Ashvillage

July 22, 2016

“Ashevillage’s mission is to catalyze community-based, on-the-ground programs, projects and people that foster a vibrant, just, and resilient world. Our goal is to accelerate the design and implementation of regenerative, nature-based systems and culture. Our vision is of humanity living by the wisdom of nature in a way that honors and supports life in peaceful and thriving cohabitation.”

On a hot summer day in the rolling hills of the southern Appalachians… I was preparing to cycle my way through an urban jungle in order to reach an oasis. These hills are my teachers. Being able to propel myself through space and ride the waves of the land, to me, is very fulfilling.

I reached my destination after a exceptionally steep hill, and I even had to walk the last stretch with my jello legs. The only directions that I had were my cell phone’s gps result for a ecohostel. I definitely noticed two modern framed houses that were Earthen plastered. The landscape that surrounded the front of these two houses definitely occupied a more diverse Flora. I decided to give it a shot and walk up the driveway on the side to the backyard.

The first thing that I noticed was the stone work that made up the steps and flooring for the first steps to the patio in back. The material used for this stone work appeared to be repurposed bricks and rocks, arranged in a very elegant fashion. If you had no clue what Ashvillage was you would come to a very surprising scene in this backyard. Everything was shaped to the land.  All of the raised beds, structures, groves, and earthworks were all arranged on Contour.

I intentionally arrived 30 minutes early, so that I could get a feel for this space. I begin to give myself a self-guided tour to interact more closely with this environment. I was able to identify many things, such as a small greenhouse, a handful of natural to dwellings with green roofs, an outdoor kitchen, tent spaces, hugelkulture, a pond, gathering spaces for ceremonies, and a vast array of life fitting into the niches of this urban permaculture sprawl.

I found myself meeting two of the inhabitants after I satisfied my curiosity for this design. These beautiful humans were very friendly. One was a bit older than the other; the younger one was around my age. One of them informed me that the founder of this place was in a meeting that would be extended for a bit more, and they would be able to meet with me shortly.

The whole reason for me coming to this oasis was so that I could not only physically experience what this space is like for myself, but i also was coming to interview the founder.

Interviewing….?

I have never interviewed anyone before. This was something that was quite new to my experience, but I have come to learn that this is going to play a critical role in my ambassadorship. I need to be able to ask the right questions. I need to be able to hold space for efficient information exchange, but it is also essential to hold space for connections to be made and for love to be shared.

The founder, Janell Kapoor had come to greet me a few moments later. I received a warm and embracing hug. Her energy was very kind. She informed me that it would only be a bit longer until she is ready to meet – she also suggested that I interview one of the inhabitants here. I thought that was a fantastic idea. She went about her business and I Focused my attention on this lovely young intern.

This intern was on the ball. She was running back and forth in the kitchen getting s*** done. I asked her if she felt comfortable signing my media release form and doing an audio interview with me. It took her off-guard at first which is highly reasonable. I definitely wouldn’t expect someone like me with the way I present myself to be holding interviews with people. The intern was squeezing honeycomb to extract the honey in a bowl. It looked like she was going to be there for a while so we both decided to carry out the interview during the honey extraction.

I began recording and started with giving her a introduction. Everything went very smoothly and I was able to ask some good questions that I had thought about beforehand.  I believe we finish the interview in about 16 minutes. I felt very satisfied with my first official interview. I did recognize a few things to improve upon. If I keep this up, in no time I will have a smooth sophisticated interviewing process down. I’m excited to witness the growth of my skills and abilities in holding this space for people.

The founder was done with her meeting shortly after we finished. We regrouped and headed to a comfortable and quiet environment. We chatted for a bit before the interview. She really wanted a more elaborate description about Green Fire EcoMinistry and who I was. I gladly informed her and then we begin a lovely discussion about who she was and all that she has created and will create.

There were a few interruptions throughout our conversations. One of them was her friend that she had invited to visit. We all exchanged love and conversed. All these interruptions would have frustrated the structured and planned mind, but this was not the case for me. I always try and go into a situation expecting nothing but accepting everything.

These are words that I have learned to live by, they have served me well. I was giving effort to staying present and becoming very fluid in the moment. The founder wanted to take her friends and me on a personal tour of the property. We hiked about the fairly steep incline that makes up her land and observed many realities taking place.  We drew our tour to a close and returned back to the house to sit down and enjoy each other’s company. We all mutually agreed that we could carry on and finish the interview that we had started before her arrival. I carried on the last questions before my audience and ended feeling very fulfilled with how everything played out.

We genuinely interacted with each other for quite some time, when the founder proposed a light walk in the woods close by. We all loved the idea and quickly prepared for our little journey. One of the two friends had two children with her. They seemed around 7 and 6. Striving for attention they were busy being kids.

We got into the woods and followed the path for half a mile, then turned around and came back. It was a delightful temperate rainforest existing right by the urban jungle. On our way back I saw a moment to grab the kid’s attention. I quickly started to interact with the two, and I was giving effort in treating them as my equals. The whole adult mindset, “I’m older than you, I know better than you” is a filter over your natural perspective. This filter serves no one. Removing this filter from your perception will help children develop in a much more holistic way.

We played many games and ended with a big race to Ashvillage, and we pretended we had fuel to power us… and when we ran out, we would have to touch a tree to recharge. The bigger the tree the faster the charge. A child’s laughter is food for the soul.

We returned and I quickly gathered my things to embark on my cycle route. It was getting dark and I wanted to be back before sun down. I said my heartfelt goodbyes and flew down the hill to ride the land’s waves once again. I can feel my purpose run through my veins today.

I know why I am here, and I keep learning why every day.

I challenge everyone to do the same.

Asheville North Carolina – The Landing

July 11, 2016

Asheville, North Carolina. What a cultural hub this place has come to be. This area is resting on Cherokee land. The southern Appalachian Mountains are one of the oldest in the world. It has never been under ice during a ice age, and has never been flooded. This land not being affected by these natural events have creating a space rich in biodiversity.

I can feel it’s ecological presence. Something really profound is happening here in Asheville. People from around the nation are flocking to live here. There has been a cultural shift taking place amongst the humans in this area. This city has been able to become more open so to speak. More open to the arts. More open to a local economy. More open to an open mind. Most of the people that are not 2ND natives (we all know who came first) to this land are fueling this openness.

The 2ND natives of this land seem to be quite new to this whole open mind vibration in my opinion. Some of them have integrated into this mind frame, but a lot still carry that southern American popular culture with them. I’m not trying to disown southern American popular culture. I’m simply pointing out the differences that I see here.

With that being said it is my experience that this culture of the 2ND natives is one that has very unsustainable values – unsustainable in an ecological, economic sense, and a community sense. So with this wave of humans that are open to entertain ideas that question our popular culture today, we can see beautiful things began to take place.

These things can include: proper land based ethics, a more sustainable outlook on the process of obtaining goods and services, reducing one’s impact on the environment they inhabit, facilitating opportunities to develop community between their neighbors, and equal rights activism. I have witnessed these realities take place here.  It reminds me of when I see a dandelion growing between the cracks on a sidewalk. Nature will reclaim and set balance to all space. We are either against it or with it. Which side are you on?

I have found myself inhabiting one of these open bubbles. I was given the opportunity to come to this place because of a connection that the team leader at the EcoVillage training center had.  She had met this man at Ragweed, and she asked him if we could all stay at the land he calls home in Asheville.  He fulfilled her request to let us stay here for the Numundo Convergence, which was a weekend long.

This human stays at a place called The Landing. It is basically a place where you land and are able to creatively express yourself while planning your next move and/or growing roots here and developing your inner arts. The landing is an “unintentional community”, and does not Interact as a whole on a daily basis, except for their online discussion forums. They seemed to have developed their own tribes of inhabitants that have limited interaction with each other. The collective consciousness here is not ecologically based though they have some sustainable realities taking place here. Their overall footprint to this land is only a little less than the average modern American human. Even though this place has a potential to be diverse ecosystem of life, that’s it not what The Landing’s purpose is here. It’s purpose is to create a sanctuary of freedom from the outside world. It holds on its land the ability to express your inner arts without fear of judgment. That in itself is a remarkable thing.

The Landing man that invited us to live here is quite the character. This human also accepted my request to stay here until I leave Asheville. He is the product of a life born in California but raised on The Farm. Yup, he still remembers what it was like to travel in the caravan as a young child from California to eventually settle down in Tennessee to Co-create what is now known as one of the oldest intentional communities in the nation – The Farm.

The LM had presented his best self for us while staying here. He is a very confident man with a certain wittiness him. I had met him briefly at ragweed, but didn’t get to connect much. Right off the bat we were buds. I was able to flow with his wit and return with my own.

My presence here in Asheville has been a experience full of growth. Everything from cycling serving as my primary source of transportation everywhere to meeting and connecting with many conscious souls and realities. I have integrated myself into the micro-community that is The Landing, as well as the macro-community, Asheville.

I have become aware of many great people doing great things here. I look forward to evolving into my role as ambassador of Green Fire EcoMinistry, and stepping into a new phase of my life. I soon will be conducting interviews and holding space for information trade between people of purpose. I must see myself in a new light. I will be a space holder for connection to take place, and for separation to gradually disappear with grace.

Apollo Farm Mission complete 7-7 – Stage 2 launch Commence

TheFarmExitOptimized TheFarmOptimizedI love this land and all of its people. I feel I have definitely grown from this experience. I am grateful for all the love that I was shown by everyone I met here! This land will have a special place in my heart. Now me and the ecovillage training center team are headed to Asheville, NC for the southeast bioregional convergence hosted by NuMundo. I’m sure to network and collaborate with many minds there. After that I will explore Asheville’s sustainable scenes. Then head to Earth haven for another ecovillage immersion! This journey has proven to be quite magical. I feel something wants me to succeed. I feel it’s this earth I walk on that keeps everything in flow for me.

Love to all!