AUTUMN AT ROORAL: STORIES, FACES, AND A VILLAGE THAT BREATHES SLOWLY

Some seasons slip by quietly. And then there are seasons that settle inside you, shaping something subtle and lasting. This autumn in Benarrabá was one of those: a cycle woven with encounters, art, listening, and the slow rhythm that defines life inside our rural coliving in the mountains of Málaga.

For nearly two months, colivers, neighbors, artists and remote workers shared the same streets, tables and mountain paths, turning daily life into something unexpectedly communal.

The art of being seen — Kristinka Lazar’s residency

Kristinka spent five weeks developing the seventh edition of The Gift of Being Seen or "El regalo de ser vistos", her project rooted in presence and human attention. She sat with elder residents of the village—Diego, Salvador, Antonio, Prince Charles, Loli, Jesús, Mónica—listening to their stories as she drew them.

What emerged was not simply portraiture, but a quiet record of the people who shape the identity of Benarrabá. Her residency became a reminder of the values that guide our way of living and working with purpose, shaped by the relationship between people and place.

Four weeks of discovery — Creative Residency by Kristel Peijnenborg

Kristel’s residency unfolded through curiosity: sketches, notes, small sculptures, long walks and countless observations of everyday rural life. From that process came the first illustrated map of Benarrabá created for colivers — a piece now part of the evolving story of our community.

Her way of being here echoed what many guests describe after a season with us, the feeling that the village gradually becomes part of their inner landscape. You can read reflections from past residents in our community stories.

Drawing as a way of thinking: Business Drawing Workshop

One afternoon, our workspace transformed to host Kristel’s visual communication workshop. It was a quiet session where drawing became a medium to think, listen and collaborate differently — something that fits naturally within the atmosphere of our small rural coworking environment.

The Human Library: stories that open

Kath’s Human Library was another defining moment of the season. People became “living books”, sharing personal chapters in intimate, unhurried conversations. The format revealed something essential: community forms not only through proximity, but through attentive listening.

Connecting with the soul of Benarrabá

In October we hosted a gathering where many threads of the season came together—the presentation of the Rooral project, the Human Library, and Kristinka’s portrait exhibition. It was a meeting point between longtime residents and those who lived here temporarily, yet left with a deeper sense of belonging.

Small threads that held the season together

Autumn also took shape through the quieter gestures:David’s book presentation, walks with Paco and his goats, slow breakfasts before work, conversations in the bar, and ideas that flowed around the long shared table.

Many guests who felt connected to this rhythm often return or extend their stay, guided by the same principles that shape each season. Availability updates follow the natural cycles of the village and our hosting calendar.

Also follows a simple, transparent structure aligned with the values of slow and regenerative living.

An evening to close the cycle

We ended the season with a quiet evening of stories, drawings, music and conversation. A simple closing, held in warm light, that felt like the natural end to a full season.

Here is the video that captures some of those moments

Everything that grew here this autumn grew from community.

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