How does an Argentinean mom of two boys end up living in a dome house in middle Georgia without them? The empty nest never manifested; she made The Florrest a nest for others to visit and from which they can soar from again and again. ​

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From a young age, Mena got to travel extensively around the world with her parents and four siblings. It awakened a lifelong passion for exploring this planet and other cultures. 

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She studied economics in Argentina, got an MBA at Booth Chicago, worked in London at PWC, then had her two in NYC. Having just moved to Miami, she realized that she had lost the connection with her inner joy and the freedom to choose her life. 

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After her divorce, the fabric of her travels weaved into retreats for self-discovery and transformation, trainings, and mystical destinations. Every time she had weekends without her kids she would flow to that space that was calling her. Mena saw how her upbringing had not supported listening to her own intuition so she took the path of deconstructing who she thought she was so she could discover her true nature.

 

Why? She was petrified of speaking in public, had an eating disorder, digestive issues, lack of boundaries, didn't feel understood, co-parenting was a huge challenge, had chronic pain, yearned for deeper connection, and felt she had already lived enough. 

 

As she healed and her self love grew throughout the decade, got certified in multiple disciplines, and created her own program Awaken Flow™, her inner knowing told her that when her kids went to college she would have a retreat center. Her vision was closer than she imagined! When another hurricane threatened Miami in 2019, she realized how financially exposed she was to a natural disaster. After mentioning this to a friend, the next day she received a video of the property which would become The Florrest. Ten days later, she flew to Georgia for the day.

 

The property had a house on the highest elevation comprised of two Buckminster Fuller domes constructed with materials purchased from American Ingenuity. Even though there was a lot of yard trash and a building that needed to be torn down (enough to fill 8 large shipping containers)... the half-mile driveway, the unique structures representing  the balance of masculine and feminine (like her name: Men-A), the wild forest surrounding it, and the creeks made it easy for her. It was a fun YES! 

 

During the summer of 2020, as she spent more time in the peace of The Florrest and the passion for this project, it became clear to Mena that she wanted to move here full time and develop it further (the alternative to be locked up in an apartment was not appealing). Her boys, 13 and 11 years old at the time, had lived with her full-time up to that point, and they decided to go to their dad's in Tennessee. 

 

Mena’s parents had always invited the whole family on holidays, encouraging connection and celebration. Also, throughout her life, she loved hosting and welcoming friends into her home or for events. Mena wanted to create a space out here that she could call home, be her authentic self, also share with others. This was a canvas of possibility in nature to play, create, and celebrate life; her heart led the way...

 

She took a leap of faith and Universe caught her. Moment to moment, Mena has found beautiful souls that are excited about supporting this vision, celebrating each other's gifts, and bringing this space to life. Her boys enjoy visiting and celebrating being together in nature. 

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Life is about the journey and the destination! The intention is to always be evolving, expanding this playground, and honoring this forest.

 

This is a space for aligned souls to create harmonious experiences in nature and celebrate life now. Reach out and we'll share what we're up to. Come experience The Florrest to lead others to rest & awaken to possibility!