The area
Elbenschwand is probably the steepest hamlet in the entire southern Black Forest. The tiny village is home to around 150 people.
The Kleine Wiesental is an area largely spared from the modern transformation of our landscape. Species-rich pastures, powerful places such as the Nonnenmatt pond, numerous streams, the wild meadow (river), beautiful hiking trails and rustic farms characterize the charm and power of the valley and its adjacent mountains.
Buildings
The infrastructure consists of a residential building from the 1980s, a shed with workshop, wood storage and sauna, the new building with the meditation and community room (total living space 350m²), a seasonally habitable shepherd’s wagon and steep terrain (1800m²) with terraced gardens.
The house has solar panels and is heated entirely with wood. The village has its own well for drinking water.
The capacity for permanent stays in the house is 8-12 people, a similar number can be provided with fruit and vegetables on the permaculture site. The accommodation capacity can be increased to around 25 people in the building for short term stays.
Practice rooms
The heart of the house is the meditation room in the new building. All of us who have visited this place have been able to feel the sincere practice of recent years in it and have been drawn down to the ground and into the silence. We believe that, especially in these times and for the core concerns of the place, namely orientation, connection and practice, grounding is a fundamental prerequisite for development.
Above the practice room is an equally large common room. This will be used for communal meals when the house is full and for somatic practice. Both rooms share the wonderful view of the Belchen, an important Celtic mountain of power and patron saint of the valley.
Connection
The nearest towns to Elbenschwand are Basel (approx. 25 minutes from the nearest train station, Schopfheim, 45 minutes in total) and Freiburg (approx. 1 hour by car, unfortunately 2 hours by public transport).
