Desert, wonders and change – How I found my home in Jordan - Laura Di Salvo

When I talk about my desert camp in Jordan, the first question is almost always: Why Jordan? How did you end up there of all places?

Of course, many immediately resort to the usual cliché: younger man, Bedouin, Muslim—he must be a gold digger. People with a penchant for romance, on the other hand, imagine my partner and I lying under the starry sky of the desert, philosophizing about the meaning of life over dates and tea. Then there are those who are simply impressed by the idea of opening a retreat center in the middle of the desert.

But the truth is: none of this was planned. Certainly not thought through. There was no business plan, no strategy – it was a journey. One that didn't start on a map, but deep inside me.

The first impulse came in 2006, when I began my training as a Reiki teacher. During a healing session with a friend, I consciously encountered angels for the first time. I had a vision—a scene from a past life that would never leave me: I saw myself in a desert, part of a caravan of women and children traveling toward Egypt. I saw the sea, caves with winding passages leading into mountains. At the time, I had no idea where this country was, whether it was even real – let alone that it could be Jordan.

Anyone who is involved in spiritual work knows that you can return to the energy of a particular place or a past situation at any time. So that's exactly what I did. Again and again. And piece by piece, I began to put the puzzle together over the following years.

In 2012, I traveled to the region for the first time—to Israel. Even as a child, I had been fascinated by this country. I traveled throughout the country with my sister and a close friend from Tel Aviv, but nothing there came close to what I had seen in my vision. When I described my inner images to my friend, she looked at me at one point and said, "That doesn't sound like Israel—it sounds like Jordan! You have to travel to Jordan!"

“Jordan?” I asked in amazement. “Yes!” she replied. “Back then, there were no borders. It was all one region – the Holy Land.”

Five years later, at Easter 2017, I happened to find a cheap flight to Amman. I knew next to nothing about the country. But I felt that now was the time. I bought the biographies of King Abdullah II and Queen Nour, rented a car, and arrived with a sense of openness and curiosity in a country that would change my life forever.

Petra, trials, and the unexpected awakening

I planned my first trip to Jordan rather spontaneously—two weeks, alone, with a rental car and an open heart. I hadn't given it much thought. No concrete plan, just one wish: I wanted to meditate in Petra. There, in the ancient rock city, where history, magic, and silence meet. The Dead Sea was also on my list—a place I had visited years earlier from the Israeli side. Maybe I would find answers there. Or at least more clarity about the images that had haunted me since my Reiki training.

But what I ultimately experienced in Petra was something I had not anticipated in any of my inner visions. It was more than a place. It was a gateway—to a deeper level of my own history. The energy, the silence between the rocks, the echo of the past—it was as if my soul finally recognized where it had once been.

This experience allowed me to dive deeper. I began to research the Bedouins, their way of life, their wisdom, their connection to the desert. This was followed by conversations, encounters, and spiritual adventures that demanded a lot from me. Not everything was easy. On the contrary.

Little by little, all the visions, dreams, and fragments of the past years suddenly made sense. I understood: everything had prepared me for this moment. Even my karma.

But like any true spiritual journey, this one did not come without trials.

I encountered people who did not want the best for me. Who mistrusted me. Who manipulated me. Who tried to take everything from me—even my dignity, my security, my faith. It was a deep rift that almost destroyed me.

And yet: I stood my ground. I remained connected. With both feet firmly on the ground and my heart unshakably trusting. I knew there was a bigger plan—even if I could hardly see it in those moments.

At the end of 2020, I was certain: Jordan was over. That chapter was closed. I was exhausted, disappointed, and ready to let go.

But as life so often shows us, just when we think we have lost everything, something completely new begins. Something born of a deeper truth.

Wadi Rum – Encounter with Memory

In October 2021, in the midst of a period full of doubt, I organized my first retreat in Jordan despite all the obstacles – a spiritual tour of the country that had long touched my heart. During this trip, I offered training as an angel healer, a project close to my heart that had been with me for many years.

One evening, Suleiman looked at me calmly and said, “I recognized you immediately. When I saw you for the first time, I knew we had met before—in another life.”

He said he wanted to help me live my dream. And then the unbelievable happened: he offered me a piece of land—a place in the middle of the desert that belonged to his family. The place that had touched me so deeply.

And there it was again – the vision I had seen years earlier during a healing session. I suddenly remembered all the pieces of the puzzle that I hadn't been able to put together back then: the caravan. The caves. The desert. The destiny.

I now saw clearly: this was the place where a space should be created. A place of healing, reconnection, inner silence. A place where people don't just go on vacation – but can arrive. Within themselves. In nature. In something greater.

Back then, almost twenty years ago, I didn't even know the term “retreat center.” And yet that was exactly what I had dreamed of: a place where people could eat healthily, regenerate, and experience spiritual practices that would help them rediscover themselves.

I hadn't found the place. The place had found me.

With heart and soul in the desert – the dream comes alive

Suleiman grew up in the desert, belongs to the largest tribe in Wadi Rum, and knows the land like the back of his hand. For almost 20 years, he has accompanied horseback tours through Jordan. Through him and with him, I can live my dream – to create a place where people can find peace, healing, and inspiration.

We have now welcomed numerous groups and have created a beautiful yoga room surrounded by nature – our Yoga Shala. It was here, almost four years ago, that we dreamed of our camp and the breathtaking view. The fact that all this became reality so quickly still fills me with amazement and gratitude.

I have cut out of my life the people I once met in Petra who did me no good. Their lessons are complete. In return, I have found the greatest gift: the love of my life. Together, we fulfill our mission—to accompany other people on their journey.

We offer a wide range of activities: from gentle yoga and meditation retreats to exciting hiking adventures – there is something for everyone. I love being at our camp when we are all alone. That's when we recharge our batteries and manifest our future, because we want our camp to continue to grow.

The conflicts of recent years in the region have not made it easy for us, but our guests' love for the desert and Jordan gives us strength. I firmly believe that God has a plan for us – and we are following this path with trust, courage, and an open heart.