Wonders Never Cease, Miracles Do Happen, Insert Cliche' Here

Take a look here, quickly scan the home page, then come back to me . . .

http://redskymorn.googlepages.com/home

How I got here . . .

Just over a year ago I really got into the idea of sustainable living and ecovillages (in part because of Ishmael and other Daniel Quinn books). But I had no idea how to proceed, also I'm in school, also I own my condo and am in debt up to my eye balls, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. So, I put it on the shelf as something to re-examine in the future.

Then I switched programs to Integral Psychology starting in the Winter 2007 quarter, it just felt right, I knew I had to switch. Then during the Spring 2007 quarter I found myself being drawn to the topics of health/diet/food in relationship to my Integral studies and papers. This led to me re-examining my personal library of food/diet/health related books and I stumbled across Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon in my collection. This book that has haunted me for years, but I had avoided it because I knew it would require a lot from me. I originally read the first 100 pages (the nutritional info part of this cookbook) nearly four years ago, but it just wasn't the right time to implement the recommendations for a number of reasons.

Then this quarter I took Planetary Psychology, my all time favorite class thus far, and started looking more closely at these themes and getting very excited. A few weeks ago I bit the bullet and re-read the first 100 pages of Nourishing Traditions. And this time, it not only made sense, but seemed like the ONLY way to eat and live. I had to do it; there was no turning back. I have been eating this way now for 3.5 weeks and have lost twelve pounds (plus six I lost in the seven weeks before this just by cutting sugar). I feel clear headed, healthy, energetic, and very nourished. Also, by adopting this way of eating I have made new friends and discovered a fabulous community kitchen in Berkeley (http://www.threestonehearth.com/).

A few weeks ago I casually mentioned something to a close friend about maybe one day selling my condo and living in an intentional community. She said, incredulously, "You'd really want to do that?" I paused, checked in, and YES, I realized, I really do want to do that! Not the wacky commune type thing where you have no money of your own and you're slave labor for some cult, but an intentional community dedicated to sustainability and fostering wellness and growth in all areas of human experience.

Then today I was messing around on youtube looking for inspiration for the papers I should be writing right now and came across a recommendation for http://www.ic.org/ (Intentional Communities). I brought up the list for California and there were nearly 200 listed communities. I started going through them, clicking on the ones that were local, in places I'd be open to living, etc. On the fourth, and final, page of listings I found the one I pasted at the beginning of this blog. And I cried tears of wonder and joy.

This is EXACTLY what I have been dreaming of, but didn't know it. Sustainable living, eco villiage, farm, Weston Price Principles, etc. I have already contacted them and asked to be on the mailing list and introduced myself. I am so excited and a bit scared. Where will the money come from, how will this happen? I don't know, but what I do know is that this is where I am supposed to be. It will take a while to organize, so I see it coinciding with the conclusion of my studies in Spring/Summer of 2009 or sometime shortly thereafter. I'll keep you updated . . . Life is frickin' amazing.