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Ladies & Gentlefish, Voyagers of the Void, Scientists, Scallywags, and Instruments of the Way: Is there a nameless renaissance within you? Do you strive to be the youest you?

Come play.

Welcome to our earnest attempt to build a world more compelling than the screen you're looking at now. This is a living research institute. We are exploring new ways of cohabitation, coordination, creation, and connection. We invite your purpose, your play, your bare soul.

We are cultivating a new scene: A community network & creative cauldron for embodied genius, art, world builders/hackers, nerds, black sheep, (nature) lovers, & cultural activists. We swim in the edges of possibility, where the path from imagination to reality is short & sweet. We are pragmatic, caring, & utopian. This project is run by a non-profit association & is a decommodified space. There is generally an abundance of fun, focus, & feelings. We maintain a strict standard of character here: this immersion is by application only & curated for curiosity, care, attunement, and an orientation away from identity. You're welcome to come for a week, and we recommend these residencies as a slow travel base for longer and more intentional stays. We are 40 minutes from Porto Airport.

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Update June 6: Almost all our rooms are full for the summer. Glamping options still available!
 The Garden is ephemeral, min stay one week, max 3 months. It's a place for un(t)raveling. For focus, but not always on what you planned. For creation & connection with self, community, and nature. We're surrounded by spacious nature, and right out the back gate is hours of forested hiking.

🧲 Your Attractors & Passions This experimental residency program is a co-created, multidisciplinary ecosystem.

(this is just a fun, meaningless thing to click. You are, naturally, welcome to find intrinsic meaning in your actions.)
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This is new. This is forming. This will be our second full season & fourth year of the project. Some edges are still rough. Much of it is co-created. Most of the core operations are run by a local & international paid team. This will not be a perfect journey. This is life. We invite your agency & participation.

p.s. we are hiring! p.p.s. this is not a spiritual community™ p.p.p.s. if you want to organize a gathering, festival, or retreat here, it's possible. We are best suited for 40-300 people.
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Frequent activities include collaborative art projects, playtesting new workshop ideas, conversational salons, cuddles, karaoke, serious nerding out, 🍄 foraging, contact improv & partner dancing, meditation, open mics, book clubs, board game nights, music jams, yoga, spa sessions, beach trips, social experiments, waterfall adventures, circus arts, raves, masterminds, and more. This is co-created, the world is yours.

Amenities include a pool, sauna, private spring fed lake, established orchards and groves, 12 person hot tub, granite villa, fitness center w/ power rack, 2000 Mbps dual fiberoptic internet, embodiment space, four kitchens, sundecks & wooden platforms, big squishy dance floor, co-work zones, yoga & meditation studio, two swimming springs, jam space full of instruments & soundsystems, two aerial silks, lyra, arts & crafts zone.

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Effigy at Somewhere
Effigy at Somewhere

This is an ephemeral co-living, co-created community on 9 hectares of private paradise.

As of today, our community consists of 8 core team members & professional staff which, together with volunteers, maintain and improve the space.

Our target is ~20-40 humans on-site for these residencies. We expect a slow ramp-up as the season begins. Our capacity is 150 beds, and we are hosting a 600 person gathering later this year, so expect plenty of space & privacy.

Those who end up here typically range between 25-40 years of age, and all ages 18+ are welcome to apply. We make sure there aren't too many people from any one country.

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Would you like to join the mischief? This experience is by application only. Here are our accommodation options.

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The Season Calendar

April 17 - October 15: co.living residencies [curated] July - August 27: contact improv residency [curated]

Residents (you!) are welcome to stay seamlessly between & during events and can normally continue in their accommodation, van, tent, or glamping. Following SYNESTHESIA, the residencies will be more relaxed and with fewer people. Events April 19 - 21: Opening Slumberparty: Cats May 30 - June 5: Somewhere [Portuguese Burn] June 19 - 24: Contact Dojo (CI) ft. Natan & Shai June 27 - 30: Agua Terra Gathering ft. Yaima [external production] August 7 - 14: Dancing the Political w/ Saed Mansour August 30 - September 4: SYNESTHESIA [curated] September 11 - 15: Gathering of Tribes [external production] September 19 - 22: Contact Dojo II October 2 - 8: Gathering of Vibes [external production] October 15 - Nov 15th: Closed for Maintenance Nov 15th Onwards: :) Blue-link events require separate tickets. 3-8 week stays are most common. We're in the forest up north, it's never too hot here. If you wish to indicate interest to stay any time from October 15th onwards, click here.

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Bandwidth is split to ensure stability.
Bandwidth is split to ensure stability.

We are remote work friendly & all biorhythms are welcome.

The estate was chosen for its total privacy, close proximity to Porto Airport and amenities, fiber-optic internet, and exquisite nature. While there is some fantastic infrastructure here, please understand that we are building the ship as we are sailing it & this is a paradise in progress.

We want to Garden to be a space that is socially sustainable & are exploring what the minimum viable stack of communal practices, rituals, and responsibilities are.

To get a taste of our style, here's some psychotech we are testing this year.

Authentic Unrelating: While you are wearing headphones or earbuds in a public space, it signals to everyone to ghost you — no eye contact, conversation, or engaging with your 'field.' Consider it an opt-in, personal Vipassana.

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Or, if more words are your thing, read our vision & values metadoc & agreements.

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🖤 FAQ:

If you made if this far, you are our kind of curious. Apply below :)

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Can't make it now but want to stay in the loop? Here's the group for secret gatherings