About

WHAT IS THE AWAKENED LIFE PROJECT?

The seed that was to become The Awakened Life Project was sown when Pete and Cynthia bought the abandoned mountain farm of Quinta da Mizarela in Central Portugal in 2007. This huge leap into the unknown was propelled by their shared vision to create a beautiful place dedicated to the liberation of the human spirit in a context of communion with the surrounding nature.

While trust in the vision was strong how it would manifest was completely unknown. Then the magic started to happen and with the inspired participation of an international stream of volunteers, some of whom stayed and became residents and co-creators for periods of time, the Quinta gradually developed into small thriving community and retreat centre.

Over time the Quinta has hosted silent meditation retreats, women's and men's retreats, evolutionary awakening retreats, permaculture courses and residential intensives. Some volunteers and retreat participants who were lit up by their experience were moved to deepen their involvement together. As Cynthia and Pete created forums to meet this interest the Project gradually flowered and expanded beyond the location of the Quinta to form a growing network of people and related communal projects dedicated to discovering and manifesting the spiritual truth of unity in this world.

Foundational to the Awakened Life Project is the discovery of the deepest dimension of who we are as One Consciousness. This spiritual insight is approached through the guidance and teachings that draw upon the wisdom of non-dual awakening, a consistent practice of meditation and an ongoing collective forums of inquiry that embrace all of the important aspects of our humanity.

Thus the Awakened Life Project is not a specific place, but has evolved into a collective organism. Most participants are Portuguese or foreigners living in Portugal but there are also a growing number of people joining online from other countries.

The Quinta, which is the spiritual heart of the Project, is featured on this website and is where we offer a guest and volunteer program, retreats and other events where people can experience and explore what is being offered here.

To get a taste of what the evolving organism of the Awakened Life Project is all about you can watch this short documentary created by Aurora's Eye Films...

Other communal hubs with their own creative expression and focus include the Avidanja Community near Coimbra...

Vida em Transição/Life in Transition otherwise known as The Awakened Family Project, 20 minutes from Quinta da Mizarela...

The Awakened Life Project is an ongoing revelation, an ongoing unfolding. If you are interested in an approach to spiritual awakening and the creation of a new culture that is integral, profound and contemporary then please check out our events and explore the content on this website. A good place to begin is Vision, Philosophy & Practice.