The Grove

  • Communities

About the Communities

  • Established
  • Spiritual
  • Rural

Founding year

  • 2022

What we do

WHO WE ARE

We are an intentional community and retreat center where inquisitive minds and deep souls from all faith practices convene to share ideas, learn from and about each other, and practice acceptance and interdependence.

OUR WHY

We envision courageous people living together in a new way, without exercising power over each other, transforming ourselves, each other, and the world.

WHAT WE DO

We are cultivating a loving, inclusive, and sustainable community and retreat center that inspires and empowers each other to live and lead courageously.
We achieve this by fostering open dialogue and consensus-based agreement building within a non-hierarchical leadership framework. Here, diverse seekers and inquisitive minds learn, share, and grow together.
We so believe in the power of intentional living and collective effort to cultivate a thriving world that we are also dedicated to creating a retreat center where all are welcome to experience life in community on a short term basis.
Our retreat center and accommodations will be a sacred space to retreat from the busyness of life, slow down and reconnect with God, yourself, and others, which allows for the renewing of your body, mind, and spirit.
We envision a wide variety of programs, retreats, and services being offered in the future. Some examples are depicted in this image.

OUR VALUES

Everyone Belongs-All have value simply because they exist. All have a piece of the truth and none of us have all of the truth. We believe all can thrive when we are known, accepted, loved and experience a sense of belonging.
People First-We practice valuing our relational connection above all else, by keeping our attention fully present in each moment and interaction, while listening “for” as opposed to “against.”
Loving kindness-We practice walking in harmony, releasing our judgments, and choosing the kindest thought towards ourselves and others.
Honest, KInd, and Direct Communication-We practice acknowledging and accepting what is in the current situation with the people directly involved, so that the full range of possibilities are available. In addition we practice seeking clarity and resolution with others when difficulties arise.
Freedom to Be You-We practice sharing all of who we are with each other in honor and respect so that diversity is cherished and thrives.

HOW WE DO IT

We do this by providing a space for people to live and learn intentionally together, with all the beauty and messiness that life and learning in community brings. We believe that it’s the “bumping up and into each other” that allows us to uncover our true selves and discover our purposes. We do this while practicing exercising our power with each other, not over each other. In other words, we all give something up in order to actually live together
How we are organized-We are currently informally organized. We are in the process of searching for 10-20 acres in the Texas hill country area, which will initially be held by Greater Grounds LLC. Our long term intention is to establish a non-profit organization to hold the land and all operations.
How we make decisions-Our practice for making decisions is Consensus Agreement Building. To learn more about this practice read here.
How we lead-We practice a non-hierarchical leadership framework, based on a circle as opposed to a pyramid. No one is above or below anyone else in terms of importance, power, or weight of their contribution.

Our Mission

We are cultivating a loving, inclusive, and sustainable community and retreat center that inspires and empowers each other to live and lead courageously.
We achieve this by fostering open dialogue and consensus-based agreement building within a non-hierarchical leadership framework. Here, diverse seekers and inquisitive minds learn, share, and grow together.

  • Purpose
  • Spiritual
  • Community type
  • Cohousing
  • Spiritual Retreat Centers

Commemorative dates

  • January 1, 2022
  • Started planning
  • January 1, 2023
  • Started living together
  • 4 Total members
  • Open to new members
  • Open to visitors
Total
4

Basic expectations or agreements for members

Contact the community, or a member they personally know, to schedule a time to visit.

Primary decision-making authority

  • Small Leadership Group

A few people (not elected by the broader community) make the major decisions.

Decision-making process

  • Full Consensus

Everyone must agree before moving forward.

Governance structure

  • Collaborative/Horizontal

Power and responsibility are shared relatively equally among members.

Economic model

  • Independent Finances

Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.

Economic scenarios for this community

  • Members need to pay fees, dues, or similar to live there on a per month or per year basis
  • Members typically need to have their own job or other personal source of income to cover their expenses while living in the community?

Additional economic information

Regular fees: Yes

Frequency of communal meals

  • 1-3 times per month

Substance use culture

  • Substance use appears in public spaces but no pressure

Gender composition

  • Roughly balanced (no group over 60%)

Age demographics

  • Mixed adults (few or no children)

Guest Book

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Location

  • Texas, United States

The Grove

Needs and Offers

Connecting people and communities through an intentional online marketplace

  • Promoted
Need
  • Promoted
Offer
  • Promoted
  • Events
3 weeks ago

Healing Love Healing Money: Trust As The Foundation For A New Culture

Money, love and power are among the hardest things any community works with, and many of us carry the same fears into both: not having enough, losing what we have, and the sense that if someone else gets money or love, we won’t. Healing Love, Healing Money: Trust as the Foundation for a New Culture is taught by two intentional communities. Karen McAllister and Duncan Cryle are from Clear Sky Meditation and Retreat Center, a Buddhist-lineage community in the BC Rockies. Monika Alleweldt and Benjamin von Mendelssohn from Tamera Healing Biotope, a community of about 160 people in southern Portugal that has spent decades studying love, trust and relationship. Clear Sky has spent years working on its relationship with money, and our two communities found surprising parallels in the fears beneath both. Over four sessions we explore the roots of fear around money and belonging, love, possession and power, trust as infrastructure (community as a container for healing), and ethical livelihood. We use short meditations, body-based practices, reflection and small-group conversation. You do not need to be in a romantic relationship or live in community. When: October 27, Nov 3, 10, 17. All four sessions: 12–2pm Vancouver, 1–3pm Alberta, 7–9pm UK and Portugal, 8–10pm Central Europe. Note: US and some Canadian provinces change clocks on November 1, so the US west coast is 12–2pm on October 27, then 11am–1pm for the remaining sessions, and Eastern is 3–5pm on October 27, then 2–4pm for the rest. Cost: sliding scale Details and registration: https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/healing-love-healing-money-online/  
October 27, 2026 13:00 – November 17, 2026 15:00
Need
  • Communities with Openings
1 week ago

Needs: Quiet nature focused community with work exchange

About Me Hello, I’m Nanu. I’m 46 years old in need of a peaceful, nature-centered community where I can contribute, maintain my independence, and potentially establish a long-term home. I’m autistic and sometimes experience periods when I’m nonverbal. I appreciate direct communication, clear expectations, and people who respect different communication styles without making assumptions. I’m independent, value personal boundaries, and do best in environments where people can coexist comfortably without constant social interaction. The Environment I’m Seeking I’m looking for a wooded, green setting with mature trees, grass, and access to nature. Forests, trails, gardens, and peaceful outdoor spaces are important to me. I’d prefer a region with relatively mild winters, avoiding both desert landscapes and areas with harsh, snowy winters. Privacy is essential. I’m interested in a residential community where people respect one another’s space and participation in social activities is optional. I’m not looking for a retreat center, event venue, or community that regularly hosts outside groups, workshops, classes, or large gatherings on the residential property. Occasional visitors are understandable, but I prefer a quiet environment where residents can enjoy their homes without a constant flow of people coming and going. Work Exchange and Housing I’m interested in exchanging practical work for housing. Possible contributions include community gardening, planting, watering, harvesting, kitchen assistance, meal preparation, property upkeep, and other mutually agreed-upon tasks. I’d like the responsibilities, schedule, and expectations clearly established in advance. A trial stay or introductory period would be ideal so both sides can determine whether the arrangement is a good fit. Potential for Long-Term Ownership My longer-term goal is to explore purchasing a small home, a defined parcel of land, or a legally documented ownership interest in an established cooperative community. I have limited savings available for a potential investment and want to use those funds carefully toward lasting housing stability. I’m not interested in vague promises of future ownership or arrangements that depend entirely on one person’s continued involvement. I’d want clear documentation of ownership rights, decision-making, ongoing expenses, and what happens if a resident leaves or the community dissolves. I’m also not interested in traditional HOA-style arrangements or unpredictable fees. Reasonable, transparent shared expenses are open for discussion. Community Culture I’m looking for people who value mutual respect, personal autonomy, honest communication, and practical cooperation. I appreciate companionship but also need quiet and solitude. I don’t expect everyone to share my interests, only to respect one another’s boundaries. What I’d Like to Know If your community offers work exchange, a private and peaceful living environment, wooded surroundings, and a realistic possibility of long-term housing or ownership, I’d love to hear from you. Please share information about your location, climate, current residents, available housing, work-exchange expectations, visitor policies, ongoing costs, and potential ownership arrangements. I’d like to visit and get acquainted before making any commitments. My goal is to find a genuine mutual fit. Thank you for reading!

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