Friday 18 October 2013

Abundant Earth Community.





It has almost nothing to do with me, and absolutely everything to do with you...!
(Moto)




Objectives, goals.

To re-invest in nature and people. To create a sustainable Micro-Nation, ('Intentional Community,') based upon common ethos' of co-operation, love, peace and collective well-being. To promote spiritual awareness in the collective actions, and produce food and provide shelter in a safe and sustainable environment. To create spaces for groups, workshops and small business's to be working with the environment rather than against it. To provide initiative development in the local community with low impact, carbon friendly procedures and training ideas. To create a model of sustainability living in an almost completely 'off grid' sense. To provide spaces for skill sharing ideas of other local groups and organizations, such as LincolnShare, Revival, Hack-space LincolnSocial Science Centre, and the Friends Cooperative amongst others. To grow food and make other products to be bartered for other requirements and needs of the community. And finally to show unequivocally that a life of less personal material wealth can be the most fundamental way to experience human happiness.





Namaste.

Love, light, peace and harmony.




So how does this work? Sounds like a great idea doesn't it? But how does this idea become a reality, in today's world? The truth is I don't have all the answers. Who could? BUT, the truth also is, that YOU do have all the answers. Collectively, you, the readers and the people crying out for a better fairer world, do in fact have all the answers and all of the solutions. So surely what we the collective, as a cooperative movement can do, is bring these things together and focus our intentions into a trial community and investigate the potential for human kindness in sharing. How I see this working in principle is, that firstly people kindly offer their suggestions. Then we have a short series of discussions about the feasibility of a joint venture. And subsequently we pool our ideas and connections to bring a demonstration of collective positivity to bear, in action. We make the dream come true by acting on our collective ideas and sharing what we have available to us in common. 

Sadly the world is in crisis. We'd have to be fools not to have noticed. But we don't have to give in to despair. We can act and create a new reality, if we are not satisfied with the one we have. I think it is patently obvious that the current system is not only failing, but sunk. Politicians and banks and commerce keep telling us the recession is over and all is tickerty boo.... I would like to believe this, because it might give us more time to prepare for the aftermath of a collapse of our current system. These above mentioned groups are constantly filling their coffers whilst the poorer of society get austerity. What we are failing to realize is that you cannot prop up a system controlled by money, with yet more money indefinitely. Fiat money is created out of thin air. It is as invisible as that air, and actually less beneficial than air. (We can breath air, but not money) The system we live under is not only controlling us, but taking away all of our liberties as well. In the dead of the night they alter our laws of freedom and replace them with others that take away our right to choose.

If you  would like to have another option, then please get involved with the Abundant Earth Community and help one another and yourself too, to bring alternatives into the world. 

A good friend of mine and the project, Angela Porter, wrote/compiled a piece that I wish to share with you all. It is from something written about Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple. Although I'm not a big fan of huge corporations, it describes the mentality of the 'winners' as Steve undoubtedly would be considered by a lot of people. Have a read and see what you think.



Inspiration from the life of Steve Jobs

Taken from - ‘How to think like Steve Jobs’ - Daniel Smith.

Love him, hate him - either way, we can learn from him.....

Be an outsider:


For a man who attained enormous wealth he did a remarkable good job to avoid just becoming another white, middle aged man in a suit - he persuaded us that by buying Apple, we were taking a step towards asserting our own individuality and creativity... He believed that an outsider was truthfully what he was..


Follow your own road:


‘Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition’.


Meet the right people:


‘Innovation comes from people meeting up in the hallways or calling each other at 10.30 at night with a new idea, or because they realised something that shoots holes in how we’ve been thinking about a problem’. 


Find friends on the same wavelength/ask questions/network. 

‘Technology is nothing. What’s important is that you have faith in people, that they’re basically good and smart, and if you give them tools, they’ll do wonderful things with them’.

‘Mine’ your life experiences:


‘Expose yourself to the best that things that humans have done so you can bring that experience into whatever it is you do’.


Be a survivor:


Always have a plan/stick to your guns/share what you need to/ (but keep your secrets safe) Seize opportunity/never stand still/Dream Big/look around for inspiration:


Small thinkers never do big things’


Build beautiful:


Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do’.


Take pride/demand perfection/stay focused. Build a winning team: Don’t lose your cool/don’t lose perspective. 


Master the money (so it doesn’t master you):

‘Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me.... going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful.... that’s what matters to me’


Be fair/share and share alike/watch your bottom line.  


Don’t sideline design:

‘Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected‘ Keep it simple/evolve - iterate - improve/remember, there is no such thing as a bad idea..


Sell the dream:


‘Think different’


‘Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. they’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. While some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do
’.
by TBWA/Chiat/Day for Apple.

Turn adversity into advantage:


‘Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick, don’t lose faith’.


Know when to tear up the blueprints/create the space for creativity (the system is that there is no system) trust your instincts.... but respect your customers.

Re-imagine the market place, we’re always thinking about new markets we could enter’.


Establish a work-life balance:


‘Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work’.


‘We don’t get a chance to do that many things, and every one should be really excellent. Because this is our life. Life is brief, and then you die, you know?’


‘I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself, ‘if today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “no” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something’.

Thank you Angela, thank you Steve Jobs.




I particularly like the comment:



“Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”
Apple Inc.


 
Now I'm not even going to begin to compare this venture with Steve Job's Apple. But what I do see is this. To some people, my dream, the idea being put forward is crazy. It could be considered way too utopian/idealistic and therefore impossible. But if you read what I did in the above comments, it is the crazy that actually do change the world. Visions, and dreams play a big part in change. The observable changes of the past show that when a replacement was needed, things did change. The problem for us was that what replaced it was almost, if not as corrupt as what preceded it. Few would argue we don't need change now, be that for the environment or for the financial state of the world. Let's replace it with LOVE. A way of sharing that is not all about money. I would like this project to be about all that is best in human beings. About their kindness, their loyalty, their inspired ideas and their compassionate giving and sharing. And not just to me but to one another, with love. 

Below is a rough idea of the key points of the proposal. I invite anyone/everyone to offer thoughts and ideas about what could make it work and whom it could serve. You already know that I would like it to serve everyone, but I recognise that mighty Oaks come form tiny acorns. The Abundant Earth Community is at present based in Lincoln/Lincolnshire, United Kingdom. There are already similar ideas and projects established and underway all around the world, and we the people who are coming together already have been and will continue to draw strength and ideas from them.







 



Set up requirements.

Location : Potentially close to the city on farm or open common land. Locate/acquire land, space or buildings that can accommodate the various aims of the community. (5 – 100 acres.) A site with access to water (i.e. river, lake) potentially close to woodland and established wildlife. A site very close to or within the city itself would be ideal.

Project Aims : A basic agreed upon constitution to explain with transparency the joint goals, aims, terms and conditions of the collective ethos. Who does what, and who is responsible for the decision processes. What type of structure the cooperation takes to include individuality. An indication of what each member brings to the collective and how resources are to be shared. Entertainments for the collective diversity. A description of the short and longer term goals.

Resources : Land. Water. Communal building, living area. Private living spaces. Sleeping accommodation. Food sources. Food storage (containers) Fuel sources, heating, cooking, lighting. Building materials. Equipment. Health responsibilities, doctor, dentist etc.

Members : People living at the site.
                            People who can visit freely.
                            Associated members
                            (other interest groups and collaborators)
                            Trustees.

Collaborators : Local groups, Organizations. Support groups. Service users.

Administration : Who is the administration. How will this be done and with what resources.

Financial Aspects : Trustees of joint bank accounts. Income sources. How is any money used or distributed. Taxes. Financial commitments.

Promotions : How does the community collaborate and share information with the wider world. What methods, and who will take the responsibilities of this task.

Time Frame : Proposed targets of the venture. Feasibility study, draft outlines and conception ideals.

SWOT and PESTLE analysis and risk assessments considered, for community and individuals.


I sincerely hope that you will get in touch with any one of our team and share your comments ideas and positive assistance, get involved directly with setting this up, or share the links and ideas with as many people as you can. Help us to help others create an 'abundance' for everyone. 

Love, light, peace and harmony.


abundantearthcommunitylincs@gmail.com
abundant.earth.community@gmail.com



4 comments:

  1. This is an ambitious but worthwhile experiment and I am happy to be involved as much as I can. I think it is great that you have created a space for people to start to imagine alternatives that are based on the emancipation and enrichment of humans and nature and I am passionate about any project that has these as it's aims.
    As I have mentioned to you before in person, I think we need to be able to articulate the problems with the way we currently live before we can imagine alternatives so that we do not repeat the same mistakes. For me, critical political economy provides the most comprehensive and compelling account of the totalising forces of capitalism. Only by examine these forces can we hope to imagine alternatives that are free from oppression and, instead, seek to nurture and enrich humans and nature.

    I hope to speak more about this in the future...

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  2. Bless you for your thoughtful comments. Yes I intend to take a hard look at things, to try and avoid repetition of the mistakes of the past by being inclusive of many view points and not only my own. It would be great if many people came into the community both as direct participants and as associated members. More heads, more ideas and possibly a rare chance to share non personal profiting activities. Seemingly as human beings we have made some classic mistakes in building societies throughout history. I guess the positives are that we should be able to reason what went wrong, what hasn't brought about the best outcomes for all people and be innovative with solutions. We'll probably never get it spot on, but at least we can try our best, to be the best version of ourselves in the here and now. I think this would help, and doing it for others not just ourselves would take some of the ego out of it too.

    Love to you and hugs.

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  3. I have enjoyed reading your blog, thank you and want to encourage you in what you are doing. A fresh way of thinking and doing life.
    Are you on twitter? I think you need to give your blog more exposure... so more like minded and curious people can contribute their thoughts and ideas to your vision.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Simon for your words of encouragement.
      As you say this idea needs more exposure andI pray that you will share it with as many people as is possible too.

      Above are the twitter etc for A.E.C.
      My personal twitter is @ImagineWarrior

      I look forward to more chats with you and your feedback.

      Love and light.
      happy new year.

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