I’d like to explore the hypothesis that the way we do friends/relationships in sprawling, downtown suburbia is hard and unsustainable. Often our friends and acquaintances live miles away. If we lived in a community village or similar, social exchanges would be incidental encounters which do not have to come with expectations, previous discussion, prior arrangement or multiple mobile phone calls and texts.
The way we do things now, often with much forward planning and organisation, gives us time for expectation to develop and our minds to play around with anticipation and prospect. My daughter quotes: ‘expectation is the diving board to disappointment’. Hmmmmm, I wonder what do you think?
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Potential and Surrender
Today I spoke to TWO prospective developer partners - in ONE day……HUGE!....and both people I thought have excellent scope to work with.
I have been holding this ecovillage project since Greenedge had to leave us for over a year now, struggling with the discomfort of sitting in the ‘not knowing’ and speaking to about 6 developers, all of whom had little interest in us or we had little interest in them.
Today was very sweet and i decided to go to a yoga class. At the end of the class during meditation/relaxation, I ran through my teacher’s all-embracing and powerful, prayer: Thankyou…….I surrender…….and asking for help. Anne tells us to smile, to choose joy, and in moments of complete contentment and peace, I had the image of a greater being smiling back at me. This face said: ‘you have at last reached a stage of readiness, it’s time for this project to move forward again’. With all this year’s feelings from frustration, impatience through acceptance and even some sort of ease with uncertainty flooding back to me, I smiled a broader smile and felt the power of that message in my heart.
I have been holding this ecovillage project since Greenedge had to leave us for over a year now, struggling with the discomfort of sitting in the ‘not knowing’ and speaking to about 6 developers, all of whom had little interest in us or we had little interest in them.
Today was very sweet and i decided to go to a yoga class. At the end of the class during meditation/relaxation, I ran through my teacher’s all-embracing and powerful, prayer: Thankyou…….I surrender…….and asking for help. Anne tells us to smile, to choose joy, and in moments of complete contentment and peace, I had the image of a greater being smiling back at me. This face said: ‘you have at last reached a stage of readiness, it’s time for this project to move forward again’. With all this year’s feelings from frustration, impatience through acceptance and even some sort of ease with uncertainty flooding back to me, I smiled a broader smile and felt the power of that message in my heart.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Building the Community
I have been thinking lately of all the many roles involved in developing a sustainable community and considering which roles I could do myself. I hold the analogy of me as part of an ant community, intent on building a small ant hill and this notion surely shrinks any inflated image I might have of my own capabilities.
I see my role has been to kick-off the vision and now to hold the project until those with other roles emerge. I wonder whose role it is to ground this project? And when and from where they will come?
I see my role has been to kick-off the vision and now to hold the project until those with other roles emerge. I wonder whose role it is to ground this project? And when and from where they will come?
Friday, December 4, 2009
Jumping Beans
How i love the feeling of ‘jumping beans’ within me, it’s such a natural high. I remember my father saying to me: ‘you are so full of beans today, Loodle’.
By embarking on this journey to ecovillage, I have boarded the excitement train. It’s carriages are full of new learnings, people with life and passion in their bellies also wanting to play a role in proactively designing their own lifestyle instead of just reacting and adapting to what’s on offer. And although there are challenging and frustrating times in all this, I find life so energising, interesting and thoroughly addictive.
How good is it to hear the thoughts of fellow travellers who take me beyond what i already know, who open my eyes to other possibilities so that my dreams are always morphing and refining. How can things just keep seeming better and better? Last week absolutely fantastic listening to one couple tell of their interesting life and goals and to witness them notionally choosing their block on Narara; seeing the talented work of Tom who has great CAD and 3D skills and has designed a helicopter ride over our future village layout. WOW.
And then to receive an email this morning from a woman: ‘I've only recently discovered your "Sydney Coastal Eco Village" project website and really enjoyed reading about it on your blog. I felt inspired; it was so uplifting, like warm glow coming over me... Yes! There are other people out there who dream of the same things as me? When I read how you described the vision and concept of the eco village community, I could only mutter: "I so want to live there..."'
And from Helens email: My belief is NEXT year we'll have a Christmas celebration gathering at Narara, and it will be secured and happening! I Love it.
Common you, jump on the excitement train with me, keep expanding me and taking me to greener pastures and hopefully i’ll do the same for you. Baby, bring it on!
.
By embarking on this journey to ecovillage, I have boarded the excitement train. It’s carriages are full of new learnings, people with life and passion in their bellies also wanting to play a role in proactively designing their own lifestyle instead of just reacting and adapting to what’s on offer. And although there are challenging and frustrating times in all this, I find life so energising, interesting and thoroughly addictive.
How good is it to hear the thoughts of fellow travellers who take me beyond what i already know, who open my eyes to other possibilities so that my dreams are always morphing and refining. How can things just keep seeming better and better? Last week absolutely fantastic listening to one couple tell of their interesting life and goals and to witness them notionally choosing their block on Narara; seeing the talented work of Tom who has great CAD and 3D skills and has designed a helicopter ride over our future village layout. WOW.
And then to receive an email this morning from a woman: ‘I've only recently discovered your "Sydney Coastal Eco Village" project website and really enjoyed reading about it on your blog. I felt inspired; it was so uplifting, like warm glow coming over me... Yes! There are other people out there who dream of the same things as me? When I read how you described the vision and concept of the eco village community, I could only mutter: "I so want to live there..."'
And from Helens email: My belief is NEXT year we'll have a Christmas celebration gathering at Narara, and it will be secured and happening! I Love it.
Common you, jump on the excitement train with me, keep expanding me and taking me to greener pastures and hopefully i’ll do the same for you. Baby, bring it on!
.
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