VIDYA HEisel – Founder of Suryalila
Vidya is the soul of Danyadara and visionary of the project. As the Director of Suryalila Retreat Centre Vidya has always taken pride in loving the land and treating it with care and respect. She strives to create beautiful spaces for guests to enjoy and also wants to move towards more self-sufficiency. Through her immersion in yogic philosophy, Vidya is very aware of how our actions need to contribute to the greater good – that is the main motivation behind the creation of Danyadara.
OLMO Cabello Villarejo- danyadara manager
Olmo was born on a self-sufficient farm in northern Spain. At the age of two, his family relocated to Cuevas del Becerro, nestled in the mountains of Málaga, Andalucía. His parents established a goat cheese factory and grew their own fruits and vegetables, giving Olmo a childhood immersed in nature, surrounded by animals and plants. This connection to the natural world became his lifelong passion.
Olmo studied Civil Engineering in Granada and Germany, specializing in water design. At 17, his mother inherited an olive grove, which they transformed together into an organic farm. By the age of 26, Olmo discovered permaculture, deepening his commitment to working in harmony with nature.
For many years, Olmo’s dream has been to reforest Andalucía, collaborating with like-minded individuals who share a deep care for the Earth. This dream became a reality at Danyadara, where he continues his work today. In 2021, Olmo became a father, and in 2024, he welcomed a second child. His two children have become his greatest inspiration and the driving force behind his work.
Milan – Danyadara Assistant Manager
Milan first discovered regenerative agriculture in Suryalila in November 2021 on a residential Permaculture Design Course (PDC). Since he started volunteering for a year and eventually ended up working at the project from 2023 onwards.
He found lasting meaning in working with the land early on, seeking not only a physical but also a deeper connection with the natural world. It was a true drive for him to integrate food production, the embellishment of landscapes, regeneration of soil and healthy living -working with his hands, outside in the sun.
The main practice he’s been focusing on is Syntropic Agroforestry – a way of utilizing natural processes to grow food while regenerating land. He went on several courses and trainings with pioneer of this technique such as Scott Hall, Felipe Amato, Marc Leiber and Klaus Lotz of Permadynamics. He came back and applied his learnings here, truly understanding that in degraded land, Syntropic Agroforestry is the one the fastest techniques at improving soil.
Emilio – Permaculture teacher
Emilio has been living a simple life in the countryside for over a decade, cultivating the land and actively practicing agroecology. The search for a healthier and more respectful life choices with Mother Earth led him to train in Yoga, Meditation, Health and vegetarian cooking, organic farming and mindfulness. Together with his partner he founded the project Terrasukha, a mindful farm where a self-sustaining life was practiced in connection with earth-body-mind and spirit, until the universe presented him with to opportunity to manage Danyadara. His objective is to create a ‘green lung’, a ‘school of flavours of the earth’ and a native forest that recreates and shelters the ecosystem that 100 years ago reigned in this region of Spain
