Learning from the Mountains of Oaxaca

Oaxaca is a place that lives in full color. The city is alive with music drifting through cobblestone streets, bursts of festivals around every corner, and markets overflowing with the work of artisans who carry generations of tradition in their hands. Everywhere I turned there were friendly faces, vibrant murals, and the unforgettable taste of food that is as layered and soulful as the land itself. It’s a place where culture doesn’t just exist - it invites and asks you to take part.

This August, I had the privilege of joining the Plantas Sagradas retreat based around Oaxaca, organized by the thoughtful folks at Cosa Buena. Unlike typical tourism, this experience wasn’t about passing through and taking snapshots. It was a journey into the heart of the land and the people who have tended it for generations.

Cosa Buena is founded on a simple but profound idea: tourism should be integrated, intentional, and in service of the communities it touches. Instead of the usual “take what you will” approach, they create experiences where travelers meet artisans, learn from local herbalists, and connect deeply with the landscape.

One of the most impactful parts of the journey was visiting Caujimoloyas, a newer village formed from several Indigenous mountain communities. What stood out was their collective model of living: every person in the community contributes through work that sustains both people and forest. Whether tending rainwater systems, caring for neighbors, or protecting trees, the rhythm of life is interwoven with the rhythm of the land.

Caujimoloyas itself is a world apart from the city below. It’s a cloud forest – thick, green, and abundant, with four times the moisture of the valley. The air is cool, the land is vibrant, and every corner is alive with diverse plants. We were there during the monsoon season, so the rains were frequent, and we bundled up in jackets as we moved through the mist.

We spent time with a local curandera, Doña Ester, who shared her life and knowledge with us. She led us on a plant walk, showing us the herbs she uses to care for her people. She also offered limpias, bodywork, and taught us how she makes some of her medicines, showing how ritual and healing are inseparable threads. Her teachings reminded me that plants are not just remedies, they are relationships.

.

During our several days in those mountains, we also learned from but also from a renowned local chef, Doña Marta. She guided us on a traditional mushroom hunt, something her family has done for generations. In the cloud forests of the mountains, where mist and rain create prefect mushroom growing conditions, she showed us how to find and identify edible mushrooms. Later, back in her kitchen, she taught us how food is medicine, how each meal can be a ritual of care and how the plants we use in our meals can sustain both body and spirit.

After our time in the misty mountains, we descended into the much warmer and arid Oaxaca Valley to visit an eco-village project called Tierra del Sol. Here we met Pablo Ruiz, who is dedicating his life to rehabilitating degraded land through sustainable farming practices. His work includes creating food forests, harvesting rainwater, and building eco-friendly homes all designed to restore the valley’s fragile ecosystem. Much of the land here has been overtaken by Western-style monocropping, which compacts the soil, depletes nutrients, and drains the ancient aqueducts. Pablo’s vision is not only to heal this land but also to inspire others to reimagine how communities can live in harmony with water, soil, and place.

All of these experiences wove together into a tapestry of learning. I returned home with a deeper sense that Teyolía is not just about cacao – it’s about how we live in relationship with land, community, and tradition. It’s a reminder that growth should be as

Thank you again, Oaxaca! I look forward to more adventures there someday!