Return to Your True Nature
A Living Reciprocity
About Us
The Ayni Conscious Living Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization dedicated to the exploration of Conscious Living, rooted in the fundamental principle of reciprocity as a means for restoring harmony within ourselves, our relationships, and the environment.
Our goal is to restore a sense of abundance and interconnectedness with life, guiding individuals and communities to move beyond scarcity and separation. Through reciprocity, conscious connection and shared growth we seek to restore harmony with nature and a sense of wholeness in ourselves and the world around us.
Current Cultural Climate
Modern life has increasingly disconnected humanity from the natural rhythms of the Earth, each other, and ourselves. This disconnection impacts our physical health and sense of well-being on all levels, creating life-denying patterns of isolation, imbalance, disharmony and dis-ease.
Disconnection is both a lack of awareness or in-touchness with the present moment reality and the displacement of awareness or fixation upon patterns of avoidance / pursuit of another reality. It perpetuates the sense of disconnection and a process of constant becoming instead of ease of being.
Disconnection has become systemically normalized and continues to spread throughout the globe to even the most simple and humble communities. As newer generations leave their traditions, they sell their ancestral land and adopt more modern ways of integrating into society – the old ways are being lost.
These traditions are the very fabric that keeps human beings connected with their origins and the health, happiness and harmony that is our birthright.
Our Response
Ayni Conscious Living Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the exploration of Conscious Living. Rooted in the wisdom of Indigenous traditions and fundamental principle of reciprocity and harmonious relationships, we aim to foster balance within ourselves, our relationships, and the environment, offering a path toward collective well-being and sustainability.
Conscious – awareness that unites as many angles and perspectives as possible
Living – our interdependence and reciprocity with nature, each other and all of life
As human beings we are biologically inclined to pursue the utmost sense of happiness and fulfillment.
Our sense of wellbeing is multilayered and defined by our physical, psychological, emotional, social and spiritual health.
This health is largely dependent upon our environment to meet the necessities of life, such as the air we breathe, water we drink, food we eat, and peace of the environments we find ourselves in – as well as our relationship with our environment, which includes people and all daily interactions.
Ayni or reciprocity is the foundation of life. Exchange is life.
Our project’s goal is to both release life-denying patterns and behaviors while learning life-affirming ways of relating, starting with oneself and reaching outward to our relationships with others and the world around us.
With over 20 years of exploration we’ve found the most effective way to do this is through immersive experiences.
There is no-thing more simple and natural that re-membering our connection with the Earth and giving thanks for the fulfillment of all that we need.
Reciprocity is the way of cause and effect and by returning to a more engaged way of doing our part we exercise our potential as humans – utilizing our minds, our emotions, our bodies and experience a direct connection with our environment.
These experiences create new neurological connections.
Not only do we feel greater health, happiness and wholeness – but we ARE attuning our systems, our circadian rhythms, our brainwave activity, our biochemistry to the cycles of nature. We are harmonizing with nature. In harmony there is accord, there is unity, there is oneness. This multi-dimensional experience completely transforms the sense of self, perception and behavior.
Working with all levels, including our biology, effectively re-attunes the human being to their native environment and their true nature as a part of it.
Our project is a regenerative center that invites guests to experience their own connection with nature, themselves and the whole through the food they eat, the work they do, and all the ways of acknowledging and celebrating the visible and invisible forces that are always with us working together for the highest wellbeing of life. By living in conscious reciprocity the process of re-union is accelerated and supported. Our project aims to live and share this conscious reciprocity in a way that deeply nourishes and reconnects the body, mind and spirit of each individual and the whole of humanity.
Our Pillars
Our Pillars
The Sawayni Center
Sidrio, Charan, Sacred Valley Peru
$200,000 Goal
Preserving Generations of Stewardship
This fertile land, cultivated and cherished for generations, is now being sold by the descendants of those who once worked it with care and devotion. Blessed with abundant water flowing from mountain peaks and nestled between protective mountain ranges, this land is a sanctuary of natural beauty and a thriving ecosystem. It calls out for a new generation of caretakers—those who will honor its history and safeguard its future.
Building the Infrastructure
The vision for this land includes natural buildings crafted in traditional styles using adobe, earth, and stone. Most structures will be electricity-free, built by hand during natural building workshops and in collaboration with local builders, embracing techniques that honor the environment and the region’s cultural heritage.
The first structure planned is a ceremony and gathering space, followed by an outdoor kitchen and communal living areas. The ultimate goal is to create accommodations that comfortably host 14 guests, blending functionality with sustainability to support meaningful connections with the land.
Immersion & Education Programs
Experience seasonal immersion programs designed to help guests reconnect with the earth and rediscover the harmony and unity of living in balance with nature. Drawing on traditions from the Andes, these programs guide participants in releasing disorder and restoring harmony, working alongside nature to embrace humanity’s role in the interdependent web of life.
Programs will include environmental education, natural building, permaculture, and more, offered as part of the immersion experience or as standalone workshops. These offerings aim to inspire a deeper understanding of sustainable living and a renewed relationship with the earth.
Building a Family of Connection
All who come are embraced as family. Together, we learn, grow, and share in the celebrations and challenges of life. United by a shared vision of a world where humanity lives as an integral part of nature, we strive to serve all of life while navigating the practical journey of learning how to live and thrive in harmony with one another.
The project will also provide opportunities for three-month internships, as well as options for long-term community housing, fostering deeper connections and shared purpose among those who wish to make this vision their way of life.
AYNI
Living Reciprocity
Return to Primal Harmony
Nestled in the lush valleys and surrounded by the rushing rivers and towering Andean peaks, the Sacred Valley offers a profound journey of release, surrender, restoration, and activation. Infused with the energy of converging planetary geometries, this sacred land radiates a vitality that ignites the soul and awakens ancient wisdom within.
Beyond the gifts of the land itself, retreats are enriched by the sacred sites, local plants, and the guidance of skilled medicine people. Together, we breathe the crisp mountain air, sharing in the whispers of an ancient memory that lives within each of us, waiting to be remembered and honored.
Unlearn to Learn
Our journey begins with slowing down to earth-speed, unraveling the patterns and stories that keep us disconnected from the present moment. In this stillness, we meet ourselves fully, making peace with what is. Each interaction becomes an opportunity to realize a deeper, unconditional self-love that dissolves old barriers and brings harmony to our inner world.
By cultivating presence, we align with the natural rhythms of the earth, allowing its flow to guide our biology, thoughts, emotions, and sense of connection. This deep attunement fosters a profound sense of environmental harmony and an unshakable authenticity of being.
From this embodied presence, we explore regenerative living through direct experience. Indigenous wisdom, environmental education, permaculture, natural building, sacred geometry, and other sciences come together to support sustainable lifestyles and structural harmony on our planet.
I Am – We Are
At the heart of community lies a shared vision of unity—one that nurtures the potential for true harmony and peace, both within ourselves and in our relationships with others. Living and sharing together is a profound gift, offering countless opportunities for connection, growth, and collective coherence.
Whether you join for a retreat, a three-month internship, or a longer-term stay, community life provides a rich environment for personal and collective transformation alongside like-minded individuals who share a commitment to mutual support and shared purpose.
Our Home
This project was born from the urgent need to address the deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest and its far-reaching impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems. Recently, the Amazon has faced unprecedented water shortages, a crisis with complex causes.
Recognizing that many Amazon River basin waterways originate in the Andes Mountains, we are committed to replanting native species near critical waterways. By restoring systemic health upstream, we can contribute to the regeneration of these vital ecosystems, creating a ripple effect that supports the health and resilience of the Amazon and beyond.
Sacred Economics
At the Ayni Center for Conscious Living, we honor the timeless principle of the gift economy. This model invites us to step away from transactional thinking and embrace a culture of giving and receiving rooted in abundance, trust, and connection. Rather than setting fixed prices, we leave space for contributions to flow naturally from the heart, knowing that this reciprocity nurtures not just our project but a more harmonious way of living.
Your gifts—whether financial, time, or resources—help sustain this vision and make it accessible to others, weaving a web of generosity and shared growth. Together, we can create a world where abundance flourishes and everyone has a place within the circle of giving.
Weaving Traditions: Honoring Humanity’s Roots
Humanity’s roots lie in its history, and every tradition embodies the wisdom of those who came before us. As we move forward, we seek to birth a new culture of inclusiveness—one that honors and respects all traditions as part of humanity’s collective wisdom.
Rooted in the Andes, our project is deeply inspired by the Q’ero and Andean traditions, particularly the principle of Ayni—reciprocity. This timeless concept guides us in fostering harmony and balance in all relationships: with ourselves, each other, the sacred, and the earth. We believe that embracing Ayni is the key to cultivating true peace and unity across all aspects of life.
Embodied Wisdom
The Sawayni Center is a regenerative space where guests are invited to rediscover their connection to nature, themselves, and the greater whole. Through the food we grow and share, the work we engage in, and the practices of honoring both visible and invisible forces, we cultivate a sense of unity and harmony that supports the highest well-being of life.
By embracing conscious reciprocity, we accelerate and support the process of re-union—reconnecting body, mind, and spirit with the rhythms of the earth and the interconnectedness of all things. The Sawayni Center is committed to living and sharing this principle, offering an experience that deeply nourishes each individual and contributes to the collective healing of humanity.
AYNI
Living Reciprocity
Your Donation Matters
Every contribution, no matter how small, helps us take another step toward restoring balance to our planet.
Together, we can make a difference.