Suan Sati

ABOUT Who We Are And How We Got Here The Story Suan Sati was dreamed up by Will, the owner, in October 2015 while having lunch with Thai friends along the banks of the Ping River. Inspired but also tired from nearly 6 years of travel, Will longed for a place to unpack his bags and call home. He envisioned combining his passions of meditation, yoga, and conservation into a lifestyle project. With the support of his Thai friends, Suan Sati was birthed from idea to reality in June 2016 when he moved onto the site of the first location. With little money, few hard skills, and an open heart, Suan Sati began to welcome friends and volunteers to help with the co-creation of this sacred space. The idea was simple – a place in the countryside of Chiang Mai where people from all walks of life could come and experience life changing transformation at an affordable price. Philosophy Suan Sati’s intention is to be a place to practice mindfulness through meditation, asana yoga, ecological integration, and community connection. Underlying this intention is the view that every moment is an opportunity to practice. This space supports the practice by reminding us return to this intention throughout the day in meditation sessions, yoga classes, taking quiet time to reflect, and observation and interaction with nature. The invitation to bring mindfulness into daily life is ever present in the Garden of Mindfulness. Beginnings The original location of Suan Sati is a fond memory for all involved. When work first began in 2016, the site was overgrown and neglected. With the help of dozens of short-term volunteers, work was undertaken to clear and clean the land in preparation for building. Conditions were simple, but the volunteers felt joyous as they poured their energy into a project that had meaning, and heart. Eventually, a few simple bamboo bungalows were built, along with shared bathrooms and a kitchen.