Help us bring new life to a precious, historic building.

In keeping with our sustainability principles, we have decided to renovate this historic building, rather than tear down and rebuild.

We need your support to achieve this vision. Your contribution, no matter what the size, will make a difference. Thank you!

Parvati has an interesting history. In 1987, through the gift of a devotee, the Ashram purchased land on the south side of the property, including Parvati and Ganesh. These buildings have been used for many Ashram purposes: residence, guest rooms, meeting venue, etc. For a number of summers, visiting teachers lived in Parvati to reconnect and renew.

The Ashram’s connection with Parvati dates back to its beginnings. In 1963, the artist owner, Doug Riseborough, let Swami Radha take a three-month seclusion in Parvati, in the front room where the big window is. During this time she focused on the Lord’s Prayer and the Book of Revelation in order to make the connection between yogic practice and the Christian teachings. When commenting on the potential use of Parvati, Swami Radha noted that others understood “very well that some of that energy remains.” To this day, people enjoy Parvati because of its special atmosphere.

Our vision is to convert Parvati into a refreshed family and retreat cottage. Swami Radha’s wish was to improve it, which involves significant work. We have a multi-phase plan in progress to make Parvati a functional and sustainable 21st century building.

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Phase One

Budget:  $40,000

This phase focuses on the essential foundational work necessary to prepare Parvati for its update.  The building has not been in use since 2011 due to pest problems.

Deconstruction began at that time and since then we have been removing all the rotted and weak timber, extending the roof overhang to protect the walls, insulating the floors and “critter-proofing” the building to prevent the pack-rats from digging their way in.  The insulation of the walls to a much higher standard is scheduled to be completed, as is work to improve site drainage.

Much of this work is being done by Karma Yogis.  They have handled most of the lower-tech work in carpentry, wall and floor repairs.  Cassandre Ortiz, a Karma Yogi currently in the YDC, has been leading this effort along with a constantly changing team of Karma Yogis – all learning new skills. Our carpenter, Steve Sayer, stays at the Ashram a few days a week and attends Hatha Yoga and weekly reflection classes.  Joern Wingender (who reconstructed the Divine Mother Prayer Room cabin) is advising, and Louis Kruse, a student at the local school and son of our chef Steve, comes in on Saturdays to earn funds for a school project that will take him on a trip to Mexico this spring.

 

Upcoming Phases

Once the basic structure and foundation have been addressed, the following improvements are necessary:

Budget

• New roof = $8,000
• Electrical rewire, new washroom facilities = $35,000
• Finishing the kitchen unit, new floor surfaces, all finishes = $15,000

Total Upcoming Phases = $58,000

 

The total investment required to renovate Parvarti so that it is a fully functional family and retreat cottage is an estimated $98,000.

Your contribution – no matter what the size – will help restore a place of special significance and create a lovely home for visiting families and guests.  Thank you again for helping us achieve this vision!