Casa Rural and Yoga Hotel
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ALAYA SOCIAL CAUSES
At Alaya Retreat Centre, we believe a business can be more than a place of service. It can be a force for good. While we welcome guests from around the world to rest, heal, and grow, our purpose reaches far beyond our own doors. At its heart, Alaya exists to make a difference, to inspire change, touch lives with kindness, and leave this world a better place than we found it.
Our vision is rooted in compassion for people, for animals, and for the planet, and we are committed to using our resources, energy, and community to help where help is needed most.
1. Alaya Retreat Centre's/Cal Pau Cruset’s Refuge for 44 Ukrainian Families
In March 2022, Alaya Retreat Centre/Cal Pau Cruset opened its doors to 44 mothers and children fleeing the war in Ukraine. The decision was made instantly after a conversation with Coopera ONG, who had shared the urgent need for housing.
At that time, buses were already at the borders to collect these families, but there were not enough available beds in Catalonia. Many had been waiting for days in the rain and snow—some after walking for days to reach safety.
Within just a few days, on March 6th, these families arrived at our masia. Together with Coopera ONG, we provided a safe, comfortable space where they could rest, recover, and feel supported.
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The solidarity from the local and international community was extraordinary. Clients of our casa rural, friends, family, strangers, and companies offered donations, food, materials, translation help, and volunteer hours. The City Council of Torrelles de Foix also played an important role, helping us meet needs and offering ongoing support.
We remain deeply grateful to everyone who stepped forward during that time. Their kindness and generosity created a safe haven for 44 women and children during one of the most difficult moments of their lives.
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This experience reflected the heart of Alaya’s mission: creating spaces of refuge, compassion, and community in times of need.
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2. Support for ADAP Penedès
At Alaya Retreat Centre, our sanctuary isn’t just for people—it’s for animals in need too. We are proud to partner with ADAP Penedès, a local animal rescue organization that works with endless dedication to save, rehabilitate, and rehome abandoned and mistreated animals. Their mission is simple but powerful: every animal deserves safety, dignity, and love.
This cause is especially close to our hearts because Patricia, our warm and welcoming receptionist at Alaya, is also the founder of ADAP. Her lifelong commitment to animal welfare infuses our work with even more passion and purpose, creating a beautiful bridge between our retreat centre and the rescue’s life-changing mission.
When you stay at Alaya, you become part of this mission. Guests often have the chance to hear the stories of these animals, meet our foster dogs, and see firsthand the transformation that kindness can bring. Many leave touched by the experience—sometimes even inspired to adopt, volunteer, or support ADAP in their own way.
Some of the dogs we foster have known fear, neglect, or cruelty. They arrive anxious, unsure, and in need of gentle care. Here, in the quiet beauty of Alaya, they are given time to rest, heal, and trust again. We also offer Reiki sessions at no cost, helping them release stress and find calm in their bodies and minds.
Your retreat at Alaya is more than a personal journey—it’s a ripple of compassion. By being here, you help us continue fostering, supporting ADAP’s rescue work, and showing these animals that love is real, and second chances are possible.
Donate Now – Help Give an Animal a Second Chance
3. Horse Rescue Initiative
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At Alaya Retreat Centre, our connection with horses runs deep. Beyond the transformative equine experiences we offer to guests, we are committed to giving back to these magnificent beings who have given so much to humans throughout history. Through our Horse Rescue Initiative, we provide care, rehabilitation, and a safe haven for horses in need—whether they have been abandoned, neglected, or are no longer able to work.
Every horse we help has a story. Some arrive malnourished, with visible signs of hardship. Others carry invisible wounds—fear, mistrust, or the sadness of having been forgotten. At Alaya, they are welcomed into a place of gentleness and respect, where their needs—both physical and emotional—are met with patience and compassion.
Rehabilitation is a slow and sacred process. It may involve veterinary care, special nutrition, gentle handling, and the healing power of simply being allowed to be. Here, horses have open spaces to move freely, the company of other animals, and the presence of people who see them not as tools, but as sentient beings with emotions, preferences, and dignity.
Today, these rescued horses are also part of our Healing with Horses program. Because of their own journeys through hardship and recovery, they have become extraordinary healers—able to connect with people on a deep, intuitive level, offering comfort, presence, and non-judgment in ways that only they can.
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For our guests, meeting these horses is often a profound experience—one that shifts perspectives on empathy, resilience, and the bond between humans and animals. By visiting Alaya, you are helping us continue this mission, offering these horses not just survival, but a life worth living.
Yoga and Healing with Horses: 5-Day Retreat - Sign up HERE
4. Support for Women & Children from Shelters
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At Alaya Retreat Centre, we believe that everyone deserves to feel safe, seen, and supported—especially those who have faced hardship and uncertainty. Over the past years, we have opened our doors to women and children from shelters in Barcelona, creating retreats and special events designed to nurture their healing and restore a sense of hope.
These gatherings offer more than just a change of scenery. They provide a safe and compassionate space where women can begin to rebuild their confidence, rediscover their inner strength, and connect with others who understand their journey. For children, the wide-open spaces, animals, and creative activities offer moments of joy, freedom, and play—simple pleasures that can be profoundly healing.
Our programs often weave together gentle movement, nature walks, art, meditation, and time with our animals, creating an environment where stress begins to lift and trust can slowly take root again. Many participants tell us that the warmth and acceptance they feel here stay with them long after they leave.
This work is close to our hearts. Every retreat is a reminder that healing happens not only through therapy, but through kindness, connection, and the belief that brighter days are possible. By supporting Alaya, you are also helping us continue to offer these experiences free of charge to women and children who need them most.
5. City Mission of India Society & Trust
At Alaya Retreat Centre, our vision of healing and transformation reaches beyond our own walls. One of our newest and most heartfelt initiatives is our partnership with the City Mission of India Society & Trust, supporting the care, education, and well-being of girls living at the City Mission Orphanage in India.
These young girls often arrive at the orphanage from challenging circumstances—some have lost parents, others have been abandoned, and many come from situations where access to education and safety was uncertain. The City Mission provides them with not just shelter, but a loving home, nourishing food, and the opportunity to go to school—laying the foundation for a brighter and more secure future.
Our role is to help ensure that these girls have the resources, support, and encouragement they need to thrive. This includes contributing towards their education, healthcare, and personal development, as well as supporting activities that nurture their confidence and creativity.
For us, this is more than charity—it’s about investing in the next generation of women, giving them the tools to break cycles of poverty, and empowering them to dream beyond their circumstances. By being part of the Alaya community, you are also part of their journey, helping to open doors that can change the course of their lives.
Every stay, every retreat, and every moment you spend at Alaya is part of a bigger story—one of kindness, connection, and shared responsibility. By choosing Alaya, you are not only nurturing your own wellbeing, but also standing alongside us in supporting vulnerable animals, empowering women and children, and creating opportunities for brighter futures.
We invite you to join us in these efforts—whether by donating, volunteering, spreading the word, or simply holding these causes in your heart. Together, we can create ripples of change that reach far beyond what we can see.