Earthsong Foundation ~ About Us
The Earthsong Foundation is a 501c3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to ecological education and restoration. We protect and steward the ecosystem in our care and invite others to join us in learning and growing with the Earth as our primary teacher and guide.
Our name & history
Earthsong Hawai‘i — Nā Mele O Ka ʻĀina — received its name in the late 1980s as a retreat space for women. Many original structures were built by a community of women who stewarded the land into the late 1990s. Since then stewardship has been shared among different groups; some structures were added and others fell into disuse, but the forest has continued to grow thanks to collective care and great growing conditions.
Our landscape & mission
Earthsong Hawai’i is home to many edible & medicinal plants & trees including several varieties of Avocado, Papaya, Banana, Citrus, Jackfruit,‘Ulu, Mamaki, Caapi, & Ti, in addition to many perennial greens, flowers, & herbs. There are honeybees, birds such as the ‘Io (Hawaiian Hawk), butterflies, geckos, frogs, and farm animals...each member of the ecosystem harmonizes with the ocean trade winds that give this earth its song. Art and earth altars have been intentionally placed through out to offer moments of pause to connect with the spirit of the ‘āina (land).
The surrounding region has been heavily altered—deforested land, cattle pasture, and mono-cropped orchards are common. In contrast, Earthsong is committed to fostering an organic, diverse food forest without the use of toxic chemicals. Our mission centers on:
Permaculture education and hands-on learning
Sanctuary and humane care for animals
Ecological restoration and habitat protection
Community food access via donation-based distribution
Community & food access
Produce from our food forest is grown primarily for residents and for the surrounding community. Our farm stand operates on a donation basis to make food accessible and to support ongoing stewardship work.
Earthsong Stewards & Foundation Directors
Aloha, we’re Ryan and Elena. We discovered Earthsong Hawaiʻi in 2020 during a time of collective transformation. The land was overgrown and struggling; as we cleared decades-old waste, repurposed materials, and rebuilt infrastructure, the place began to regenerate and so did we.
Over the years we’ve hosted gatherings, retreats, trainings, run summer camps, and hosted a weekly holistic learning program for children. We live between Hawaiʻi and Panamá, travel to continue our education, and share what we learn with a global community. Earthsong is our hands‑on classroom, for us and all who spend time here.
Ryan
Aloha, I’m Ryan — raised in Texas’s Hill Country near Austin, where rivers and lakes first sparked my love of nature. After studying Geography and Language at the University of Texas, I left in 2009 to live in rural Latin America and establish a small farm homestead in Panamá. Over 15–20 years of global travel and hands‑on rural living I developed a broad practical skillset and a commitment to self‑reliance, personal liberty, and holistic learning guided by permaculture ethics.
I value cooperative, consent‑based leadership and believe everyone can be both teacher and student. I embrace resilience, justice, and integrity in my work and seek to create space for individual expression, dissent, and peaceful conflict mediation.
I earned my first Permaculture Design Certificate in 2010, became a Certified Yoga Teacher at Shri Kali Ashram (India) in 2012—where I also studied walking massage and Ayurveda—and completed Permaculture Teacher Training in Taiwan in 2024. At Earthsong Hawaiʻi I continue to deepen my experience in permaculture, holistic health, and land and community stewardship.
I’m available for Permaculture Design Consultations for small and large‑scale projects as well as being a contributing instructor on Permaculture Design Programs Worldwide. Ryan@earthsongfoundation.org
Elena
Aloha, I’m Elena — being raised by spiritual jazz musicians embedded in me a love for the arts from literature, design, music, to the healing modalities. I began practicing massage in 2006 and, in 2009, opened a wellness center in Denver (2009–2020) that grew to a team of 20 and offered bodywork, community ritual, and various holistic therapies.
I trained extensively at Sattva Yoga Academy in India (200hr 2017, 300hr 2018, Master Training 2019) and am a Sattva Yoga Master Teacher. I’ve held ceremonies and led retreats, workshops, classes, and private sessions across the U.S., Central America, Australia, India, Indonesia, and the Philippines, and have contributed to 200hr and 300hr teacher trainings (Kriya, Mantra, Asana, Breathwork, Ritual, Earth Magic, Permaculture).
Earthsong Hawaiʻi has been a place of immense growth and grounding. I arrived as an inexperienced gardener and have since nurtured many thriving plants. I received Permaculture Design Certificates in Taiwan (2024) and India (2026). After 20 years in the healing arts, I remain passionate about the work and have recently begun training in Aquatic bodywork.
I share yoga, massage therapy, and earth magic worldwide on retreats, trainings, and permaculture programs. I am available for consultations in building successful healing centers with permaculture ethics. Elena@earthsongfoundation.org
For access to my online catalogue of yoga classes and to read my writing subscribe to my Substack:
Our progress over the years:
Earthsong is a continually evolving project, renovated and maintained over the years using repurposed materials and the energy of many helping hands.