Thank You
Greetings to all our connections, to all the souls that support us on this beautiful path, to all those beautiful hearts that we feel we are with.
While traveling, one's companions are very important. While some of the comrades are given to us without question at birth, some of them are people our paths cross. We had beautiful, instructive and inspiring relationships that led us to our goals, kept us with our intentions, and inspired us. We consider ourselves very lucky.
Thanks a lot!
The One
“Your task is not to seek love; but to seek and find the barriers you have built between yourself and it.
Do not seek love, it is not lost. Lose yourself and find love.”
— Hazrat Mevlana
The One: Thank goodness, thank God for thousand times, thank God endless times (if only we could be thankful endless times!). Throughout history, you have been known by many names all over the world, and you are The One. In this environment, we will not call you by any name. The way we feel and remember You is unique to each of us.
Thank you for our heart, our heart which is all we have!
Note: As Vamoss, we believe that every vibration lives its own spirituality in its own way — and that it is essential not to judge others for it. The way we share here is nourished by our roots and inherited connections, blended with the local cosmovision of where we live and the experiences we have gathered on the road. From the channels we feel will serve you well, we share what comes — only in the language and measure we find right.
Elements
We ask permission to the water which gets changed on top of mountains, to the fire which transforms everything, to the air where the condor flies, to the earth mother which is the unconditional mother and to the spirits that connect us.
Please forgive us for any harm we will be giving unconsciously and consciously; we are here for learning.
May we have safe and powerful journeys bringing love to us, love for all.
Sacred Mountains
Apus
Here, at the beginning of any spiritual work, one of our primary connections to which we thank and ask permission is the mountains. The more you live in the Sacred Valley, the more you learn about the power of the mountains. We salute to all the mountains that shape this region and make up the Sacred Valley.
The Sacred Valley, that typical painting I was making when I was a kid: “mountains, flowing water, earthen houses and clouds and the Sun and the Moon…” The Sacred Valley holds a very special place for all of us here. Thanks a lot!
There is also a name given to the vibrational being of the mountain, not the physical one: Apu (Spirit of the Mountain).
Apu Pitusiray
Apu Pitusiray, one of the rare female mountains that created the magical view in the first place of Vamoss Home and on which we were on the slopes for a long time in the second house, has a very special place in the story of Vamoss with all its beauty, majestic stance and beautiful femininity.
Apu Sahuasiray
Apu Sahuasiray, located just behind Apu Pitusiray. It is covered with glacier on which she (Pitusiray) is leaning.
Apu Ausangate
Every time I go there, it enchants me and those who come with me: Apu Ausangate, the highest mountain of the region that separates Cusco from the Amazons like a wall.
Apu Wamanlipa
Apu Wamanlipa, who welcomes us when we go to the Q’eros.
Apu Salkantay
Apu Salkantay holding Machu Pichu and its environs at its lower end of Sacred Valley.
Apu Chicon & Apu Veronica
Apu Chicon and Apu Veronica, who are kind of friends of Apu Sahuasiray.
Apu Linli
Apu Linli, who welcomes us at the entrance of the valley with its flame-like appearance that makes the view in Pisac unique.
Apu Chimboya
Descending towards the Altiplano, the Apu Chimboya separates Cusco from Puno.
Apu Pachatusan
The magnificent Apu Pachatusan with its unique silhouette on the slope of our new land. We thank each of you very much for all the support you have given us, and we feel lucky to be walking with you on this path.
Our Families
A very, very very big thank you to our families, those who have loved us from the very first moment of our lives without any conditions, those who have introduced us to love, those who have done their best so that we can move forward with love and confidence throughout our lives. And those who support us on this journey with excitement, compassion and sometimes surprise.
The trust and responsibility of knowing that our families were with us was very important when we were establishing Vamoss. As Nedim Kurtoğlu always says, “You will be ahead of us so that life has a meaning, right?”, how happy if we can make our families proud and put something on it!
At this point, we would like to thank the families of all of us, and especially the families of Kurtoğlu, Erçil and Bernardy, from the most beautiful part of our hearts.
Kisses to my beautiful mother, my lion father, my dear sister!
My Dear Family
I don’t know if this is “appropriate” to write here—but I couldn’t help it. No amount of thanks is enough for my beautiful wife. She rode her bicycle here from Mexico, she saw me, she believed in me, and she has done—and continues to do—everything she can, with all her strength. She gave me the greatest gifts anyone could give. There is the whole journey of deciding to move here, adapting, building our family and our home, holding it all together—and so much more I want to thank her for.
My butterfly—thank you.
And my dear, dear, dear children—Batu, Anabel, and Oliver Deniz—I love you so much.
Friends
The trips we take are sincere journeys where we travel with friends.
At Vamoss Home, we constantly lived with different people as housemates.
Each friend leaves an impression on you. So far, we have traveled with many friends, met their friends, and met their friends’ friends. Even if you forget their name or even forget them, your heart never forgets.
As Cenk Baysan always says, “It’s not where you are, it’s who you’re with those matters.” We sincerely thank all the people who have contacted Vamoss, traveled with us, stayed at our house, slept in hotels and tents, shared with us, and supported us.
If you feel this gratitude within you, please enjoy it and accept it. Since its inception, Vamoss has reached 2026 solely through word of mouth. We have seen the support of many friends in the development of Vamoss and in its continued progress from the heart. This place has become a home where we all hold space and live together.
There are too many people to thank to for putting their hearts for Vamoss’s coming to this point. Special thanks to these people for their solid support… And apologies to love ones we forget to mention.
Thanks to:
To the Galatasaray Community (my sisters, brothers, and friends), who first introduced me to the beauty of saying “we” (after my family).
Selin Erçil, who went through some very difficult times with me and helped me establish Vamoss,
My friend Doruk Babaoğlu,
The lifeblood of the house: Felix Firlefanz, Armağan Kuşçu, Umut Ulus, Cansu Kabakçı, Beste Sat, Fatih Gülmez, Atila Kemal, and Mehmet Azmi Gök,
The more than a thousand people who stayed at our house in Calca, where we moved on the day the Gezi Resistance began, and contributed so much to Vamoss,
To my classmate Özkan Purde, who designed our logo,
To Paşa Ünal, who was the first person to visit our house the day after we moved in, (after that, it was almost never empty)
To those we worked with 24 hours a day for 2 months on the grounding work:
Mahmut Koyaş (compiling years of accumulated Vamoss photos and making wonderful meals),
Soner Göbel (all architectural plans and drawings),
Yeşim Tin and Ülgen Azeri, who provided full support with internet communication and preparing videos,
Meltem Nural, who was always there whenever we needed her,
My dear brother Cenk Baysan, who has become the heart and soul of Vamoss with his incredible example in motivating everyone around him, learning, and creating, his harmony, his successes, and his spirit of sharing. You inspire us all with your teamwork, communication skills, travel spirit, confidence on the road, hard work, and expressive talent in documentary and film production. It is a great privilege to know you.
To Hasan Hüseyin Tüzün, Hayim Kohen, Betty Kohen, my cousin Tuğçe Kurtoğlu, Hakan Köse, Cem Danon, Mustafa Bölükbaş, and Melis Tezkan, who initiated the grounding process,
To Gökhan, Yuka, and Maya, who added beautiful vibrations during the grounding work,
To the wonderful people of our first circle of 150 who came to the big house party in Galata where we first announced Vamoss to our friends and then spread the word about us to everyone,
To the dear souls who joined our first trips to South America without hesitation: Ozan Lostar, İlhan Alkan, Kemal Tiryakiler, Pınar Bahtiyaroğlu, Tunç Barut, and Yaprak Ünver,
The wonderful people who joined our first trips (hostel bus): Arzu Özbudun, Aslı Sevinç, Atakan Karakış, Betül Keleş, Burak Kılıç, Burcu Güzel, Can Karakuzulu, Can Yurtseven, Cem Yurtseven, Cemre Akkartal, Dize Alşan, Doğukan Özyurt, Emine Özak, Gökçe Devecioğlu, Gökmen Saran, Gül Dönmez, Gülsev Özbelen, Güneş Çıgay, İlker Erek Duran, Kaan Emeç, Mahir Bahadır, Miray Birkardeşler, Müge Kahya, Nevzat Devranoğlu, Okan Çalışkan, Özge Başaran, Özkan Purde, Pınar Yücel, Selin Devranoğlu, Sena Özeren, Sena Bakır, Şefik Akkoç, Şükran Bahadır, Umut Y. Karaoğlu, Yaprak Sarıışık, Zerrin Yurtseven,
My dear Arzu Özbudun, Kıvanç Kahya, Umut Akbeniz, Burte Bumin, Erdem Yavaşça, Kerem Oktemus, Umut Çakan, Meltem Kılıç, Nez Tezel, Utku Tansuğ, Mickaël Dogru, Berk Çakır, Kerimcan Akduman, Ozan Koçak, Emrah Keskin, Tunay Kökden,
To İsmet Onur Yalçınkaya, who spared no effort in the process of moving to the plot and setting up the infrastructure,
When the idea for Vamoss first emerged in 2011, I was immediately advised to create a website. But it took 14 years to finally get it done (: To my dear friend from high school, Asım Demirağ, who said without hesitation, “Let’s do it right away, bro,”
To the more than 100 volunteers who lived and worked with us for periods ranging from 10 days to 6 months between 2013 and 2026,
…my heartfelt thanks for their support.
Sacred Valley Tribe
We are thousands of people living here in the Sacred Valley. We are a very nice community of very nice people, some of whom make bread, some cake, some toys, some ceremonies, some furniture, some massage, some organic farming etc…
Many thanks to the “Sacred Valley Tribe”, where many of us had our first experiences with trust and love, and to Diego Palma, who founded it and is not now physically with us! Milagros, thank you so much for all your effort! Raul, Li, Gonzalo, Isidora, Nacho, Jose. Thank you. Sacred Valley Tribe and Pacha have always inspired us on this path and continue to do so. Thank you,
San Salvador, Chuecamayo & Community Siusa
Yes—our place is beautiful in many ways: the view, the location, the energy. But what makes it even more beautiful are the people who live there.
When we first moved, our land in Calca felt very remote. Over time, the area connected to the city, grew, and lost much of its authenticity. The piece of land where we live now belongs to a village called San Salvador. We want to thank the people of San Salvador—who welcomed us immediately, held us close, and supported us in so many ways.
We also feel deeply grateful—and very lucky—to be connected to the Chuecamayo Community, who make our access to water possible, and who can gather in meetings of 150–200 people and make decisions within a respectful frame. And we are thankful to the Siusa Community, who are connected to the source lake—the place where this water is born.
Thank you, from the heart.
Sr. De Huanca
Sr. De Huanca and Templo Santísimo Salvador del Mundo de San Salvador
With heartfelt gratitude, we thank Father Jose Carlos, who has served in San Salvador for many years, and Cusco Archbishop Richard Daniel Alarcón Urrutia. Thank you for your service—and for the access road you granted to our land.
May God bless them.
2018 · The Land Campaign
Donators
In the first 7 years, perhaps a kind of trial period, with many uncertainties, we have come a long way with our hearts in our hands. We had the chance to remember a little how beautiful and humane it is to take a step by trusting what we feel.
In 2018, we expressed our dreams and our project for the first time. Here, in this unknown process, there is a mass that heard our call and took action without needing to think twice: Their place in Vamoss is so beautiful that it is hard to describe. They should never forget that they always have a family here and they have real “friends” here. We hope that all the love they add to life will return to them many folds, thank you.
The campaign we made during the land acquisition process gave us very strong experiences and increased our excitement to continue walking on this path. The money collected helped us to buy our land at the end of October 2018 and created a fund of $ 6,743. We look forward to the day when they will meet their gifts in return for their donations.
“Don’t live your life in draft form; you may not have time to clean it up.”
“The beauty bestowed upon every person will increase when shared.”
“If you know how to savor it, sharing bread is more delicious than bread itself.”
— Necip Fazıl Kısakürek
The gifts corresponding to the donations made are eagerly awaiting the day they will meet their owners.
As you can see in the table, we have increased the value of the gifts we give to donors.
With heartfelt thanks to
| Name | Donated Amount | Gifts to Receive (Details are below the table) |
|---|---|---|
| Alper Tekin | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| Gökhan Atış | $93 | Thank you soo much! |
| Yeşim Tin | $10 | |
| Aydın Sarıbeyoğlu | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| Kurtuluş Keseroğlu | $500 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. Your name will be carved on our table. You receive a Peruvian Healing package 10% discount for all Vamoss Products Accommodation worth 1000$ [We raised it to $2,000] Coupon worth 230$ for Vamoss Travel [We raised it to $460] |
| Aslı Keseroğlu | $500 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. Your name will be carved on our table. You receive a Peruvian Healing package 10% discount for all Vamoss Products Accommodation worth 1000$ [We raised it to $2,000] Coupon worth 230$ for Vamoss Travel [We raised it to $460] |
| Ozan Koçak | $250 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. Your name will be carved on our table. 10% discount for all Vamoss Products Accommodation worth 450$ [We raised it to $900] Coupon worth 70$ for Vamoss Travel [We raised it to $140] |
| Orcan Nevin | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| Ahmet Kabul | $250 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. Your name will be carved on our table. 10% discount for all Vamoss Products Accommodation worth 450$ [We raised it to $900] Coupon worth 70$ for Vamoss Travel [We raised it to $140] |
| Berna Çöl | $10 | |
| Hiroko Furukawa | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| Mariko Ohno | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| Mahmut Koyaş | $5 | |
| Soner Göbel | $5 | |
| Aytul Erçil | $10 | |
| Yavuz Erçil | $100 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. 7 night accommodation at Traveler’s House [We raised it to 14 nights] |
| Fatma Belgin Kurhan | $100 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. 7 night accommodation at Traveler’s House [We raised it to 14 nights] |
| Ayako Yamasaki | $100 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. 7 night accommodation at Traveler’s House [We raised it to 14 nights] |
| Tijen Inaltong | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| Emirhan Bahriyeli | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| Selen Şimşek | $100 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. 7 night accommodation at Traveler’s House [We raised it to 14 nights] |
| Öge Gözütok | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| Selin Erçil | $10 | |
| Ozan Lostar | $100 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. 7 night accommodation at Traveler’s House [We raised it to 14 nights] |
| Hira Burcu Kömür | $250 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. Your name will be carved on our table. 10% discount for all Vamoss Products Accommodation worth 450$ [We raised it to $900] Coupon worth 70$ for Vamoss Travel [We raised it to $140] |
| İpek Ural | $50 | Thank you soo much! |
| Mısra Özkuş | $50 | Thank you soo much! |
| Umut Akbeniz | $100 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. 7 night accommodation at Traveler’s House [We raised it to 14 nights] |
| Ali Aktaş | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| Mehmet Kıral | $100 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. 7 night accommodation at Traveler’s House [We raised it to 14 nights] |
| Cem Buğra | $250 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. Your name will be carved on our table. 10% discount for all Vamoss Products Accommodation worth 450$ [We raised it to $900] Coupon worth 70$ for Vamoss Travel [We raised it to $140] |
| Rozit Arditi | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| Muzaffer Tekin | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| Arzu Alsancak | $5 | |
| Hasan Alsancak | $5 | |
| Damla Us | $5 | |
| Tolga Afşin | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| Seda Kervanoğlu Turkurka | $250 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. Your name will be carved on our table. 10% discount for all Vamoss Products Accommodation worth 450$ [We raised it to $900] Coupon worth 70$ for Vamoss Travel [We raised it to $140] |
| Yukimi Kato | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| Özge Özdemir | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| Cemal Mert Kılıç | $250 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. Your name will be carved on our table. 10% discount for all Vamoss Products Accommodation worth 450$ [We raised it to $900] Coupon worth 70$ for Vamoss Travel [We raised it to $140] |
| Caner Hamarat | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| Cemal Akar | $500 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. Your name will be carved on our table. You receive a Peruvian Healing package 10% discount for all Vamoss Products Accommodation worth 1000$ [We raised it to $2,000] Coupon worth 230$ for Vamoss Travel [We raised it to $460] |
| Mayuko Suda | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| Deniz Doğrusöz | $250 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. Your name will be carved on our table. 10% discount for all Vamoss Products Accommodation worth 450$ [We raised it to $900] Coupon worth 70$ for Vamoss Travel [We raised it to $140] |
| Özge Başaran | $100 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. 7 night accommodation at Traveler’s House [We raised it to 14 nights] |
| Arda Taşçı | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| Arzu Özbudun | $250 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. Your name will be carved on our table. 10% discount for all Vamoss Products Accommodation worth 450$ [We raised it to $900] Coupon worth 70$ for Vamoss Travel [We raised it to $140] |
| Pınar Bahtiyaroğlu | $250 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. Your name will be carved on our table. 10% discount for all Vamoss Products Accommodation worth 450$ [We raised it to $900] Coupon worth 70$ for Vamoss Travel [We raised it to $140] |
| Nimet Doğruol | $100 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. 7 night accommodation at Traveler’s House [We raised it to 14 nights] |
| Aslı Sevinç | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| Bora Ferlengez | $100 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. 7 night accommodation at Traveler’s House [We raised it to 14 nights] |
| Yasemin Demirel | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| İlker Duran | $250 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. Your name will be carved on our table. 10% discount for all Vamoss Products Accommodation worth 450$ [We raised it to $900] Coupon worth 70$ for Vamoss Travel [We raised it to $140] |
| Evgeny Tsurinov | $75 | |
| Umut Çakan | $100 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. 7 night accommodation at Traveler’s House [We raised it to 14 nights] |
| Ali Çebi | $100 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. 7 night accommodation at Traveler’s House [We raised it to 14 nights] |
| Mehmet Azmi Gök | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| Zeynep Ekin Koca | $100 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. 7 night accommodation at Traveler’s House [We raised it to 14 nights] |
| Berna Özdemir | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| Neslihan Saydar | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| Yeşim Eratlı | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| Süreyya Eker | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| Semra Saygınar | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| Ilkay ve Orkan Dere | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| Yelda Gin | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| Lale Çizmeci Ender | $20 | Thank you soo much! |
| Halil Şen | $250 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. Your name will be carved on our table. 10% discount for all Vamoss Products Accommodation worth 450$ [We raised it to $900] Coupon worth 70$ for Vamoss Travel [We raised it to $140] |
| Banu Yılankaya | $100 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. 7 night accommodation at Traveler’s House [We raised it to 14 nights] |
| Meltem Uyum | $200 | Thank you soo much! We are planting a seed with you. 7 night accommodation at Traveler’s House [We raised it to 14 nights] |
| One of our friends purchased a $25,000 package on the first day of the campaign. Two months later, with only three days left to purchase the land, he changed his mind and asked for his money back. In our agreement, we had given him the right to withdraw, but we had also stated that in such a case, he could make his payments over two years. Nevertheless, in order not to leave our friend in a difficult situation, we chose to put ourselves in a difficult position. Even though we would lose the deposit we had paid and would not be able to purchase the land (the landowner later gave us an additional 40 days, and we were able to purchase it), we refunded almost the entire payment that very day. He stated that he no longer wanted the remaining balance ($1,770). We will donate this remaining balance to local communities. You can find detailed information about our land purchase process in the next section. |
||
| Total: | 6.743$ | |
Note: We have increased the accommodation periods and discounts included in the gifts, the new figures are in square brackets.
Gift Details:
Thank you soo much! Special thanks on the ‘Thank You’ page on our website, for believing and supporting in our circle in this time of transition.
We are planting a seed with you. We will plant seeds in our kitchengarden putting good intentions for you and your friends. So you will be on our table everytime we eat together.
Your name will be carved on our table. Since we couldn’t carve your name on the mountains, we carve it on our big wooden table in the common area.
You have a Discount at Vamoss: You have a discount for all Vamoss products for the rest of your life. The discount will be available for our products and services (foods, clothes, etc.) Also for your participation to one of our trips in Sacred Valley, Peru and South America. The discount rate cannot be assigned to other person.
You receive a Peruvian Healing package. We ship a very nurturing basket to your house which will be gathered from the Peruvian medicine plants, trees and oils.
Vitalizers
I would like to summarize our process of buying the land as some of you will be enlightened and some of you want to learn. It was a very instructive process and it went like this:
February 2018:
The intentions of my dear friends who started the movement to find and buy land were very good. They wanted to buy the land and give it to me to work. They would even undertake the construction costs of many places we need on the ground. Although I would not put any money, I would have a share as much as any other participant. The offer was amazing. However, as the process progressed, I realized that their financial expectations from me were not what I thought. I stopped when I realized that I wasn’t getting the response I needed for the spiritual foundations of my attachment to Vamoss.
March 2018:
Just then, our former landowner, Sr. Teofanis demanded a deposit to fix his price, and I gave him all the money I had saved. We made a contract. I had to find the remaining money. Together with the people who were staying at home at the time, we decided to start a fundraiser: We started working wildly for a campaign that would pay off for each donation.
June 2018:
The campaign was prepared in great detail. We took the word too long, presented too many presentations, revealed too much information, confused the minds. However, we got a great response. As the campaign opened, I flew to Turkey. There were too many messages, mails, interview requests etc. and I saw the impossibility of running this whole process alone. If the team in Peru were with me at that moment, I saw that we could achieve great success. I stopped.
I stopped the promotion and started waiting. Time has flown. A small sum was raised as we stopped announcing the campaign. My friends who were with me in those days did not allow me to give up.
August 2018:
Then there is a day that I cannot forget: I had to put together the remaining balance in just one day. Two days before my flight to Peru, on that very day the American dollar doubled in value against the Turkish lira!
In the morning, when I told the situation to the bank employee, (I went to for the first time in my life to ask for a loan), the reaction I got was remarkable. He took my request when he did not think that any loan would be possible. While I was getting up to leave the branch to call my friends, my application was approved. The officer was stunned. But the money I had was still far from buying the land.
While the whole country was following the dollar in shock, I could collect the rest of the payment by calling my friends that day of the economic shock. Thanks thanks thanks!
I had to withdraw the money collected in my account all day from the bank that day. While no dollars were given to anyone, the manager of the bank got a special permission from the Central Bank and his superiors for me. To the bewilderment of all the employees, the money collected that day was handed over to me after the bank was closed. I cannot forget what the banker said, and we shuddered when we heard it: “I want to tell you something: It is extraordinary that you have collected money today and received it from us. Whatever you’re going to do with this money, please keep doing it.”
I flew to Peru with the money on me. The only person (not a lender or donor) who had invested in the project all the way back in June, the day before I was due to make the payment, wanted to withdraw the money on that last day. Although our agreement required me to pay back within 2 years if he gave up, I could not stand it and handed over the money. In this case, I could not make the payment again (:
I told the situation to (awaiting payment) the former owner of the land, Sr. Teofanis. He politely said, “I’m sorry”. He said he couldn’t give the deposit back either, and he felt sorry for me. I, on the other hand, returned home sad but still surrendering (it took a lot of meditation) about the burning deposit and the lost land.
Sr. Teofanis called me the next day. He said that he went to someone who reads coca (in the Andes, fortune-telling is done through coca leaves) and the fortune teller said to him, “Give that land to that person, it will be difficult, but give it. This is the right thing to do” and he stated that he will give another 2 months for a third payment. The summary is that he really did me a great favor.
At the end of this two-month period, when it was time to pay, I said, “Thanks to my father.” My dear father sent me all the money he had and at the last moment I was able to buy this beautiful land with my father’s great support.
Whatever I say to my father is empty anyway. I love you dear father!
But on that August day, when the economy was upside down, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my soulmates, my heroic friends, who trusted and supported me without hesitation. You know, wherever I am, your place is always there.
Hayim K. · Gülcan Ç. · Oya Ö. · Eser C. · Barış C. · Dilara K. · İlker E. D. · Berk Ç. · Mehmet A. G. · Arzu Ö. · Kıvanç K.
Artists
Art, art, art… A subject where there is so much to say—and at the same time, nothing at all (:
Still, there are some works of art we owe thanks to. Some of them held me through the difficult times I went through on the way to Vamoss.
Xavier Rudd — “Spirit Bird”
In 2006, before he was widely known, I had the chance to hear Xavier Rudd live in Paris—on a small festival stage, with only a handful of people. From that day on, I kept following his path.
His song “Spirit Bird” feels like the soundtrack of Vamoss Home for many of us. We listened to it a lot. It inspired us again and again. And during the process of acquiring the land, it gave real strength.
Thank you to him for this unique masterpiece. For me, it’s one of those rare pieces you can listen to without ever getting tired of it. And its lyrics—about those who fight for love—carry a meaning that stays with us.
Nessi Gomez — “All Related”
Nessi Gomez’s All Related is a beautiful reminder that all of us—and everything—are connected through love and Love, and that everything we live through is, in the end, for these two.
It also brings us back to the beauty of ancestral knowing: how healing wishes, prayer, and gratitude can hold us, guide us, and soften the heart.
In 2019, right after we signed the paper that made us officially married, the very first song we listened to was Nessi Gomez’s All Related. So we want to offer a heartfelt thank you to this piece as well—for reminding us of the beauty of coming together, and becoming one.
With our wishes for strength for all of us, so we can keep walking the path of Love without losing our focus…
Gregory Colbert — Ashes and Snow
Back in the days when I didn’t yet know what spirituality really was—or even where the human heart truly lives—there was a work that quietly guided me, and I would love to share it here.
Gregory Colbert’s Ashes and Snow is, in my view, an extraordinary visual achievement—one that helps us understand the human being and the animal world with more tenderness and depth. I truly believe this artist is a gift to all of us living in this time.
Estas Tonne
We are speaking of someone who is an example to all of us when it comes to concentration. He reminds us of the beauty of focus—and of taking responsibility.
For everything these two pieces have brought into the Vamoss path, and into the ceremonies we hold here, we offer our heartfelt thanks:
Estas Tonne is a true master of presence—of harmony, concentration, and healing. I honestly don’t know which piece to recommend; if you haven’t met his work yet, I can only say: enjoy the journey.
Nahko and Medicine for the People — “Aloha Ke Akua”
Nahko—through Nahko and Medicine for the People—captures something beautiful in his masterpiece “Aloha Ke Akua,” and in its wonderful music video. I feel he carries, in a very true way, the excitement of “us” coming together in this new era.
In Memory of Andy
In 2019, we said goodbye to our dear Andy—close friend of our beloved Cenk—and a truly beautiful soul. A devoted lover of Istanbul, we remember Andy with mercy and love.
And for his Hallelujah cover—one we listened to in some of our most special moments—we thank him from the heart, and we hold his memory gently:
“Todo Cambia”
This beautiful person’s beautiful song lets us feel the beauty of change from a very deep place.
It’s a tender, honest theme—sad, yet true. And at the same time, hopeful… almost dreamlike.
In this life where we sometimes feel nothing changes, the only thing that never changes is change.
Six Feet Under, Kuan & Duman
This beautiful series had an awakening—and softening—effect on me around life and death. Watching it in my mid-twenties moved me deeply, and I’m truly grateful for it.
Kuan: They are one of the essentials of Vamoss Home. Thank you, Kuan!
Duman: Those who knew me in my youth know how much this band has meant to me. In that lonely, melancholic time—when I didn’t even know what I was doing with my life—every album they released truly helped me.
In the old, beautiful days of Beyoğlu, I had the chance to see them live many times, and even to meet them a little. I feel lucky to have grown up with a band like this, and I owe them a heartfelt thank you.
I wouldn’t trade the excitement of listening to a new Duman album for the first time—my favorite band, part of my life since I was 16—for almost any other thrill. I still remember waiting at the door of a tiny cassette shop in Beşiktaş Çarşı on a Thursday, hoping the new albums would arrive. The next day’s concert at Kemancı—singing along under thick smoke with a group of wonderful people who knew most of the songs almost by heart… yes, thank God, I lived a truly beautiful youth.
(And let this little story stay here too: at one of their concerts at Galatasaray University, I was backstage as part of the organizing team. Because we were hanging out by the Bosphorus—“caught on camera”—I almost received a six-month suspension, but I escaped it at the last moment.)
Kwoon — “I Lived on the Moon”
I also want to thank the band Kwoon, and the team who created the video for “I Lived on the Moon.” In many difficult moments of my youth, it reminded me of how hard growing up can be—and that it’s still possible to grow while protecting the heart. (Special thanks to Ayça)
As you can imagine, this list could go on and on. Recommending works of art is always a beautiful thing.
But I won’t make it too long—I simply wanted to share the ones I truly felt supported me, directly and personally, that’s all (:
From Can Dündar
“I was born out of an endless darkness. I saw the light, and I was afraid. I cried… I learned to think. Then I learned to think inside molds. And then I learned that healthy thinking is thinking by breaking the molds… I learned that every living being will taste death — but only some will taste life.”
A Poem Often Attributed to Jorge Luis Borges
“If I could begin life again, the second time I would make more mistakes. I wouldn’t try to be perfect; I would lie on my back… I would discover unknown roads, taste the sun, and play with children… If I only had one more chance…”
Those Who Stand Up
I want to thank Alakır River Brotherhood. There are more of us “rebels” than one might think—but somehow, they touched my heart in a special way, and they inspired me deeply.
Their stance, their effort, and the way they share have truly nourished me.
With my wishes that love, peace, health, and strength stay with them on their path…
“This place has become a home where we all hold space and live together.”
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