Our new vision is simply to create a peaceful neighborhood with good neighbors, where we each “do our own thing” and, when it feels right, to collaborate with one another on projects.  Perhaps out of this informal interaction, a greater sense of community will emerge organically.


We invite you to read our four newsletters (click here to find them) so that you may understand how and why our thinking has evolved.


As for us, Norie and Richard, as long as we’re living in the Garden of Paradise, we aspire to create a beautiful place for people to visit.  For more information on the resources we offer, please click here. 


From time to time we or our colleagues will offer classes or workshops in the Garden of Paradise.  If you’d like receive our newsletter, with information about these and other news from us, please sign up here:

PLEASE NOTE THIS SITE AND PAGE ARE STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING AS WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THE SITE DO ALL THE THINGS WE NEED!  :-)


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At the Garden of Paradise, we write books, create art, play music, teach workshops, practice healing modalities & transformational strategies, lead retreats and actively work to create a rebalanced planet, one person and project at a time.


To learn more about our projects,

products and outreach,

please click here to visit

our sister-site, Butterfly Blessings.


“Garden of Paradise” is well named...


We have over a mile of river frontage bordered by flat fertile fields planted in organic gardens, pastures and orchards.  Lovely glens and hollows are found all along the entire length of this beautiful stretch of river, connected by meandering pathways.  A small internal road strategically connects part, but not all, of the property.  From several locations, hiking trails pass upwards through a series of micro-ecosystems to the mountain tops.  From there, well over 1000 feet above the valley, one sees stunning views of horizons that go for many miles in all directions. 

PS  Please note that as of August, 2012 this website is still being re-composed.   So, while a few of the pages are a bit raggedy the main portions of Garden of Paradise are intact, understandable and coherent.  We are working as fast as possible towards completion.  Thanks for understanding! 

Please enjoy our website,


Richard & Norie

Obviously, with more resources we could manifest our vision more rapidly, but that’s not the point.  The point is to start wherever you are. To do whatever you can do to “leave the trail better than you found it”.  And while you’re moving forward, hold the faith that there are other team mates out there, all over our lovely Earth, doing what they can do, too.  Click here to see Norie’s book, “Return to The Garden,” for the outlines of the vision we hold.

In 2007, when we “bought the farm”, it looked very different from how it looks today. 


Edulia Gonzales, President of our Junta Parrochial—the local governing body— saw the farm in the spring of 2007, just before we bought it. She said, “It looked like hell”, abandoned and overgrown with weeds and cactus plants.

Two years later, Edulia came to visit us with a group of women. She said she was amazed how the farm now looked like (her words) a “garden of paradise”.

Five years have passed since we bought our farm.  Despite floods, fires and other major challenges (which we are chronicling for a future book), we’ve been working with a small team of dedicated workers to create a true “Garden of Paradise” out of the abandoned farm. To show what’s possible when you have a clear vision.

As for our real, physical world Garden of Paradise, we’re

located near the village of Vilcabamba in south-central Ecuador.  We have 350 acres, one mile-high, where we enjoy a temperate (not tropical) environment with year-round temperatures between 60-80 degrees F.

Our original vision for the Garden of Paradise was to create a small, vibrant Community.  However, as we attempted to manifest this vision over the last five years, we now believe that our original concept needs to be modified. 

While we do have a few lots and larger pieces of land for sale, we recommend that you first spend some time to experience the area and ourselves directly to see if we all agree that we’d make good neighbors. 


For more information on land and lots available, please click here to contact us