4-Day: Cob Building Workshop, Bulgaria: Whispers of Earth, Weaving Land Spirit & Living Clay.
4-Day: Cob Building Workshop, Bulgaria: Whispers of Earth, Weaving Land Spirit & Living Clay.
Guest Coach Retreat
May 21 @ 4:00 pm – May 25 @ 3:30 pm Europe/Bulgaria
Cob Building Workshop @ RisingSoul Retreat With Mud Home Author Atulya K Bingham
Why We’re Gathering
We are gathering to remember how to build in harmony with the land. This four-day Earth Building Workshop is an invitation to reconnect with natural materials, traditional knowledge, and regenerative ways of living, while actively contributing to a meaningful restoration project at RisingSoul Retreat in the Bohemian Mountains of Bulgaria.
For the first time, this course is held in collaboration with RisingSoul, bringing a grounding and spiritual dimension to the work. We begin with a land connection ritual, stepping out of the mind and into relationship with the earth we will build with, honouring place, material, and process.
Is This for You?
This workshop is for you if you are curious about natural building, earth-based living, or hands-on learning rooted in sustainability and community.
It is especially suited for those who:
- Dream of building their own earth or cob home
- Want practical, real-world skills using natural materials
- Feel called to live more in rhythm with nature
- Enjoy learning through doing, getting your hands dirty, and working together
- Seek a balance between physical work, reflection, and embodied practices
This may not be your place if…
- You dont want to get muddy
- You are looking for a R&R stay
- You dont want a practical hands-ons on learning experience
No previous building experience is required, just a willingness to learn, participate, and connect.
What Makes This Journey Unique
This is not a theoretical course. You will be actively building a cob wall and installing windows as part of a large-scale restoration project at RisingSoul Retreat—work that will remain as part of a living, off-grid eco village.
The workshop is facilitated by Atyla – The Mud Home, and this particular project is being featured by Channel 4’s “Help! We Bought a Village” series, making it a rare opportunity to be part of something both practical and meaningful.
Combined with RisingSoul’s yoga, nature immersion, and community ethos, this workshop weaves together craft, consciousness, and collaboration.
Highlights of The Experience
What It’s Like to Be Here
Life during the workshop is simple, grounded, and deeply immersive. Days begin with movement and connection, followed by focused hands-on building, learning through experience and shared effort. Evenings invite rest: yoga, firelight, conversation, and quiet reflection under the stars.
You’ll leave with dirt under your nails, new skills in your body, deeper confidence in working with natural materials, and a felt sense of connection, to land, community, and yourself.
This is more than a building course. It’s an experience of living, working, and creating in rhythm with nature.
🛖🧱 What You’ll Learn in this workshop?
- Where to find clayey soil on your land, and how to turn it into a usable building material.
- How to test your cob mixture for strength.
- The function of each ingredient in the cob mixture, and how to tweak it for your own land/project.
- How to build a cob wall. The dos and don’ts.
- How to keep the wall plumb.
- The correct foundation method for cob buildings.
- Stem walls, their purpose and design.
- How to install windows and doors into cob walls.
- How to install plumbing and wiring into cob buildings.
- How to lay timbers onto a cob wall.
- What is thermal mass, and how to use it to your advantage.
- Constructing cob homes in different climates.
- How to repair and maintain cob.
- Sculpting cob, tips and tricks.
Gallery
Sample Daily Rhythm
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 07:00 | Morning meditation (optional) |
| 08:00 | Breakfast + Cob construction principles class |
| 08:45 | Group walk to the eco village land (worksite) |
| 09:00 – 12.45 | Earth building session 1 (hands-on) |
| 12:45 | Walk home |
| 13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch at the Chai House with Q&A |
| 14:00 – 15:30 | Rest, relax, swim, or journal; massage available |
| 15.30– 18:15 | Earth Building session 2- Cob construction principles with Atulya on site. |
| 18:30 | Dinner Theory & Q&A |
| 19:00 | Relax, |
| 20:30 – 21:30 | Yoga Nidra, Yin or Restorative Yoga, (optional) |
Please note: Many times the instruction comes while we are on site and using
our hands, so this timetable is a rough guide only and subject to flexibility.
What’s Included In Your RisingSoul Stay
What’s Not Included In Your RisingSoul Stay
Contributions
PRICES
The price for the workshop (food and board are booked separately).
- First Off The Blocks (First 3 tickets): £210
- Early birds (Next 3 tickets): £230
- Standard Ticket: £260
Important! Food and accommodation aren’t included in the workshop fee.
Accommodation: RisingSoul Retreat Centre can offer many different accommodation types (all full board) depending on budget. But to give you a rough idea of the price for four days; Camping (bringing your own tent, mat & bedding) is 152 Euros (approx £130), a yurt is 220 Euros (approx £190) and a dorm room is 230 Euros (approx £200). All accommodation comes with food and RisingSoul provide delicious home-cooked plant-based meals for the duration of your stay.
Free Yoga and Meditation: For the duration of the workshop, you will have the chance to join a daily morning meditation and evening yoga class, if you like. It’s a free and entirely optional bonus of staying at RisingSoul Retreat Centre.
CANCELLATION POLICY
PLEASE NOTE: Tickets are non-refundable.
It’s difficult to organise workshops which require investment from at the outset. Very sorry, but once you’ve bought your ticket, you’ve committed to join the workshop.
CONTACT:
All questions regarding the course material to Atulya, EMAIL: atulyakbingham@themudhome.com
All questions regarding accomodation, food or transport to Rowena, EMAIL: info@risingsoulretreat.com
Who Holds the Space
Atulya
Your Instructor:
Atulya has been building with natural materials for fifteen years. She is founder and author of The Mud Home natural building website. She also writes about natural building for publications such as Mother Earth News and the Owner Builder Magazine, and has been featured on Podcasts such as All that We Are, and Regenerative Skills.
You can read her story, see her work, and find out plenty of natural building information from her website: www.themudhome.com.Atulya has lived off-grid and built with mud for over 15 years. Her love of natural building arose from nowhere. Back in 2011 she was living in a field in Turkey. Bit by bit, out of necessity she taught herself to build with mud. It became a creative passion. Within a year she had constructed a house. She has been building with natural materials and writing about it ever since.
You can read more about her work, and find out plenty of natural building information from her website: www.themudhome.com.
RisingSoul
RisingSoul is a beautiful conscious community promoting the healing power of yoga and sharing its values with the world. Some of its main features are:
Tranquillity in Nature
Surrounded by lush forests, calming creeks, and scenic mountain views, the venue provides a spiritual sanctuary for reflection and mindfulness.
Eco-Friendly and Sustainable
Committed to supporting a sustainable lifestyle and ensuring all spaces align with eco-conscious values.
Creative and Relaxed Atmosphere
Bohemian-inspired spaces that spark creativity and encourage meaningful connections.
Plan Your Journey
Explore essential information to plan your journey with clarity and confidence, from arrival details to important retreat guidelines.
Spaces are intentionally limited to maintain an intimate and sacred atmosphere. Secure your spot and immerse yourself in this transformative experience.
🔨 Ready to Build with Us?
Spaces are limited for this hands-on 4-day Earth Building Course at RisingSoul Retreat workshop facilitated by Atyla The Mud Home.
Whether you’re a beginner or already dreaming of building your own earth home, this immersive experience will ground you in the practical knowledge, community connection, and inspiration to take your next step.
