Ensó Village celebrated a myriad of milestones in the past few years as the teams from San Francisco Zen Center and Kendal refined the vision of Zen Inspired Living and delivered the beautiful campus to the first generation of residents. The first milestone was the creation of the partnership between these two organizations and the establishment of a Board of Directors, which provided the guidance and support needed to open this first-of-its-kind community.
The project team also enjoyed unprecedented interest from future residents, the designation as a sustainable campus, the raising of the first beam, and the ground blessing of the site.
Every win has been worth recognition. Yet, amidst these moments, none was as moving as the day the doors opened to residents in the fall of 2023.
Harvest Meal
In November, only a few days after welcoming the first residents, Ensó Village offered the first annual Thanksgiving Harvest Meal — an opportunity to gather in gratitude. The inaugural event included over 60 guests in Sky Hall, the campus dining area, and was composed of residents, families, and team members. It was the perfect way to honor the campus opening.
After the welcoming reception, where words of appreciation and celebration were spoken, Chef Kyle Evans offered the community a full array of traditional American Thanksgiving food, such as turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes, and delicious vegetarian and vegan alternatives.
Susan O’Connell, visionary founder and current resident of Ensó Village, shares her experience, “Three days after the first residents moved in, we opened the dining room to the next wave of residents so that we could eat, meet and celebrate this time in our lives. Sitting with each other, we were able to talk about new beginnings, explore new friendships and create the container for deep connections to be nurtured.”
The friendships among residents and team members have continued to grow since this time, expanding to include new community members who have joined the campus throughout the winter and spring seasons. Mealtime has become the venue for laughter and meaningful conversations about how to be conscious of and appreciate the aging process and this special time in life.
A Series of “Firsts” for Ensó Village
As the nation’s first Zen-inspired Life Plan Community, the inspiration and philosophy of the community are uniquely grounded in Zen and Quaker values. Along the way the community has continued to open and add amenities, providing many other occasions for celebrations.
For example, the campus includes a kitchen garden, a meditation hall, a performance venue, a yoga room, creative maker spaces, a state-of-the-art fitness center, walking paths and much more. The opening of these areas has provided reasons for community celebrations, like a formal blessing of the meditation hall, the inauguration of the swimming pool with joyful immersions, and inspiring interviews in “Friendship Hall” with residents about spiritual paths.
Looking Ahead to More Milestone Memories
Ensó Village continues to plan events and celebrations as new residents move in and new team members join the community. This engagement with the wider Healdsburg community will expand to include area universities, art galleries, civic engagement groups and other “like-hearted” organizations.