Going to the Source
Although modernity comes with many privileges that we would not (and do not need to) dispose of, much of it is superfluously trapping us in a vicious cycle of “progress” and destruct - leaving its dirty tracks behind at a maddening rate - not just in one nation, but all over the globe. Anxiety and depression, loneliness and poverty, cancer and childhood diabetes, extremism, and on and on, it’s all occurring more and more. And the science is out - climate change is real. It’s happening, it’s been happening, and we really should be more ecological by now. Of course, indigenous peoples have been calling for environmentalism since “the west” arrived, and still do to this day. You would think, with all this privilege, in a so-called “land of the free”, our society would be reflecting these values by now.
Too many times, the voices of reason are ignored by mainstream society because of corrupt-money. And for every-day people just trying to get by, it seems so hard to stop such a globally-encompassing system.
In response to this foul play of reality, many people have co-created alternative communities over the decades, striving for something a bit closer to a utopia that many dream of. Though each community differs by region, history, cultures, and other specifics that make each one unique, most “ecovillages” relate by their desire for a life more in rhythm to natural ways, more in alignment with these bigger values, more connected to their neighbors, more fulfilling spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally, and less harmful to others, including the land.
Today, with climate disruption knocking ever-more loudly, and at accelerating rates, food and water security looking bleaker in conjunction with climate and social inequity disasters, chronic and mental illness all-too-common, and with yet another economic crash looming over the nation, it is vital to play a different game.
They say to stop spending your energy trying to get a seat at their table - make your own table.
So why wait, my friends? Let’s create.
Our lotus is rising on the collective wisdom gathered from the earth, the ancestors, and our own experiences and creativity. Our renaissance is here, if we want it. Never before has it been this easy to accumulate so much knowledge and know-how, so quickly and globally. We have learned much from the trials, errors and triumphs of others. We commend those who have come before. We respect ourselves and the next generations far too much to do nothing, or to only live for ourselves. We trust that by cultivating healthy, collective ecosystems, we create the soil, or platform for individual lives of abundance. We honor our highest potential to embody the resilience and beauty of the human spirit.
Even though the Earth as a planet has her own cycles and ability to revive, as humans, we have the responsibility to heal her. The path to truly healing her is long, but it begins with simplifying our lives, person to person, house to house, business to business, town to town. We need to commit to aiming higher, because there really is so much we can do. Be bold. Be magical. Simplify AND create. Neutralize our carbon footprints, produce the things we need, source responsibly the things we cannot make ourselves, empower, heal, research, connect, regenerate. It’s about dreaming up the life we want, according to our collective values, and then living accordingly. If the community is in place, the individual can meet their needs and then thrive. When individuals are thriving, the community is alive and in place, and we are now empowered to offer even more to other communities, and the world.
Sounds simple, right? It is, and it isn’t. Creating communities can be challenging, and it is understandable why, when we look at the Big Story. Many intentional communities (or businesses and families for that matter!) fall apart, from lack of communication or management, or lack of funding, or from not being grounded in a strategy that supports the vision.
With all of this in mind, Nawaya Village approaches the bigger mission (which is essentially an evolutionary, spiritual mission) starting with the root chakra, and moving upward, or meeting the basic needs first. Centered on its values, the strategy is in balance with grounded, pragmatic solutions to serve as platforms for us to launch our ancient-future from.