tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85845443486494992322011-08-31T00:26:06.345-07:00<a href="http://scev.org/">www.scev.org</a>Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.comBlogger421100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-24602192356237364362010-11-21T18:40:00.000-08:002010-11-21T18:42:59.689-08:00

Oh man, look at the pledge I took in 2007!!, while I attended the course: Creating Sustainable Communities: the social dimension in upstate NY Ithaca -> - I pledge to move forward the development of an ecovillage- I pledge to work to reduce my ego and attachment to the outcomes of my goals, remaining open to new learnings and perceptions- I pledge to work in furthering the following areas:

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-77424120066064971642010-11-02T00:13:00.000-07:002010-11-02T00:19:22.584-07:00

I feel so supported by my husband, not in a namby pamby sort of way but in the continued application of his solid skills, experience and perspective in relation to the SCEV project. He is helping take the project forward in a big way and his applied strength is fertilising my resolve, that this project is the most worthwhile thing i can spend my waking hours on right now.

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-21432208826024321642010-10-10T18:50:00.000-07:002010-10-10T18:51:02.584-07:00

Man, am I preoccupied with this SCEV project or what!?This morning I put an eggplant and some garlic in the oven with the buzzer on for an hour. When the buzzer went off I was deeply involved in an SCEV phone discussion. I ended the call and went back to making the notes that I had been doing beforehand. I worked on, occasionally thinking: ‘gosh, that’s a great smell, our neighbours must be

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-78849983060965258962010-09-05T22:53:00.000-07:002010-09-13T22:57:30.424-07:00

Marg has me tweeting now so my blogging has slowed down a bit but i'm a bit hung up on FAITH at the moment and found this quote from Erich Fromm and it's too long for twitter.'To have faith means to dare to think the unthinkable, yet to act within the limits of the realistically possible; it is the paradoxical hope to expect the "Messiah" every day, yet not to lose heart when s/he has not come at

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-86007242893336628842010-08-09T00:20:00.002-07:002010-08-09T00:22:01.688-07:00

What I’d like to say to people who really want to also get this project over the line is: ‘Please help us if you can, when I ask for bits and pieces’. I understand that everyone is so busy and it is my job to hold this project and take it forward for those of us who will be there at the end of the day, and that’s my pleasure and raison d'être. It may be overwhelming and scary for you to think of

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-17801849473378968002010-08-09T00:20:00.001-07:002010-08-09T00:21:56.658-07:00

What I’d like to say to people who really want to also get this project over the line is: ‘Please help us if you can, when I ask for bits and pieces’. I understand that everyone is so busy and it is my job to hold this project and take it forward for those of us who will be there at the end of the day, and that’s my pleasure and raison d'être. It may be overwhelming and scary for you to think of

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-80380878239232695102010-08-04T18:02:00.001-07:002010-08-04T18:02:58.930-07:00

Just revisited a GREAT book I purchased in February 2008 called ‘How to Build a Village’ by Claude Lewenz who lives in NZ.On the home page of the website (below) there are a couple of short videos….just in case we had forgotten why we want to develop an ecovillage! You might like to have a quick look when you get a moment.http://www.villageforum.com/

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-65842440061350644162010-08-02T14:05:00.000-07:002010-08-02T14:57:45.508-07:00

Yesterday I attended Robin Clayfield’s “Creative Community Governance and Decision Making” session at Bondi. She is an excellent facilitator. She introduced a number of techniques for encouraging discussion and decision making. The ones in particular that I thought could work well for SCEV are ‘World Café’ and ‘Open Space’ for encouraging conversations and discussion, A process she called ‘

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-79870569643760857762010-07-24T17:33:00.000-07:002010-07-24T17:39:35.466-07:00

‘Listen to your body’s wisdom which expresses itself through comfort/discomfort.’ When I read this the other day, I thought about joining an ecovillage. Over the past 10 years, I have visited villages all over the world. I stayed for a week in Ecovillage at Ithaca and felt very comfortable with the place and the people who lived there. At another ecovillage, I saw some people dancing and felt

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-1835556884344953222010-07-23T23:46:00.000-07:002010-07-23T23:47:12.411-07:00

Last Thursday I presented the project as an after dinner speaker to Gosford Rotary. I used a powerpoint presentation with lots of images, people profiles, a few facts and some music. It seems a good way to get our message out. I am happy to bring it and speak about the project anywhere, anytime if you would like to set something up......better still, why don’t you speak about the project and I

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-73679084253271670732010-07-14T04:52:00.000-07:002010-07-14T04:54:29.100-07:00

14 July 2010: Lindy from ABC Radio National’s programme ‘Life Matters’ plans to interview me in the next week or so for their segment ‘It took over my life’. The following is the gist of what I thought I’d say, if I get the chance. What do you think?“During the 90’s, Dave and I were living with our children on a sheep farm near Cooma. We had a nice home, a swimming pool and a very rough,

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-47655874729857855492010-07-11T19:02:00.000-07:002010-07-11T19:06:45.240-07:00

Seems like we may go National, after one of you sent this email to the ABC:“Hi Richard, I am a newly retired teacher who has been loosely connected to a very interesting group of people who are interested in developing a multi-age multi-function sustainably designed ecovillage somewhere out of Sydney. They are looking for land and sympathetic developers to erect about 160 dwellings, parks,

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-21479540026698260322010-06-29T21:05:00.000-07:002010-06-29T21:06:53.256-07:00

Lately I have heard a couple of things that I think I’ll adopt. Firstly, Rama introduced me to the notion that the purpose of life is to ‘learn and grow in wisdom’ and last night I chatted with Andrew about his goals and plans for his young family and he mentioned seeking a place with the following values: ‘function, fun and beauty’……….the journey to and through ecovillage can provide so much for

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-37516373399998334042010-06-18T07:57:00.000-07:002010-06-20T07:58:48.985-07:00

Today is Day 3 of the US 2010 National Cohousing Conference that I am attending in Boulder, Colorado and the theme is ‘sustainability through community’. There are 4 other Aussies here, all from Victoria – more than from any other country in the world!Cohousing is a contemporary version of an old world classic. I see the concept as a very important part of our ecovillage, whereby we can get smart

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-33775343055590561622010-06-15T07:57:00.000-07:002010-06-20T07:57:43.889-07:00

I am going to pay more attention to doing and being extra ordinary - not extraordinary, that’s too far out for me but extra ordinary, this seems doable, achievable. I am not going to place limitations by defining this but ask for help from others who also seek extra ordinariness in their lives too.

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-18625661543072121312010-05-10T17:21:00.001-07:002010-05-10T17:21:51.813-07:00

‘We are the type of people who, instead of having a bathroom for every bedroom and a separate media room, would prefer to spend that money on making our neighbourhood and home more environmentally and socially sustainable.’ I wonder is that right, or should I be saying ‘I’ am the type of person who………… What do you think?

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-76601711175983103422010-04-23T17:10:00.001-07:002010-04-23T17:10:20.956-07:00

Twins are used to things being a bit two sided but right now this is extreme. There are many good things happening or on the horizon. And day to day challenges may seem overwhelming. Today it’s good to recognise that you are in a period of transition. The old is falling away, which might be disorientating or even painful and you can also see the light on the horizon. So at the risk of mixing

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-1982373058186762522010-04-22T17:07:00.000-07:002010-04-23T17:12:26.082-07:00

I wonder what responses we’ll get?Developer, why would you want to work with us?- funds available for land purchase- potential for significant pre-sales- reduced risk means easier bank finance- advocates can assist in approvals and salesWe are intent on developing a 100 lot village on land near Sydney.If you have the passion and skills to develop a sustainable settlement,please email or phone

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-87846131796091958872010-04-19T18:39:00.001-07:002010-04-19T18:40:06.725-07:00

Tom displayed his computer 2D/3D visualisation skills that he is generously applying to the Narara land. Linda had sent us her page of bullet point possibilities for the site and Dave led a session applying her ideas through Tom, onto an aerial plan of the site and around the existing buildings and infrastructure. All this watched by our new friend Guido, a young Italian architect from Tuscany,

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-39912254704376742472010-04-06T17:17:00.001-07:002010-04-06T17:18:29.546-07:00

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-69955314671534533532010-04-05T03:13:00.000-07:002010-04-05T03:14:24.508-07:00

In January 2008 at Mollymook, I encountered Tarot reading for the first time. Gary and his cards told me to look north of Sydney for our ecovillage land at a time when we had fully decided that our search for land should be south. He sowed a seed and two weeks later, Dave found the advertisement in the Sydney Morning Herald for the beautiful land at Narara.So when I spent this Easter at Mollymook

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-61523100761269253882010-03-12T03:58:00.000-08:002010-03-12T04:00:13.453-08:00

 Interesting morning today. Met up with Roger and Allison, Sustainability and Social Planning and Research people from a Sydney consulting firm. They are going to help us in our search for a developer with whom we can work our Ecovillage project forward. They are generous in wanting to give us a leg-up. I loved Allison’s confident little aside as we parted: ‘It’s going to happen Lyndall. I know

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-33019963709450233522010-03-01T17:56:00.000-08:002010-03-02T17:58:09.515-08:00

I am starting an on-line course this week with Dave called ‘Renewing your Relationship’. I am quite excited about it. I know it is about my own personal growth and I hope that it will assist me in a more heartfelt progression to ecovillage.How would it be to develop an environment where consciousness thrives, maturity reigns, growth exudes so that we are nurtured and supported to do whatever work

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-8985667925188109022010-02-22T23:14:00.000-08:002010-02-23T23:14:34.617-08:00

I am full of optimism for the Narara project. We are speaking to a developer and to some consultants about possible ways forward right now. At the same time the NSW government is appointing a new marketing agent to take the sale of the property forward. There is new energy in the air and I am breathing it in and working from its inspiration.

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-74307587644994107132010-01-19T18:39:00.000-08:002010-01-22T18:40:23.594-08:00

Earlier today i received an email informing me of the suicide of a man whom i met just once, 12 months ago in the U.S. It struck me more deeply than others that have gone before him. I find it very hard to get my head around suicide except to acknowledge that at that period for him his world was very black. Out of his passing, i think more about the responsibility i have to make the most of my

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-26718269364109500942009-12-20T04:38:00.000-08:002009-12-20T04:38:00.259-08:00

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

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-62789388122640487342009-12-16T14:49:00.000-08:002009-12-16T15:03:36.127-08:00

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

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-66983926119434948532009-12-15T04:35:00.000-08:002009-12-15T04:37:43.467-08:00

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

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-87786142458242473802009-12-04T05:13:00.001-08:002009-12-06T07:07:01.192-08:00

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

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-9393666727515425492009-11-13T04:02:00.001-08:002009-11-13T04:02:46.432-08:00

I have never been part of an internet scam before but i guess i just have been! And it was interesting to watch my reactions ranging through excitement at the possibility presented, to intrigue then disappointment. If you would like to see why, you might like to read through the email transcripts, plus my reactions. October 2009: This email arrived through the SCEV website: danieldoherty44@

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-42560999476337976942009-10-01T01:44:00.000-07:002009-10-01T01:44:00.213-07:00

If the Universe/God put a sign out the front of the Narara land for what s/he wanted it to become now, it would scream “ECOVILLAGE”. S/he would understand the Permaculture Principle relating to the reuse of existing structures and say: BIG OPPORTUNITIES HERE. The existing Administration Complex is a ready-made Community Centre/Economic Hub and could house a Cafeteria, Cooperative food and

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-78298826689297932262009-09-29T12:55:00.000-07:002009-09-29T12:55:31.068-07:00

Last week I received an email from a friend:“My first 2 week stint in Jakarta provided the new opportunity to experience 2 earthquakes (one of them 7.5 on the Richter and we were on the 10th floor - a bit scary and led me to consider the possibility of my death - that was interesting); ........ the week before I was in Bali, there was another earthquake on that island. And the day I was leaving

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-56133911215123900262009-09-27T15:05:00.000-07:002009-09-27T15:07:54.154-07:00

Today I arrived home after 3 weeks in the US staying with my daughter and son-in-law. For a week of that time Margo and I tripped around on a research trip. Read more here.I can’t believe the rejuvenation, I feel returning to Oz.....there is little sweeter for me right now than the joy, power, insights, knowledge and perspective gained in sharing all this with a young woman who is as passionate

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-44306155148388558162009-08-25T12:55:00.000-07:002009-08-25T16:57:55.491-07:00

An email arrived from the real estate agent at Colliers: “Thank you for your previous interest in this property. We have been instructed to seek further offers on the property ...........sale by negotiation”- so we assume the Narara land has been revalued and is officially back on the market.I emailed out to about 100 people informing them of this situation but nothing much came back from any

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-38406223233877391612009-08-11T07:00:00.000-07:002009-08-11T07:02:38.652-07:00

On grey days, I think: what else would I do, if I stopped heading in the direction of my dream, this ecovillage?Would I go back to school teaching or accounting? Would that make me smile and bound out of bed each morning? -> no.Would I go forward to say become a florist, a chef, a doctor -> no. Well, what then?I would do what I am doing right now, progressing this ecovillage, tweaking up all the

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-17304940273128556782009-07-11T08:46:00.000-07:002009-07-13T08:48:57.251-07:00

I met with Michael Mobbs last week. He is a sustainability coach and owner of the remarkable sustainable house in Chippendale [‘when the sun shines we make our electricity, when it rains we make our water’]. We chatted about the SCEV project, he mentioned the phrase ‘build it and they’ll come’ and warned against squandering hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars on consultant’s fees.

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-28487770571154697932009-07-05T08:52:00.000-07:002009-07-06T08:55:24.515-07:00

Last week ABC Radio National’s programme Life Matters discussed and introduced Ester Perel (and her book ‘Mating in captivity’). She, like many of us, was bought up on the idea that there is one person who is going to give us what once an entire village used to provide – companionship, support, children, family life, respectability. This person would be our best friend, trusted confidant and

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-88186434636578292622009-07-01T08:49:00.000-07:002009-07-06T08:51:41.648-07:00

We have heard that the NSW government is still having the Narara land revalued and in the meantime we are focusing on two things. How to buy the land - looking at structures and financing as well as searching for a partner to help with the development.Thanks to an email from Peter, a pretty spunky lawyer from our database, I met with two developers last week - interesting discussions but they are

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-75533673143527359572009-06-02T13:58:00.000-07:002009-06-02T14:00:37.802-07:00

Firstly, Happy Birthday to our web mistress and BIG thanks for the generous and competent work you do Marg.The land at Narara is so beautiful. Last week we took a group of people on a walk from the entrance of the research institute, past the various buildings (where residents and friends will live and stay one day, where we can run enterprises and playgroups, have our cappuccinos and fresh

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-34549255899869920982009-05-28T00:47:00.000-07:002009-05-28T17:12:59.969-07:00

Last year when we were finding ways to purchase the land at Narara, we investigated raising the deposit by seeking a loan of $5000 from 100 SCEV members. I really loved that idea because it meant that many people would have a stake in the project, for example young people and others with small bank accounts. However we understand that SCEV Inc is not able to raise money directly from the public

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-3643160130172410282009-05-10T06:05:00.001-07:002009-05-11T05:52:41.492-07:00

I feel we are in a river definitely flowing to the sea, but which tributary we are going to take, needs to evolve.I am discovering that it’s all about divine time not my timeframe. I never know what is going to happen from one day to the next (not that i really knew before this ecovillage journey, i just thought i did!)We have had the lovely Melissa Boo here from the US. She has been studying

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584544348649499232.post-29044676725125095482009-04-24T07:17:00.000-07:002009-05-07T06:26:48.444-07:00

I am standing here in my hotel window at the southern most point of the Sub Continent, with tears - a mixture of vulnerability and excitement at the same time. It is 6am, I am waiting for the sun to rise out of the sea. Directly in front of me at an angle of 40°, there is the new moon with its symbolic potential for new directions, possibilities and hope. On my right is the statue of a great poet

Lyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01933031787014051065noreply@blogger.com0