Location: CAYA Sanctuary in Mossyrock, Washington

Nestled in the lush forests of the Cascade Range between Mt. Ranier and Mt. St. Helens, CAYA Sanctuary is a healing retreat center founded by owners Damian and Crystal Espiritu. Located 2 hours south of Seattle and 2.5 hours north of Portland, CAYA is the perfect location to spend four weeks learning, building, and growing together in this natural building and carpentry workshop. Attendees will have access to a host of on-site amenities including: beautiful wooded campsites, acres of forest to explore, wood fired hot tubs, sauna, refreshing dips in the nearby creek, and a gorgeous new community building for gathering during lectures and meals. In addition to the bounty of on-site activities, students can spend their weekends exploring the National Parks of Mt. Ranier or Mt. St. Helens, paddle boarding and kayaking on Mayfield or Riffe Lake, venturing to nearby towns, or hiking to several nearby waterfalls.

When are we building together?

Students can arrive at CAYA Sanctuary in Mossyrock, Washington as early as the evening of September 14th, but need to arrive by noon at the latest on Sunday, September 15th. Students should plan on leaving by the morning of Monday, October 14th . 

Who is this workshop for? 

This four week workshop is for anyone interested in exploring natural building, for those seeking to build their own earthen home, as well as for experienced natural builders wanting to expand their repertoire of techniques.  No prior building experience is required to attend this workshop.  Clay Sand & Soul (CSS) seeks to create an inclusive, positive learning environment where all backgrounds, questions, and inputs are welcome and encouraged.

Who are we building for? 

CAYA Sanctuary is a healing retreat center in the forested hills beneath Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Rainier founded by Damian and Crystal Espiritu. The center is focused on human development workshops, plant medicine rituals, and exploring all types of natural, alternative, and sustainable building techniques. 

A message from our hosts:

“We are Damian and Crystal Espiritu and we have been inspired by this journey of life to help people find their way back to themselves in a deep and expansive way. One of the best ways we have found to do this self-reconnection is through immersion in the beauty, clarity and healing energy provided by nature. We dreamed of building a retreat space for many years and were guided to Florida for a few years to heal ourselves (still in process), learn how to hold space for others in a good way and to understand the healing ability of plant medicines. 

Last May the Great Mystery gave us a loud and clear signal that it was time to return home to Washington state and to build THE retreat space. We are so deeply honored to have been called to be the stewards and guardians of this land in Mossyrock, WA. We also have a deep knowing that we cannot do it alone, nor do we want to. We have asked the universe to call the people here that want to help manifest this dream into reality and who have the kind of energy that aligns with this dream. 

The mission is to create a space and place for people to be, just to BE. There will be sacred plant medicine ceremonies held here. There will be other retreats focused on health and wellness, that will not incorporate plant medicines, because we understand that plant medicines are not the path for everyone. We will host weddings, family reunions, festivals, and other events, as well as opening the space for solo, couples or families to come and create their own retreat.

If you decide to come to this workshop we are deeply honored and grateful for the energy and love you will be pouring into this land. We trust that your hearts have heard the call and are so excited to welcome you here. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

What will you learn as a student?

During our four weeks working together at CAYA Sanctuary, students will gain an in-depth, hands-on understanding of all the elements needed to successfully build a Pallet Cob Cottage with a living, reciprocal roof. 

These elements include:

-fundamentals of site selection 

-floor plan design essentials for a cottage to perform well in your climate

-site soil assessment and testing systems for cob, base plaster, finish plasters, and earthen floors

-foundation fundamentals 

-post and beam framing

-window and door installation

-calculating, planning, and raising a reciprocal roof 

-living roof systems and installation

-electrical & plumbing design and installation

-insulation options and installation

-modifying and installing a pallet wall system

-preparing pallets for receiving plaster: attaching wood lath, slip making and applying, etc.

-formulating, mixing, and application of cob, earthen base plaster, earthen finish plasters

-creating sculptures and niches with cob

-inserting bottles in walls for light and beauty

-formulating and pouring an earthen/earthen-lime floor

-earth pigment collecting and processing for making interior clay paints

-making and applying limewash

If time permits we will also cover:

-how to build a cob bench

-installing a kitchen with a vanity, sink, and shelving

The skills you will develop in this course include:

-planning and managing a build of your own

-developing intuition around assessing, selecting, and formulating successful earthen plasters

-a comprehensive range of carpentry skills, such as using a wide variety of electric and battery operated power tools, using a transit level, safety practices, tricks of the trade, etc!

-working and living in community

-building physical strength and proper body mechanics to maintain physical well-being while doing manual labor

-finding joy, freedom, and confidence through doing challenging things

What does the daily rhythm of a 4 week CSS workshop look like? 

The workshop will open with a welcome circle and communal dinner on Sunday, September 15th.  Class will officially begin on Monday, September 16th and end on Saturday, October 12th with a closing meal and ceremony to celebrate.  We will work and learn together, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm.  Once a week we facilitate a fire circle, where students, teachers, and hosts have an opportunity to be heard and received equally. Lectures will occur twice a week, usually in the mornings, to lay the groundwork for new building skills and natural building theory.  One night a week there will be an opportunity for teachers and students alike to share their natural building work.  Each workday can vary, but will generally follow this schedule: 

A hearty breakfast at 7:30 am

Stretching, yoga, sharing circle, group readings at 8:30 am

Morning work session from 9 am- 1pm, sometimes beginning with a lecture

Hydrating snack at 10:30 am

A nourishing vegetarian lunch from 1-2:30pm

Afternoon work session from 2:30-5:30pm

Rest and relaxation from 5:30- 6:30pm

A delicious vegetarian dinner at 6:30 

Fire, music, community sharing in the evenings

What amenities will I find at CAYA Sanctuary? 

Building a complete cottage in four short weeks is no small feat for the brain, body and heart.  Hosts Damian and Crystal Espiritu of CAYA Sanctuary offer various amenities and comforts to keep students feeling healthy, rested, and comfortable.  Three nutritious, vegetarian meals and one snack will be prepared for students every day, Monday through Friday.  Students are responsible for providing their own meals on Saturdays and Sundays.  There will be level, shaded campsites for students to set up their own tents, as well as safari tents on raised platforms available for an additional fee.  Students will have access to CAYA’s new community center where bathrooms, showers, a furnished & electrified living area, washing machine, student-only fridge, and a kitchen for weekend meals to be prepared can be found.

What will my weekends look like at CAYA Sanctuary?

Beyond the tangible skills you will learn during workdays and lectures, there is always the opportunity for personal growth, whether through the magic that is co-created when folks with a common vision come together or through planned weekend activities.  Saturdays and Sundays are set aside for resting, enjoying CAYA Sanctuary’s forest, sauna, and wood-fired hot tubs, exploring the nearby mountains and waterfalls, and gathering around the fire for music and stories. There will be opportunities to sit in a cacao ceremony and sound bath with Crystal Espiritu from CAYA Sanctuary, practice ecstatic dance with our very own Josh Burg as DJ, as well as explore breathwork with Breathwave facilitator Patrick Sellin.  

Five minutes away at Mayfield Lake you can rent kayaks and paddle boards to explore and watch the bald eagles fish, or go fishing yourself for trout, bass, or salmon! Gifford Pinchot National forest, the Goat Rocks Wilderness and the foothills of Mount St. Helens and Mt. Rainer all offer incredible hiking, trail running, waterfall swimming, and fishing opportunities during the weekends as well.

What are my payment options?

The price includes tuition, camping, meals, and all instruction materials. There are a few ways to register and pay. To pay with Zelle, Venmo, or PayPal, (which we prefer and which don’t charge a transaction fee), please follow the QR codes below. To pay with a credit card through our website, click the “Store” button below. A $50 transaction fee will be added to any transactions made through our store (all cards and ApplePay are accepted, as well as a payment plan through Klarna).

1. Students can pay the full amount and receive the following rate depending on what date they register:

Early Bird Rate (May 1-July 1): $1,700

Normal Rate (July 2- August 1): $1,850

Last-minute Rate (August 2- September 1) $2,000

2. Students can also pay in two installments; 50% upon registering, and 50% before the last day of that rate’s time period. For example, if you were to register for the early bird rate on June 1st, you would pay the first installment of $850 upon registering, and then would need to pay the second installment of $850 before July 1st. This installment plan is only available when paying through Zelle, PayPal or Venmo.

We also offer two work trade positions.  Two students will trade 1 hour each morning preparing breakfast for the group from 6:30-7:30am in exchange for a $200 discount. Please contact us directly if you are interested in this trade. 

To contact us directly for any questions, please WhatsApp us at 907-650-7704 or email us at students@claysandsoul.com

Clay Sand & Soul is thrilled to be facilitating what promises to be an incredible and empowering educational experience for individuals of all backgrounds who want to break the cycle of disunity and return to an ethos of collaboration and sustainability. Our goal as a new natural building outfit is to bring the techniques we’ve learned over the years to as many people as possible and give them the tools they need to build their own healthy, hand-sculpted dwellings in an affordable, egalitarian, and enriching workshop format. We humbly thank you for reading through this extensive course description and look forward to serving the next generation of natural builders.
With love and gratitude,
Josh and Sara