If you have been dreaming of a sanctuary, this property may well be your dream come true.
When Dr. Angelka Maria Koch bought this land, it had one structure sitting on it.
“Little more than a shack!” Diane Enright exclaimed as she went through a couple of files searching for a copy of the Realty Ad from 20 years ago when she first sold it to Angelika.
She produced the flyer with a flourish. “Look at that.” She said. “It’s unrecognizable now, Angelika has totally transformed it.”
A shack it was, and definitely not a very chic shack at that, with nothing but sagebrush around it for miles.
Dr. Angelika Koch has been featured here on taoStyle in her role as one of the most accomplished and dedicated Homeopath/Naturopathic Doctors in the region. A professor of Natural Medicine at UNM, she has not only helped a myriad of individuals (both here and abroad), restore their failing health, but has given so much of her time, energy and resources to our community via the Terra Nova Children’s Foundation which she created shortly after establishing her retreat center of the same name.
Set on a 3.2 ac. oasis among hills and fields of sage, complete with dramatic mountain vistas, Terra Nova was designed as a mini-eco village by renowned architect Ekkehard Weisner to fulfill Angelika’s vision of a sanctuary for healing body and spirit.
When one enters this compound, one finds themselves in a peaceful, lush oasis; native plants, fruit trees and verdant garden beds line the pathways and cradle the structures. A hand laid brick path winds through the vine-covered trellis arriving at a fountain in a courtyard which appears as if out of a fairy tale.
Three separate structures surround this courtyard. The original 1BR/1BA Hexagon (1,140sq.ft), the 2BR Guesthouse (1,012sq. ft.) and the office/studio ( 512sq.ft.) all finished with enviable attention to detail and quality and all combining the elements of nature.
Angelika’s personal touch, exquisite taste and attention to detail are all over these shelters. From Diane’s site: she personally selected and adorned the homes with custom finishes like Venetian plaster, stone mandalas, bespoke hardware, handmade doors and cabinets, Indonesian pebbles, and stained glass. The compound boasts eco-friendly and people friendly aspects like solar power ( 3 systems) , well water with the incredible Grander Technology filtering system, water catchment, a dome greenhouse with the exterior being covered in similar materials to what Pro-Tect Plastics can provide for outdoor greenhouses and drip irrigation. The homes also feature subfloor radiant heat, grid-tie-interface, and broadband. Other creature comforts are the oversized 2 car garage and hot tub.
Along with all of the above, both timeless beauty and the modern, state of the art amenities, the property comes with a rich and intriguing history.
“Locals tell stories that around 1000 years ago, a sacred Indian tribe inhabited this land.” Angelika says.
“Today, you can still find arrowheads and shards embedded in the earth.”
Allegedly, the burial ground of this tribe was located in the area (at the nearby United Church.)
“This land was Indian land and still carries this energy today.” Angelika notes.
“Then around 1891, the land was passed on to the Spanish family of the Martinez Grant and stayed in their name for many decades. From then on, the entire area went through a very long time without being inhabited.”
About 25 years ago, the hexagon was purposely built for the ‘channeling of the voice of Bartholomew’, due to the spiritual energy field of the land. The structure, at one time also served the Tibetan community of Taos for gatherings, and Native American teachers have hosted sweat lodges and ceremonies there.
“Each window of the hexagonal structure as well as the layout of the building was chosen and designed by a group of disciples who were given clear instructions by this spiritual energy field. Under each beam, crystals, pottery shards and Sathya Sai Baba’s Vibhuti were deposited. Many books and tapes of this spiritual teaching/education are still available today.” Angelika explained.
Dr. Angelika Maria Koch continued this legacy, building on what already existed, and created a healing center called Terra Nova (and Terra Nova Children’s Foundation.)
Terra Nova also has hosted numerous musical concerts in the hexagonal building.
After two decades spent here in this magical retreat, Angelika finds herself at a new crossroads in her life. Her two grown and very succesful sons, both live in England where she finds herself visiting more and more to see her family and not miss the changes that happen so fast with growing grandchildren!
She sees patients here and in London, and because so much of her curriculum can be accessed online, she now has more freedom than ever and adventure beckons!
So does downsizing, something Angelika and I have discussed. It seems to be par for the course at a certain age, after kids are gone and the nesting instincts subside, we become more interested in divesting ourselves of possessions than investing in more of them, and less truly starts to look like more.
“I’m ready.” Angelika laughs. “It’s time for me to move on.”
“Now it’s time for a new owner to enjoy the connection to Mother Nature and the inspiration it brings from this incredible property.”
Angelika has a personal message for Terra Nova’s new owner as well.
“Because of the land’s power and dynamic vital force, the person who will take ownership of this property and land will soon recognize, that it is the land itself, that will tell the future manifestations of the present healing sanctuary. Please honor this statement as the land will then work with you in harmony!”
She adds that Bartholomew once expressed the following statement from the book From The Heart Of Gentle Brother:
“Most workshops in Taos are held in a small hexagonal wooden building, on top of the mesa, west of town. From this vantage point, one has an unobstructed view of Taos Mountain, considered by many to be one of the ‘power’ mountains of the world. In part, Bartholomew chose this location because of the mountain and its energy.”
Bill Curry took the photograph of Diane and Angelika at Terra Nova last week. Twenty years later and both are still so beautiful and vibrant, it’s hard to believe that so much time has passed.
Totally apropos that Terra Nova is once more in Diane’s capable hands, these two women have in a sense, come full circle.
This one-of-a-kind property can be enjoyed as the beginning of a new healing center, as an artist facility, a quiet retreat and/or rental facility.
For more information and more photographs of the property, please visit the site linked below.
For more on Dr. Angelika Marie Koch, please visit her website below.
All photographs thanks to Diane Enright except top portrait of Diane and Angelika, by Bill Curry.
Caveat: I felt the addition of a link to the “Bartholomew Channel” was apropos.
