 |
www.hopedance.org
|
|
<back | home Adventures in EcoVillage Design at Crystal Waters by Bob Nanninga & Elaina Geltner We are not the type of people who take traditional vacations: driving across the country or lying on a beach somewhere sipping margaritas. Our trip to Australia last November was a combined education and vacation, and we had no way of knowing how much it would change us. We spent 20 days experiencing life at Crystal Waters Permaculture Village, a conscious community created in 1987. Located in the state of Queensland, about 20 miles outside of the small town of Maleny, Crystal Waters is home to about 220 permanent residents on 640 acres. We had signed up for a two-week Eco-Village design course taught by Max Lindegger and Lloyd Williams, directors of EcoLogical Solutions. Our "plan" as soon as classes were over was to leave Crystal Waters and travel around Queensland visiting traditional vacation spots like the Great Barrier Reef and Fraser Island. The fascinating course was much more demanding that we expected — designed to prepare us to do what Max and the founders of Crystal Waters did 17 years ago. The first week we studied road-building, energy systems, lot placement and layout, water recovery/delivery systems, wastewater systems, permaculture principles, organizational structures, legal structures, how to work with local planning agencies, conflict resolution and right livelihood. In week 2, we were challenged to create the plans for a co-housing project within Crystal Waters and divided into two 6-person design teams. The teams were a real international mixture of engineers, project managers, college students studying permaculture, artists, gardeners, and hands-on-healers. The diversity of backgrounds lent the realism of the differing perspectives of any group that might be planning an eco-village. We grappled with balancing our ideals and the practicalities of economic, resource, legal and time constraints. "This is a vacation?!" But in the end, both teams designed similar and yet unique projects, complete with land maps, architectural drawings, cost analysis and governing structures. As the end of our course approached, it was clear we hadn’t yet had enough! For our last week in Australia, we moved to the bunkhouse accommodations in the Visitors’ area, close to the Village Center, where we were hosted by Barry. Residents invited us into their homes for dinner, giving us tours, answering questions, sharing their amazing gardens. One of the long-time residents, Peter, offered to take us to the Connondale National Rainforest, and what an amazing journey! We swam in pools and bathed in waterfalls. We even were able to leave a little piece of ourselves behind as we helped Morag Gamble and Evan Raymond build their new house. They were the ones who had first introduced us to Eco-Village design in their slide presentation and workshop last February in Santa Barbara. We were shocked to discover that the entire region where we were, now green pasturelands, was originally covered with rainforest. It had been cleared for dairy farming and cattle. One of the aims of Crystal Waters is to recreate habitat for the birds and other animals of the area. Over 7000 trees have been planted, and the birds, wallabies, kangaroos and other wildlife have returned. In fact, some of those mornings when we were awakened at 4 am by the bell birds and the kookaburras, we were thinking, a few less trees perhaps! Taking the course and living in that environment was a powerful combination. We came back with a profound sense of the importance of starting right here, right now. We do not need to wait for "the land" so we can all live together in harmony. From our observations and classes at Crystal Waters, we have come up with these steps for implementing permaculture principles and creating spiritual community wherever you are: Vote with your feet. Show your support for causes, business and people you believe in by showing up! It’s very encouraging as the organizer of an event to have a good crowd. And the synergy developed is likely to have a lot more influence in the direction of evolution of our planet. Vote with your dollars: It’s challenging sometimes to balance budgets and our own integrity. However, when we shop at big box discount stores, there are several consequences. Most of the money leaves our community, so we are supporting the corporate headquarters, not our local community. Many of the products are made in unethical or ecologically unsound ways, by workers paid little. The cost to our planet of transporting goods over long distances is great in time, energy and natural resources. Buying from locally-owned stores supports our community and the people who are making sacrifices to run small businesses. If we buy products made and sold locally, we save resources, meet our neighbors, and keep the money at home. Build a network. If you know someone who offers a great service or product, refer your friends. Go out of your way to support their efforts. It’s good karma! Gather together. It’s a time-tested reality that gathering creates synergy. The power of even two people is much greater than twice the power of one. Many local groups offer meditation and healing gatherings, meetings, networking, etc. There are many studies out there that have proven the power of focused meditation to decrease crime rates, increase the health of a community and, of course, release our own stress. It’s a good time to exchange ideas and have some fun! At Crystal Waters, we were deeply touched by the practice of inviting people over for tea. We were constantly being invited into the homes of people in the community — and it was always for morning or afternoon tea, complete with cookies ("biscuits") or other treats. It seemed so civilized, loving, compassionate to take these kinds of breaks right in the middle of the day. Support organic farming. Permaculture includes the principle of growing our own food. Since that’s not practical for us, we’ve decided that joining a CSA is our best choice. A CSA is a local farm that accepts members; you pay a fee up front and share in the harvest. Two local CSA’s are Huasna Valley Farm ( http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M3527 ) or Cal Poly’s CSA at 756-6139. This way, we get fresh, local organic produce and support people in our community doing what they love! Follow your heart: We are all here for a reason. If you are doing what you are here on Earth to do, it creates an energy that promotes the transformation of the planet. Others might even be inspired to do the same! Sign up early. If you are going to attend a class, workshop or other event, pre-register as early as you can. Spiritual businesses and groups are often operating at low profit margins or with limited funding. By signing up early and sending in your payment, you help the organizers to plan for enough space, supplies and activities to accommodate everyone. It also builds energy for others to sign up! Thanks to Wes Roe of the Santa Barbara Permaculture Network for putting out this idea so succinctly at Morag and Evan’s eco-village workshop. Spread the Light: One of the most powerful things we can do to change the way things are involves our attitude in our day-to-day lives. Can I touch the heart of the clerk at the post office with a smile? What happens if I say hello to people on the street who look like they could use a little love? Remember a few years back the concept of acts of random kindness and senseless beauty? Or the Pay it Forward idea? They are powerful ways to open our hearts and transform consciousness. It was hard to come home. We miss the friends we made there. We miss the stillness and the kangaroos. We miss walking and biking everywhere. But we are excited to see what we can create here. We are aware of the deeper implications of the choices we make every day. We have opened QuietStar Center for Transformation to build a spiritual community in which our true selves can thrive, with respect for the environment and all creatures who share it. We are doing our best to walk our talk. We invite you to send comments or questions to: info@QuietStar.com. Please put "permaculture" or "hopedance" in your subject line so we won’t send you to the spam filter!! We invite you to gather with us on Sundays at 3:00 at the Center for our weekly Meditation and Healing Circle. Crystal Waters welcomes visitors, by pre-arrangement. http://www.crystalwaters.org.au For Max and Lloyd: http://www.ecologicalsolutions.com.au. For Morag and Evan http://www.permaculture.au.com. Bob Nanninga is a retired engineer who is now a bodyworker and hands-on-healer. He helps Elaina keep the QuietStar Center running, and has a goal of putting more miles on his bicycles than on his car this year. Elaina Geltner is a vibrational healer, a teacher, and the developer of Soul Path Alignment. Her greatest joy is helping people live their dreams. Elaina@QuietStar.com; Bob@QuietStar.com; Phone: 783-2662. <back | top^ |