The Haven Village Square

the haven

Welcome to The Haven, an online village for gentle rebels and deep souls.

The Haven is a place to slow down, come back into contact with your own rhythm, listen more closely to your senses, and respond to the world in creative ways.

It’s for people who care deeply, notice a lot, and find that the pace and pressures of modern life can quietly erode their clarity, energy, or capacity to imagine things being otherwise.

This is not a space for fixing yourself, optimising your output, or pushing through.

It’s a place to step away from the relentless demand to be fitter, happier, and more productive. A place for noticing, questioning, and responding more honestly, alongside others who value depth, care, and creativity.

A quieter container

Some arrive here carrying a kind of tiredness that rest alone doesn’t touch; a weariness born from the constant pace, noise, and abrasion of the world.

When everything asks for certainty, speed, and performance, it can become hard to trust your own timing, perceptions, or impulses. The Haven exists as a counter-space to that pressure.

This is a somewhere to breathe, explore, and play.

What kind of place this is

The Haven is a shared village rather than a course or a content platform.

Inside, we make room to:

Pause and process what’s actually happening in our lives
Gently question the assumptions we’ve absorbed about success, growth, and worth
Explore creative responses to the world, without pressure to perform or polish
Spend time with others who value nuance, humour, and honesty

Participation is always optional. Some people join regularly, some drift in and out, some mostly read, listen, and reflect quietly.

What tends to happen here

Life inside The Haven revolves around simple, repeatable practices and shared spaces, including:

Regular moments to pause and reflect together
Playful inquiry into everyday language, habits, and beliefs
Collaborative creative projects that grow slowly over time
Conversations that value curiosity over certainty

Nothing here is designed to rush you or extract more from you. The emphasis is on staying human, open, and connected in realistic ways.

What's Alive Right Now

Current Theme

Unfinished Maps

Our seasonal theme guides the questions we explore in the Journal Circle, the topics that emerge on The Gentle Rebel Podcast, and the creative work shared in our community zine.

Latest Zine

Look On The Bright Side

Our collaborative zine gathers reflections, images, words, and sounds from across the community. It's a gentle glimpse into how we notice, respond, and create together.

Here's the latest issue

Join The Village

The Haven has been tended since 2014 by me, Andy Mort, together with Tuula Ahde, and quietly shaped over time by the members who take part.

It is member-supported, which allows it to stay ad-free, unhurried, and independent, and to continue offering free work beyond the village walls.

If this feels like a place you might want to spend time, you’re warmly welcome to join us.

Join Us Today

Current Member? Sign-in here

What Members Say About The Haven

"It is a place for sensitive and/or introverted people to remove the masks we feel obligated to wear out in the larger world and breathe freely, speak freely, and grow freely with others who are doing the same."

"We all want to feel a sense of belonging and connection. A place where we feel 'at home’, where we are accepted and most importantly where we can be true to our inner self. I’ve found this in The Haven, provides nourishment for the heart, soul and head…and Andy brings such a caring humble and intelligent spirit to his creation."

"The Haven is where I meet my “tribe” and my authentic soul can emerge and feel safe and utterly accepted. In this community I feel like I’m wrapped in a big warm hug and given a mug of hot drinking chocolate…"

“The Haven provides a safe space for quiet rebels to learn how to take care of themselves, excel in their own way, and feel understood and accepted. It’s perfect for the quietly ambitious!”

"To me, the Haven is a place to belong. It is where deeply caring and thoughtful people come to connect and to share. It is a place of healing, a place of comfort, a place of rest, but also a place to be inspired, and a place to grow. It is a place to feel at home. 🥰"

"The Haven has been a useful place where I have felt at home amongst other people who share similar characteristics to me. I have benefited from learning more about being a HSP from the activities offered, wisdom shared and information given.”

"My world is so chaotic and overwhelming. I really appreciated the rare peaceful companionship of the live cafe. Andy has done a wonderful thing collecting us from around the world and providing a cozy place for us to coexist."

"Andy's authenticity, generosity in giving credit to others as well as his fresh and insightful thoughts has generated a great space. I am positively addicted to this supporting community of creative, fun and goodhearted people."

"The depth of Andy's wisdom continues to amaze me. He expands on his wisdom in true artist style with the people he invites to share of their experience for you to learn in a way that inspires and gives you a sense that you have discovered your tribe.”