Meet our Shambala Family
Finding Inspiration in Every Turn
“If the world is to be healed through human efforts, I am convinced it will be by ordinary people, people whose love for this life is even greater than their fear.”
― Joanna R. Macy
more than a team
​Shambala is the ever-evolving manifestation of big dreams and underpinned by a big vision that runs deeper than business and takes more than a couple of hands, minds and hearts. It is the walk we walk behind the talk we talk that forms the foundation of Shambala Awakening Hub and our vision is in harmony and symbiosis with nature and the land, our relationships extend beyond "just a team", and even beyond "humans only": we live, breathe and hope to inspire eco-centric holistic consciousness, which we believe, is the only way to shape a brighter future and bring about the revolution we, as human collective need - that starts within. Hence, our relationships are based on alignment, common ground, and values. Our team includes the 'fur people' who are part of our family and have found their forever sanctuary on this land - you'll likely encounter them during your time here. Get to know the team below.
meet the creators and custodians
Ands and Lena Diarmada, a husband and wife team with big dreams and the dedication to realize them, founded Shambala in the spring of 2021. After spending several years in Yallingup, where they hosted wholesome community events, music nights, seasonal moon and fire ceremonies, and holistic programs on a rented farm, they were inspired to create something more permanent. They also ran the State of Flow Project, a live music, breathwork, and guided movement journey designed to engage all the senses and help people reconnect with their bodies and inner power, offered at festivals and as school holiday programs for both adults and children.
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Passionate about living in harmony with nature, caretaking land, and reconnecting people with each other & the world around them, Ands and Lena saw how well their events were received and recognized a growing need for communal connection and wholesomeness. At the start of the challenging and controversial COVID-19 era, they took a leap of faith to pursue a dream—not only to find security in a home of their own but also to become custodians of vulnerable nature, regenerate land, and create a safe, conscious space for the community. Thus, Shambala was born, nestled on a stunning 118-acre farm with dense forests in Osmington - home to them, Ands' son Stirling and a little one joining soon, and their extended fur & human family, and mindful sanctuary retreat space for adults and children alike.
Anna-Lena Diarmada, co-founder
lead teacher & facilitator, Ayurvedic healing practitioner
Lena has a deep love for + connection to nature and her more-than-human collective and a keen interest and embodied understanding of natural law and eco-centric energetics that are the foundation to re-cultivating inner wholeness & harmony that in turn ripples outward into all areas of our lives and relationships. Nature is her happy place and a consistent source of magic and beauty. She knows that to reconnect to our nature within we need to reconnect to the nature around us. She lives and breathes that through creating safe, sacred wholesome, and inviting space on their land through Shambala Nature Retreat, providing a slowly growing sanctuary for farm animals (horses, calves so far), and her teaching & healing work through Shambala Awakening Hub, amongst other things.
Ands Diarmada, co-founder
musician, creative art therapist, builder & permaculture enthusiast
Ands is truly the backbone of Shambala, the one who holds everything together. Raised on a permaculture property that his father transformed from wasteland into a thriving, biodiverse paradise over twenty years, Ands grew up surrounded by family, community, and a deep love for nature. These values are in his blood, along with his passion for music, which he considers the language of his heart and his preferred way of expressing the richness of the human experience. When he's not exploring the forests, working on a new project, or playing music, you might find him out on the land with his son Stirling, doing "man things" together.
Ands is deeply committed to off-grid living, harmonizing with ecosystems, and protecting our forests. Above all, he believes in the power of music to soothe, heal, transform, and bring people together. In addition to pursuing his own music career, he offers live music concerts, sound healing sessions, and collaborates with Lena in ceremonies, as well as creative art therapy sessions for groups and individuals. These offerings are all woven into the events, retreats, and ceremonies at Shambala.
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