Nueva.