We are a loose tribe of friends and family who choose to live a simple life, that respects this planet. We are united by a love for nature and a commitment to self-awareness. We mostly met when living in the commune of the enlightened mystic Osho. We are guided by his vision of living totally, with love and awareness; in the world but not of the world.

The horses brought us here to this land, as we sought a place where they could live a natural lifestyle and we could live together in freedom. The land was a traditional Portuguese montado (silvo-pastoral), no longer a viable farm in the modern world and abandoned for 40 years. Nayana, one of the original founders of OtE, is a trained aromatherapist, so she immediately recognised the value of the “weeds” that take over degraded land in Portugal. Harvesting and distilling aromatic shrubs seemed to be an ideal way to support the land and all those living on it.

The cork oak montado of Portugal is a unique eco-system, which is currently
struggling to survive. Our aim is to regenerate the forest through sustainable harvest and distillation of aromatic plants, holistic management and integrated land use (ILU) for maximum carbon sequestration.

We dwell lightly on this land, with deep respect for all those that share the space here. From the dung beetles to the snake eagles, from humans to horses, each one has its place, and contributes to supporting a healthy eco-system.