About

Walking the Path
of Remembrance

Closer to the land, to each other, and to yourself.

How We Walk

The land is not a backdrop

Every place carries its own intelligence: a way of knowing that existed long before language.

The desert teaches patience. The mountain teaches surrender. The olive grove reminds us that what grows slowly tends to give more.

We come to embody what is here, as it is: through the body, through attention, through being in relationship with the land.

In the Andean tradition, this is called munay: a quality of love that moves without force, without needing to arrive anywhere.

And woven through all of it: dancing, drumming, waterfalls you leap into without a second thought, and roads that take you somewhere you didn't expect. The body wakes up. Something in you remembers how to be fully alive, how to celebrate, how to move with all of yourself through the world.

And slowly, what was always here begins to be felt again.

Ausangate ceremony, Peru Ausangate · Peru

A few moments from the road

Nile River, Egypt Nile River · Egypt
Pisac, Peru Pisac · Peru
Water Purification, Bali Water Purification · Bali
Fire Puja, India Fire Puja · India
Olive Oil Tasting, Turkey Olive Harvest · Türkiye
Merve Purde

How this began

Merve Purde

Founder · Guide · Facilitator

Hello, I'm Merve.

I work with movement, presence, and time spent close to the land, often alongside a small circle of collaborators.

Wisdom Walk began with a simple question: what kind of journey do I actually want to be part of?

Something slower, with space for silence and a bit more attention to what's actually there.

Over time, my path has taken me through different places and ways of working, from time spent in the Andes and India to quieter moments in monasteries, deserts, and shared practices with teachers and communities along the way.

I've been returning to Ayvalık for over a decade, working with olive trees and staying in relationship with the land over time.

These experiences weren't something to collect, but to stay with. They've shaped the way I listen, the way I work, and what I'm able to hold.

For many years now, I've worked as a movement and meditation facilitator, guiding practices rooted in the body, breath, and presence. The journeys I hold weave together the inner and outer landscape, what is happening around us and what is moving within.

Over time, I've come to see that the most valuable thing I can offer isn't something I explain.

It's presence.

The pace, the attention, and the willingness to stay with something a little longer than usual.

Each journey is intentionally small, so there's space to really meet each other and for something to shift.

That intimacy isn't a detail. It's the point.

How we walk shapes how we see, and how we meet the world.
We create the kind of space where something real can happen:
through pace, attention, and the way we are together.
Each walk is guided by a few simple orientations: held lightly, and shaped by the land itself.

✦   How we walk

Listening comes first

We come to each land as students. In the mountains of Peru, meaning doesn't arrive right away. What's asked is simple: a willingness to be taught.

The land leads

Mountains, ancient cities, forests, deserts: each arrives with its own teaching. We follow where it leads.

The body remembers

Movement, breath, stillness: not as techniques, but as languages the body already knows. Safety comes first. Depth follows.

Stay present with the unknown

We are already in the unknown. Each place reminds us of that, in its own way.

Together, in this

We become mirrors and guides for one another. A kind of strength that comes from moving together, and from celebrating together, with full joy.

Questions

What people ask us

If your question isn't here, write to us. We read every message.

Anyone who feels a pull toward something slower, more real, more grounded: and is ready to explore that in community, in nature, and through the body. Some people come having done years of inner work. Others come following a feeling they cannot quite name. What matters is not where you are starting from, but your willingness to show up and slow down.
No prior experience is necessary. Our practices are accessible to beginners while offering depth for those with established practices. All that's required is openness, curiosity, and a willingness to slow down.
It depends on the journey. Walks involve daily hiking: typically 4 to 8 hours on foot, sometimes at altitude: and ask for a genuine level of physical readiness. Harvests are much gentler: we move through land slowly, work with our hands, and rest when the body asks. For any journey, please share any physical considerations when you write to us and we will talk it through honestly.
Journeys are multi-day experiences through sacred land: high-altitude trails, ancient paths, remote valleys. They ask for more physical commitment and tend to move something deep. Harvests are shorter, seasonal retreats (2 to 3 days) built around the harvest cycle: working the land, shared tables, somatic practice. Quieter in form, but no less real in effect.
We keep groups small: between 8 and 15 people. Not as a policy, but because we have learned that real connection needs a certain scale to form. Large groups create audiences. Small ones create community.
All accommodation, meals, guiding, and ceremony are included. International flights are not. We share full practical and financial details with everyone before any commitment is made.
Life happens, and we understand that. We share our full cancellation terms when we confirm a journey together. If something changes on your end, please reach out as early as possible: we will always try to find a fair way forward.
Yes: and most people do. Solo travelers often find that the group becomes something they did not expect: a real, temporary community. Friendships from these journeys tend to outlast the journey by years. You will not be the only one there alone.
Fill in the form below and tell us a little about what is drawing you here. There are no right answers. We read every message personally and usually respond within a few days. From there, we will have a short conversation to make sure the timing and the journey feel right for you.

✦ Applications

Begin the conversation

Tell us what’s drawing you here.
We’ll take it from there.

We typically respond within 2–3 days.
All journeys are application only.
We'll schedule a short video call to get to know each other.

We do not share your information with anyone.
This is the beginning of a real conversation.

✦ For facilitators & groups

Bring your circle.
We'll hold the container.

Are you a facilitator, a teacher, or a group with a shared intention? We can design a walk around your community: same lands, same depth, your own rhythm. A bespoke journey, held with care.

Let's talk →
✦   La Familia

Field notes from the road.
Early access to new journeys and harvests. A quiet welcome.

No noise  ·  Only what matters