Matriarchal Sanctuaries
A global network of sanctuaries rooted in rhythm, stewardship, & quiet care
WHOLEFAM administers and supports a matriarchal land trust and sanctuary network restoring old churches, rural lands, and quiet homes into places of rest, rhythm, and regeneration for humans and animals.
Each site offers shelter, food, and healing community—especially for overworked women, our elders, and so many caregivers quietly falling through the cracks.
Our model reclaims underused properties and returns them to sacred function through:
- Shared labor and ecological care
- Rotating women’s councils for local governance
- Low-cost, non-clinical, self-healing environments rooted in skill exchange and time-tested wisdom
WHOLEFAM is not a program or product. It is a living systems response to the widespread exhaustion of our time. The circle offers a simple, replicable, trust-based model that restores communities from the inside out.
Why Now
- Over 100,000 residential facilities, schools, hospitals, churches and civic halls across the U.S. are sitting empty
- Safe places for women and elders are declining, as food access and housing stability are in rapid decline
- Burnout, isolation, and over-medicalization are rising across all demographics
- Traditional nonprofit models are failing to address the full human need for meaning, community, and land relationship (sun, air, dirt, water, fire, music, space, and harmony) as essential to well being
Joining the WHOLEFAM Matriarchal Circle
A quiet circle of matriarchs who uphold the stewardship of land to heal and nourish.
An Invitation
WHOLEFAM is a nonprofit global circle of stewards caring for women, animals, and communities. It is a matriarchal sanctuary seeding the skills and support needed in our time as we move through this transition back toward healthy, self-sufficient communities.
As more lands are being offered to the circle to be protected, regenerated, and opened under this matriarchal model and in greater service to life, a growing number of skilled and steady hands who understand the seasons and know how to tend to the roots is ready to meet the need.
This circle is where those hands get to work.
Why a Stewardship Circle?
Stewarding land is not about possession. It is about mutual care and cooperation between living beings and the land we rely on.
Many people ready to steward the land often do not have time or ability to access resources. While many people with resources lack knowledge of how to ensure their contributions are well used.
This circle bridges that gap—quietly, without performance or public display.
Funds given here do not go to a general cause.
They go directly to:
- Purchasing land, equipment, materials, and buildings.
- Setting up sanctuary councils for newly gifted land
- Hiring and housing initial caretakers
- Paying for administrative, legal, and setup needs
- Holding sacred trust over transitional periods
What You’re Supporting
Your gift of resources, whether monetary, real estate, equipment, expertise, or labor, helps WHOLEFAM:
- Receive and stabilize gifted land without monetizing it
- Protect mission alignment with legal structures and bylaws
- Support sanctuary keepers with stipends, housing, and rest
- Maintain a sacred land trust, until local women’s councils are formed
How to Join the Circle
We invite monthly or annual gifts of any size from those who:
- Understand that money can be sacred fuel for more fundamental fulfilment
- Prefer no public acknowledgment or obligation
- Want to gently begin sidestepping extractive economics and outdated systems
- Are moved by the possibility of land held in trust as a local beacon of provision, not in profit
What You Receive
- Peace of heart and an uplifted vision in knowing that you are helping keep beauty alive
- Updates on new sanctuaries you can support now
- A seat at the root of a global matriarchal sanctuary movement
- No pitches. No perks. No extraction.
Good for goodness’ sake.
That’s the whole plan.
How It Works
Each WHOLEFAM sanctuary is:
- Locally governed, with matriarchal rotating councils and shared labor roles
- Held in nonprofit trust or deed-restricted legal structure
- Self-sustaining through gardens, visiting guest stays, and skill-based exchange
- Designed to meet basic needs affordably and self-sustainably: food, shelter, rest, purpose, care
The matriarchal network provides:
- Legal templates and governance training
- Land acquisition support
- Administrative guidance and rhythm frameworks
- Ongoing accountability, mentorship, and documentation
Council stewards do not buy equity.
Women who choose to step into this circle of matriarchs by offering resources or land participate in a local project as a council steward—a sacred stakeholder with lasting use privileges and a seat at the table in stabilizing the local community with matriarchal models.
Council Benefits Include:
- A place of peace to restore, learn, enjoy and build over a lifetime
- A circle of matriarchs for company, support, and skill sharing
- Visiting privileges at other global sanctuaries
- Voting rights and reporting on land use and sanctuary development
- A founding role in the global return toward a more life-affirming way of life
All funds are directed toward land acquisition, site renovation, ecological infrastructure, and local stewardship.
WHOLEFAM administrative support, land stewardship coordination and skills training is resourced by donors, land/labor/infrastructure trade arrangements, and land management grants for setup and/or ongoing maintenance of residential projects seeking to operate under this matriarchal model.
Why It’s Safe & Scalable
- Land is protected from resale or misuse through deed clauses and nonprofit trust structures
- Sites operate independently, reducing central risk and increasing adaptability
- Governance is rotating, consensus-based, non-hierarchical, and transparent
- Proven setup frameworks and simplified training reduce onboarding and startup time from years to months
- Demand is high—dozens of communities are already nominating sites and stewards
This Is Not a Trend—It’s a Return
This is not a tech play, a therapy program, or a brand.
It is a living systems solution rooted in ancestral common sense.
If you believe in land stewardship, meaningful contribution, and restoring what matters—this is your chance to invest in the future in a way that serves the present.
COMPATIBLE USE CASES BY LAND TYPE
Each type can serve many purposes within WHOLEFAM’s non-extractive, community-focused mission.
| Land Type | Compatible Uses |
| Rural Residential | Small sanctuaries, elder care homes, women’s quiet homes, pilot sites |
| Raw Land | Forest sanctuary, meditation trails, rewilding, food forest, outdoor fire and teaching spaces |
| Farmland | Community gardens, pasture for dairy cows and goats, seasonal housing for volunteers |
| Churches | Community fires, daily meals, shared movie/music spaces, urban elder/youth hubs |
| Commercial Buildings | Community kitchens, skill-share hubs, vocational recovery, micro-cohousing |
| Urban Lots | Neighborhood gardens, play yards, pocket sanctuaries, craft spaces, community compost hubs |
| Woodland | Silent retreats, walking trails, seed sanctuaries, sacred fire sites, nature immersion |
| Pasture Land | Animal sanctuary, dairy herd care, human-animal therapeutic interaction, permaculture systems |
3. CORE WHOLEFAM PRINCIPLES FOR LAND USE
Every site must adhere to:
- Vegetarian ethic (no slaughter or meat use on land)
- Service-first orientation (land serves people, not profits)
- No resale or private monetization (use rights, not ownership)
- Stewardship mindset (care for land as a living being)
- Minimal viable infrastructure (low-cost, regenerative, self-sustaining, communal, creative)
Animals may be kept for:
- Companionship
- Milk, wool, eggs (with ethical treatment)
- Land maintenance (grazing rotation, composting)
- Healing work with humans and other animals
GETTING STARTED:
INTAKE TO IMPLEMENTATION: THE 6-STAGE PATHWAY
Stage 1: Intake & Review
- Land nomination or offer is submitted via intake form OR funds are provided with specifications as to the type of land and sanctuary the circle desires to create.
- WHOLEFAM advisory council reviews for:
• Alignment with mission
• Environmental safety
• Legal transfer feasibility
• Location/community potential
Stage 2: Site Assessment
- Local team or WHOLEFAM representative performs research and site analysis, including a Phase I site assessment for the final selected property.
- Checklist includes:
• Water & waste systems
• Access & transport
• Zoning & tax status
• Existing structures
• Local community interest
Stage 3: Core Circle Formation
- Identify or build a founding team of 4–8 local stewards
- WHOLEFAM provides training on:
• Governance
• Roles
• Sanctuary rhythms
• Consensus process - Team signs Sanctuary Intention Agreement
Stage 4: Legal Protection
- Land is:
• Donated to new or existing nonprofit
• Leased (25–99 years) under community-first terms
• Placed in trust with WHOLEFAM legal oversight and local council - Deed restrictions or easements may be added to protect mission integrity
Stage 5: Early Activation
- Circle begins regular planning meetings with WHOLEFAM trailguides
- Volunteers are oriented; structures are opened gradually
- Low-budget, high-connection steps are prioritized
Stage 6: Full Implementation
- Public-facing activities begin (e.g., fire nights, classes, meals)
- Guest/resident hosting programs start (as applicable)
- Governance rotates; documentation shared with WHOLEFAM network
- Metrics tracked:
• Meals served
• Hours worked
• People fed, housed, helped
• Soil improved
• Belonging restored
What WHOLEFAM Provides:
1. Model Sanctuary Bylaws
A complete governance structure for WHOLEFAM-aligned sanctuaries
Includes rotational board, consensus process, mission-lock principles, and service-based rhythms
2. Land Stewardship Agreement
Contract between land donor and WHOLEFAM stewardship or local nonprofit steward
Covers use restrictions, ownership terms, ecological ethics, and reversion conditions
3. Sister Sanctuary Usage Agreement
For independent but values-aligned centers wishing to use WHOLEFAM’s support and materials
Clarifies mutual respect, name usage rights, and good faith
4. WHOLEFAM Land Trust Charter
Governing framework for WHOLEFAM to hold land temporarily until local councils are formed
Ensures legal holding, mission-aligned use, and structured transfer processes
5. Deed Restriction Template
Legal language to include in any land transfer
Prohibits resale, private development, extractive industry, or mission drift
Ensures perpetual nonprofit and community-serving use
6. Resident Covenant & Participation Agreement
Agreement for individuals living on sanctuary property
Establishes behavior, rhythm, participation, and non-tenancy status
7. Guest, Sabbatical & Volunteer Waiver
Waiver for short-term guests and volunteers
Covers risk assumption, behavioral expectations, and termination procedures
General Legal Protections and Priorities
All land is protected from resale, subdivision, or misuse
WHOLEFAM does not allow private ownership or extractive business
Sanctuaries operate as independent nonprofits with shared principles
All residents and guests are covered by behavior agreements and liability protections
WHOLEFAM may hold land temporarily through its trust when local governance is not yet in place
Learn more about the financial and ownership structure of matriarchal sanctuaries.
Why Found a Local WHOLEFAM Sanctuary Circle?
Sanctuaries offer lifetime residential refuge for the members of the local founding matriarchal circle, however, there is no private land ownership, transfer, or resale of the property once it is established. Sanctuary property operated under WHOLEFAM model trusts are under covenant to serve as a lasting community gift dedicated to future generations of matriarchs as a campus of peace and provision, part of a global, generational motherly force meant to nourish the community for years to come under careful stewardship in council with skilled land protectors.
Many circles operate entirely in private, but where possible, matriarchal sanctuaries are encouraged to serve as beacons of refuge, safety, nourishment, and healing, if only by local example. A “quiet house” project may operate entirely in private with a dedicated circle of founding residents. Whereas a full residential sanctuary can serve as a neighborhood beacon of practical, hands-on self-restoration training, exemplifying cyclical living for the greater physical, mental, and spiritual well being of all. Community-supported local food production in sanctuary gardens and the healing balm of animal care all serve to uplift neighborhoods for goodness’ sake.
YOUR COMMITMENT
Founding circle members commit to:
- Founding and stewarding a matriarchal sanctuary rooted in love, rhythm, gentleness, self-responsibility, learning, and non-extraction
- Holding land and one another with humility and shared purpose
- Ensuring that the sanctuary serves community needs, prioritizes the vulnerable, honors the individual and collective nervous systems, and harmonizes with ecological rhythms
This sanctuary will be governed by WHOLEFAM’s principles of:
- Matriarchal governance through local circles in council; non-hierarchical decision-making
- Vegetarian, animal-friendly, non-harming use, reducing reliance on outside resources
- Shared labor, and community spaces and rhythms for quiet, rest, effort, friendship, music, and creativity
- Offer radical welcome, respect, and human dignity for all—speaking evil of none and doing no harm. We do good for goodness’ sake.
A Space for Every Need
Sanctuaries provide simply appointed areas for shared use, including:
- Kitchen and Dining Area: A spacious, well-equipped kitchen with a dining area to facilitate communal meals and gatherings and bulk food preservation.
- Outdoor Fire Area: An open-air space centered around a fire pit for group activities, storytelling, music, and ceremonies.
- Music, Art, & Learning Spaces: Indoor rooms for movement, learning, skill exchange, sharing, and community activities.
- Gardens and Land Care: Areas for cultivating vegetables, herbs, and flowers, promoting sustainable living and providing deeply healing and therapeutic engagement with natural cycles.
- Animal Care Spaces: Areas for the care, feeding, and play of sanctuary animals and non-human residents of all kinds.
Shared spaces encourage community bonding, resource sharing, and collective activities, enhancing the overall sense of belonging and mutual support.
This is a space that welcomes connection without sacrificing peace. The goal is not exclusion—it is containment. Within this circle, women are allowed to unravel, to feel safe, to re-pattern without observation or external pull. These boundaries are what make that possible.
Sample Visitor Code of Conduct
This sanctuary exists to support women—particularly those in midlife—in their healing, rest, and return to inner strength. Many of the women here are navigating grief, transition, or deep personal reflection. Your visit is part of our shared circle of respect.
We ask that all visitors observe the following:
1. Please visit during daytime hours only.
Our visiting hours are 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM, unless you’ve been invited to a public gathering or seasonal event.
2. This is a female-centered space.
Only female guests may enter the sanctuary building.
Male visitors (including romantic partners or family) are welcome on the grounds during outdoor visits or special events.
3. Please remain in the Public Sanctuary or outdoor spaces.
The inner living areas of the sanctuary are private.
If you need anything or have questions, your host will assist you.
4. Keep your voice and energy soft.
This is a quiet zone. Please speak gently, move slowly, and avoid loud devices or laughter.
If you are here for conversation, let it be spacious and calm.
5. Honor the sacredness of this place.
Do not take photos, videos, or record conversations.
Do not bring meat, alcohol, or strong scents (e.g., perfume) into the space.
By being present with kindness and care, you help protect the stillness that so many women never get to have.
Thank you for being part of this refuge.
Sample Daily Rhythm Schedule Template
For internal use in affiliated sanctuaries and shared with all residents during orientation
Core Principle:
Rhythm holds us. This sanctuary does not enforce rigid schedules, but it does offer a daily structure of silence, care, and contribution that supports inner regulation and outer harmony. Participation is always consensual—but presence is powerful. This rhythm creates the shared heartbeat of the sanctuary.
Daily Rhythm Overview
| Time | Activity | Notes |
| 5:30 – 6:00 AM | Quiet Wake-Up Window | Silence in all common spaces |
| 6:00 – 7:00 AM | Morning Meditation 25 min. Stillness & Centering 10 min. Mindful Walking 25 min. Twin Hearts 5 min Goodwill practice | With live resident instructor or provided video series, in meditation hall or outdoors |
| 6:30 – 7:00 AM | Pilates/Yoga/Qi Gong & Movement Practice | With live resident instructor or provided video series, in meditation hall or outdoors |
| 7:00 – 8:00 AM | Self Healing Training Bodywork & Massage Cyclical Living Writing Practice | Guided practice and training in rotating daily topics determined by study of healers in residence |
| 8:00 – 8:30 AM | Simple Breakfast (Silent) | Meals prepared by Kitchen Steward and daily assigned resident for each meal |
| 8:30 – 9:00 AM | Morning Circle and Sanctuary Care (Silence Lifted) | Residents receive announcements, connect with circle, and complete a daily care task in the common areas |
| 9:00 – 12:00 PM | Personal Work | Guests pursue their own interests in the desired area |
| 12:00 – 1:00 PM | Mid-Day Meal | Quiet chatting optional in common meal space |
| 1:00 – 3:00 PM | Rest / Outdoor Time / Personal Practice | Silence (inner/outer): protect energy with downtime |
| 3:00 – 5:00 PM | Afternoon Work Block, Office Hours, Classes | Rotating skill shares, cleaning, or open work period |
| 5:00 – 5:30 PM | Evening Meditation | With live resident instructor or provided video series, in meditation hall or outdoors |
| 5:30 – 6:30 PM | Evening Meal (Silent or Hosted) | If hosted, a blessing opens the meal for shared conversation |
| 6:30 – 7:00 PM | Quiet Clean-Up | Each day’s assigned residents tidy kitchen and shared spaces |
| 7:00 – 7:30 PM | Sunset Singing | Optional daily anchor for all outdoors whenever possible |
| 8:00 – 9:30 PM | Optional Parlor Time | Quiet arts, crafts, projects, reading, or gentle community time. Those keeping silence or rest free to retire. |
| 10:00 PM | Building Quiet / Entry Curfew | All residents indoors; outside guests should depart |
| 12:00 AM (Weekends) | Late Night Curfew (Fri/Sat) | Special events may end by midnight |
Weekly & Seasonal Rhythms
- Sundays: Morning Meditation & Council, Afternoon Anchor Hours for personal conversation/support, Community Evening Sing-In
- Fridays: Fireside Sing-Ins, informal preparation for weekend visitors or communal projects
- Seasonal Gatherings: Moon Fire Circles (new/full), Solstice & Equinox Celebrations, Garden Planting & Harvest Days
Participation Notes
- Meditation, meals, and gatherings are optional. The anchor residents ensure they happen whether attended or not.
- Daily work roles are not optional. All residents contribute by completing assignments posted daily. Restrictions are noted before any assignments are made.
- Personal practices (meditation, rest, journaling, etc.) are encouraged during quiet hours, with the use of technological device and outside inputs kept out of public sight and limited in personal space as possible.
You do not need to impress anyone. You do not need to explain yourself. The stillness will meet you exactly where you are.
You will be asked to give a little—some sweeping, some helping, some listening—but mostly, you are being asked to return to your own breath.
Welcome.
How Can You Help?
Whether you’re here to support a local sanctuary, build your own, share resources or skills or learn how to help in a global regenerative initiative, you’re in the right place!