Mandala Springs
In August of 2024, we visited Mandala Springs in Barnardsville, North Carolina. Rob Lenfesty, the steward of this land, purchased this land in a trust with others in 2017. Rob is an educator and innovator in the world of radical, creative, self-empowerment.
Currently there are 12 permanent residents and 10> temporary volunteers at any given time. Renters commit to a certain number of hours + rent. Many of the members work off site and a few work entirely on the land.
This 67-acre Mandala Springs is embraced on three sides by Pisgah National Forest, a few miles drive from Craggy Gardens and the Blue Ridge Parkway. They're also only about 30-40 minutes from the heart of downtown Asheville. On site are a pristine trout stream with space to swim, multiple freshwater springs from which you can drink from, forest trails and moss-covered boulder fields. Their current vegetable garden beets, lettuces, tomatoes, squash, basil, celery, medicinal and culinary herbs. Fruit trees include apples and wild strawberries.
Animal Husbandry: Chickens happily live on this land. These sweet creatures create particularly great fertilizer, help till the land, and provide eggs. A few residents have well-behaved dogs and there is a sweet guard cat named, Hugh who freely roams the property and thoroughly inspected and approved of our teardrop.
Composting toilets are used to collect humanure and they recommend using the trees for urination. Though many people have "fecal-phobia" this practice when done right is sanitary, odorless, and an amazing way to harness our natural processes and no longer waste precious fresh water.
Outdoor showers are provided for residents and guests heated by a propane gas water heater.
Food scraps from prep are generally given to the chickens. Anything that is too far gone for them goes straight into a compost bin to decompose.
Buildings: There are several structures on the property.
One large main house where a few of the permanent residents reside.
A barn has been converted into comfortable housing for a few of the renters.
A building with a community kitchen where cooperatively purchased food is stored, shared and prepared and upstairs lodging.
For visitors, they have a tiny house, yurt and provide space for tent and RV campers. You can visit this site to view options and book your stay.
Special Features:
Mandala Chocolates- Chocolate bars are handcrafted on site. They stone grind certified organic cacao and add wildcrafted herbs and mushroom sustainably harvested from the surrounding forests.
Mandala Spa
Their spa offers a 13-person SAUNA, a river fed spring water cold plunge, and endless spring water hydration. They are currently in process of forming a "serenity lounge" where masterful practitioners will offer bodywork, holistic psychotherapy, energy work, and other therapeutic modalities.
Classes and Workshops
They offer weekly dynamic movement classes including rock climbing, mountain biking, yoga, riparian and primal movement courses.
They host weekly ecstatic dances and have monthly singing circles, open musical jams and concerts where the residents and local community connect, express themselves, and joyfully celebrate life.
Concert Venue:
They are in the process of moving their garden to a different part of the property and replacing it with amphitheater seating and a stage for concerts.
Social Permaculture:
As all newer communities do, they are still fine-tuning the social dynamics. They have weekly meetings in which they discuss current and upcoming events and resolve conflict as best they can. They connect at meal time, in their downtime, at their events, and while performing the many duties it requires to steward this land.
For those interested in living in or forming their own intentional communities or wanting to improve the dynamics of the current ones they're living in we recommend these resources:
To learn more, book a stay, or plan your next event or retreat visit
