Well we've made it to Arkansas to face our destiny:) - see blog here.
so it turns out we will probably be
wintering in "hinchey hollow". as the crow flies it is three miles
from our land - but probably a 10-15 mile drive. we are expecting
another family or two to arrive shortly and so we figure it would be
better to start off with a couple structures, the roundhouse has a
spring, water wheel, solar panel and wood burning stove. it has been
abandoned for a couple years so the owners are glad someone will be
fixing it up. they are even willing to put rae's name on the
title(deed?) and we can work out a purchase agreement. this way we
will have a larger land for community and a smaller land for our family. i just want to add that all of this (33 acres) has come to us
because i have persistently followed my heart and refused to take a job
doing something i don't enjoy for money. i work hard and don't get
paid because most often it is like a "service project" for someone old
or infirm who doesn't have money. or traveling around the country
going to prayer vigils and ceremonies helping provide food or service
with little or no reimbursement because that is what we feel inspired
to do. i have said repeatedly that i would settle down when someone
walked up to me and said "god told me to give you some land" and this
spring while at a community in tennessee someone did just that -she
walked up and said "i don't know why, but goddess told me to give you
land in arkansas" arkansas? yup - -never even a blip on my radar
before but now i am seeing it is paradise - we just got back from our ten acres. i weed
wacked and lopped until i had a six foot wide path with no bushes,
trees, weeds, or poison ivy to brush up against... going on 48 hours
afterwards and no major poison ivy outbreak. (yay! i consider this a
major accomplishment because i must've killed hundreds of poison ivy
plants. heh - score poison ivy: 1 - sol: 1) we got to our land just as a rainstorm broke and had to pull over for
a bit. when we got the rest of the way in we took a walk to the
waterfall. its about 1/4 - 1/2 mile from our land and is on private
property that we have permission to access and it is beautiful! it was
roaring like big waves on the beach... i guess the water runs 8-10
months out of the year. last time we were there it was a trickle and
before that it was pretty but not stunning. this time was awe
inspiring and we are pretty excited to have it as our personal - you
couldn't pay 10 million dollars for something this stunning spot to go
to. the owners of the 40 acres that it is on do not live there and
haven't been around for years but have a policy of letting the local
families enjoy the waterfall. it is pristine - -no beer cans,
cigarette butts, or spray paint. i keep trying to take pics of it and
our land but it seems like its not meant to be right now... the stream runs from the waterfall through our neighbors land and
then divides our ten acres in half. we haven't actually even explored
the other five because the road goes to the south facing slope and
thats where you want to build a solar house and have a year round
garden. once you've done the dirty work of clearing a path then you
don't have to worry about the bugs and poison ivy so much as long as
you stay on the path. we are making our first raised bed out of an old
home foundation and just planted sweet potatoes, garlic and walking
onions. i intend to grow lots of things that don't need traditional
gardening so much - like the onions that replant themselves,
blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, elderberries, wild grapes (all
native), apples, pears, plums, peaches, purple and sweet potatoes, and
lots of herbs - sage, sweetgrass, echinacea... a local community member is buying a portable sawmill that we will
be towing on a trailer with our truck so we'll have access to it and use
it to mill our own trees for building projects -
a garden of eden gifted by
divine to our family.
everything is just
flowing swimmingly.
Although we've been told we live in a free country and we should be grateful for our freedom I personally identify with humanity as a group and not one country. America has worshipped the god of war for a long time now and the luxuries we live with are due largely in part to our destruction and enslavement of many other cultures and societies. I do not feel this is balanced, necessary, or sustainable. I was apathetic for a long time because it was easier than facing the truth. Then I was angry for a long time because I thought that "they" were responsible for what I witness. Now I realize that we have all created this reality and we can change it. I no longer feel helpless because I am aware that my thoughts, words, and actions can help shift the course of my life and humanity.
That is why I choose to live the way I do. I feel that we've all been taking too much and not giving much back. I found inner peace when I realized the only gratifying purpose in life is to give yourself fully to service of others. Having children helped me see this. And realizing that I would rather spend my time with them instead of working for money to provide what our society deems appropriate, while depriving my family of my presence, has provoked me to find creative ways to manifest the abundance (which is our divine inheritance) for us.
Rae says my sentences are run ons and that its hard to follow so i apologize... What I want to convey is that the world we are living in is very malleable. You can change any aspect of your reality that is displeasing to you. You must take care of yourself before you can take care of others. Once your cup is mended of its cracks it will fill and then overflow into the world around you.
The earth is a live sentient being of which you are one cell. Humanity is one organ put here to help care for the earth. Right now her immune system is cleansing the cancerous cells from her body. Cancerous cells are those that take more resources than they use and don't benefit the whole. We all have played a part in creating the imbalance - so blaming the problems on others only fuels the problem. We need to each acknowledge the ways we are out of balance and begin to shift them in ourselves. As the light of truth begins to penetrate our being we can see more clearly what constitues right action. Focus on yourself and if you see opportunities to be of service that are within your integrity then do it!
We need to tolerate our own shortcomings and those of others. There is no one true religion! Each has bits and pieces of truth and each has outdated dogma that only serves to enslave. Take those teachings which are of love and peace and which make your heart sing and leave those that don't. Love your neighbor - do you even know your neighbors names? We all have created little boxes which we live in denial in and its time to wake up! The economy is collapsing, the earth shifts are upon us, innocent children are suffering, starving, and dying while we eat too much food sitting inside our little boxes watching boxes sending out programming which says "buy more" "be scared" " you aren't good enough" "don't ask questions"
WAKE UP! PLEASE! Apathy is a symptom of depression which is a symptom of self hatred which we have been told is a pathway to god. Divine is everywhere and the quickest path is on a walk outside enjoying the beauty of the earth and being of service to others. Scrutinize your thoughts words and actions and commit to removing all those which are not of Love, Peace, Joy, Kindness, Compassion, etc.
WE LOVE YOU and hope you are well. We pray that the prayers within your heart may be answered. We'd love to see you but we are going to be settling in here for a while. Any and all those who feel called to help us build a sustainable community in arkansas focussing on spiritual advancement and caring for our families and the land please contact us for more details.