Because it Takes a Whole Village
It was a sunny winter day
The participants sat down at a table across the street from the Glen Ellen Lodge. Several participants were given erroneous information as to the meeting from an employee of the Bistro Cafe.There were 9 participants in all
Arlie, Antony, Bacci, Larry, Marcello, Mary, Perry, Sharane, and T. Larry is the recorderof the notes and moderator of the meeting, and asks that any errors in spelling of names or representation and inclusion of information be excused as unintentional, and be brought to his attention if necessary.The meeting was started
with a passing around of the opportunity to introduce oneself. Antony, a Sonoma localhad just found out about the project a few days ago from a friend who learned of it on the internet.Antony has architectural training
with an interest in designing villages. He related the story of how he had worked for many years in Portugal on a project to renovate an abandoned village. Unfortunately the projectdid not reach completion, and Antony offered cautions that he had learned from this.Antony felt that he might
not have the energy to embark on another community project at this time and that he was hoping to find a more established community, but that he was interested in the Eden Project and would like to learn more and follow the projects progress.Sharane is a long time
Mendocino resident, having been in the county for 27 years. She is part of life a systems analyst and another part healer. She has experience inconflict resolution management, growing of organic medicinal herbs, involvement in the Round Valley Indian Community and other communities, and a strong interest/desire for a diverse inclusionary form of community.Mary, attended the meeting
as a supportive companion for Sharane. She is a long time resident of the community of Monen's Ril, which has been established for 27 years and has 33 members. Mary suggested thata good way for people interested in the Eden Project to proceed is to visit established communities, and see what about them has enabled them to remain established.Bacci, at present
a resident of Oakland, was attending a meeting for the first time. I infer that he found out about the project from the internet where he has introduced himself, and has reviewed the archived emails from the egroup. He has experience inconstruction and is very interested in spirituality and ecology and believes them to be very connected. He has helped establish and is part of a local community with drum circle ritual.Perry is a San Francisco
resident who has abandoned an"opportunity" to drive in circles around his neighborhood and city, in favor of pursuing community and rural lifestyle.T is a rural resident
of the Sonoma high country. T thought that people whom he has communicated with over the internet might think that computers are a large part of his life. But really he has only become involved with computers and the internet for recent times, and likes to spend most of his time off the grid enjoying the land and the trees and the natural world.T conceived of the Eden Project
as part of his desire to help create a form where he and others of like mind could enjoy the land and its life within a supportive community.Arlie, has attended previous meetings
where she has introduced herself more completely. She lives in residential Sonoma. She feels that at this point in her lifeshe is focused more on materialism than spirituality, but with the vision of building an earthship home and living close to the land.Marcello has been nomadic
in Northern California, although not by choice, and is currently residing in the East Bay. He comes from a suburban background. For sometime he could not understand why the suburban way didn't seem right, but he has realized that it is the separateness from one's neighbors that is a big part of that.Marcello has activist experience
but he is now channelling that energy away from tearing down what is wrong to building a model of what is right. He has experience with beingpart of purpose groups and their workings and structure. He offered to pass along some representative documents of what some of those workings were. Marcello is planning some tripsto established communities and is considering settling at one in the Ojai area.Larry is currently
residing in Mill Valley and has been interested in the Eden Project for several years. To him it has seemed like the best idea for forming a community that he has encountered, even though from its inherent large scope it may be the 'longest shot'.He is not sure whether he and family
will be able to live there on a permanent basis (although he hopes) but feels that involvement with the establishing of the Eden Project is a spiritually fulfilling process. During the meetingseveral resources were suggested:-Always Coming Home by Ursula Leguin
The setting of the book is Northern California, and it relates to community and nature. (Sharane)-Gaviotas by Alan Weisman
This book tells the story of what maybe one of the most successful eco-comumunities that has been recently established. The community is in Colombia. They plant millions of trees a year. (Perry)-Beyond Civilization
- Humanities Next Greatest Adventure by Daniel Quinn. Although at first hard to believe, after some reading the thoughts become believable. A basic message is that one doesn't have to tear down what is wrong, just come up with something better. (Marcello)-Occidental Arts and Ecology Center
A Sonoma community offering many educational opportunities in Permaculture and other related topics. oaec.org (T)-Communities Magazine and ic.org
A central website for the intentional communities movement. (T)-Permaculture Credit Union
A newly formed credit Union. An ethical and central place for people interested in permaculture and communities to save money. Access at pcuonline.org. (Larry)-Quaker community
As a model for community on a consensual basis. (Sharane)-Cointelligence Institute
of Tom Atley. Access via web search for cointelligence. (Marcello) At some point pastries were broken all partook in substance or in spirit.Sharane came up with
a very interesting consideration. She has found through experience that it is important to consider what one's deepest needs are in a potential community, and whether they resonate with the deepest needs of other potential members of a community. If one's deepest needs are not compatible then it is likely that one will not be able to endure as part of the community.Larry suggested that
the participants each take a turn at expressing what their deepest needs (in relation to the community) might be.He felt the needs could relate to
the initial establishment of the project and also to when the community came into existence.Anthony felt the need for
a solid clear plan especially as regards to the land needing to be acquired and the planned use for it to be approved by regulatory authorities.Marcello felt that
organizational structure was a deep need, such as 501c3 status, trust accounts, the various levels of organization to maintain such things, and to attract people to work with these.Arlie felt that for her
organizational structure, particularly as relates to the way issues like succession of the land rights would be handled. She also felt thatthe project needed to move forward in the next few years as regards the acquisition of land.Perry felt that there needed to be
more clarity in communication as to what is reality and what is in a state of development, so that people don't get alienated by misperceptions. Personally, his deepest need is a sense of community.Bacci let go with a volume of needs
First he needs to be with people that are aware that there is a global crisis of deficiency in spirituality, community, and ecology. These aspects are like the need for a three legged stool to give stability. Second was the need of land for people to fulfill these needs. Third was an organizational structure so that he could personally find the niche where he would best fit. He has a need for that organizational structure to be documented and accessible. Fourth he has a need for the community to be a model and to educate (from an ecovillage scene) in a way to offer 'reconsciousing to the mainstream', so it could not be inwardly focused in hiding or escaping. Fifth he needs to be part of a community of conscious people with common spiritual interests - a common spiritual planetary vision. Sixth he has a need for appropraite technology. Seven he has a need for beauty in the form of an aesthetic, healing, nurturing environment where one can be creative and expressive - a vessel for love and inspiration. Also Bacci felt he needed to educate himself more about community and things like permaculture that will be necessary for an ecovillage.Sharane also felt a need
for organizational structure. She felt that the organizational structure was best managed on a consensual basis. She felt the need for a community of creative, heartfelt people. She also felt the need for an inclusionary approach that would foster diversity, such as offering a retreat center.Larry felt that as the moderator
of this meeting, his deepest immediate need was to further promote discussion of the needs that were already presented many of which were resonant with his own needs. It seemed like there was wide support and agreement for the needs for a common vision of community, spirituality, and ecology.There was further discussion
of the need for clarity of the presentation of the project, and the organizational structure for the development of the project. As it was discussed it became evident that the two were interrelated.Perry suggested that a FAQ
(Frequently Asked Questions) document be generated that would clearly state some of the basic status of the project.T felt that the basic information
was being made publicly available in the form of the Eden Journal that has been widely distributed and the expanding website as time permits as well as the email discussion groups. Quite a lot of ground has been covered for those who really will do the digging.T felt that there was
a certain amount of information available to the public and that only those who joined in with the work involved would be able to pursue it further so it was a matter of how it was approached. If you approach this community in the right way you will be received in the right way. Otherwise who can say? We do want to see some signs of self determination on the part of any new member. And yet there needs to be a certain amount of willingness to accept what it is that they find here.This led to the question of how
and who would be responsible for developing a document such as a FAQ or a "group mission statement" and the further development of organizational structure.This bounced all over the place
But when T got a chance to speak he did say that there would be various layers of organizational structure that he is asking people to work more closely with him on. One was the Eden WorkGroup, a board of directors and the other is to join the Steward's Council.Much has been written in the Journal. It's all a part of the Mission Statement. People do need to see a lot and we do have a lot.
Eden is still Going
and growing out of its own self. Nothing is absolute. I am here to serve and not to swerve. All these things that have been said here are already in there believe me and have been since the very beginning. Big things take time to become fully understood.There is enough to work with so t's time for people to grant the organizer of this group the support he needs to do the work he is here to do so that he may continue to create and to shape this group into what it needs to become.
I do have a
very clear ongoing vision for these meetings as I have had for this project as a whole. What brought you here? How did that happen? We have all come here for different reasons. But I can only do so much with that. That's why I need to start asking people to put Eden First from now on instead of their own needs and expectations.It's not going to be
about everybody having all the things they want for their ideal community fantasy world. That has to be understood. If you want to talk a lot you will first have to show some willingness to listen. And then you have to become one of the people who becomes fairly indispensable. And that does require some effort.I have gotten a lot of
criticism on this project and now you can see where some of this may be coming from. A lot of people aren't too comfortable with the realities they are finding out about. And that things are real in Eden is the first thing that comes up. What happened to the dream? Well the dream has become the reality as you might have expected from somebody who writes like this.There is something to
be said for hearing from everybody as though it was all just up in the air. But it's not entirely like that. There are a few understandings already in place as you can see. Study this well. Then we can talk in a more meaningful way.The stewards council would
be the community's larger concensus council. I see this as comprising a minimum of 9 persons and a maximum of about 84 (the 84 corresponds to one representative from each planned homestead unit). Members of the board of directors would in all likelihood be members of the stewards council also.T has so far foreseen
the criteria for becoming a member of the Stewards Council as making a financial committment (of $1500 or more) to the project. Larry asked if other criteria could be consideredT said that there are many other ways to show a deeper level of commitment to this project. But everything else is above and beyond all of that, like the attendance of meetings and strong positive involvement in the groups. But there are many other ways you can show your complete support for this project. When we are going to have an event I need to know who is actually going to be there.It's not like you would think
that you would only need to do something in return for getting something. Other people do need to come forward who are leaders in their own right and can integrate into this project in a harmonious manner and will volunteer their time and energy to work for this project.We don't need people who
look for all the paperwork to be in order first and put the Vision of Eden second. If it doesn't come from the Earth then we don't need it. The 501c(3) is not what the vision of Eden is to be limited to being. That is only paper. Same with the Board of Directors. It's just more paperwork towards the same ends, to satisfy legal requirements.This is what this gift
from me to you is really all about. And it does require some financial commitments. But all of that comes right back to you.How does that figure?
Normally for a homestead that would be valued at one to three hundred thousand your property taxes might be from one to three thousand a year or more. And that is what the value of these homesteads really are going to be once they are fully completed, that we are getting for so little.After thirty years
you will have gotten that all back many times over on what you will save on taxes alone. That means your homestead and your farmsite is paid for and then the materials for your house which could be another $30,000. are then paid for as well soon after by what we will save on taxes alone.We are a service oriented community
and an educationally oriented community. And we may even consider ourselves to be a bit of an EcoSpiritual Community to some certain extent as we begin to mature into the Vision of Eden which is To Save the Earth.But we don't want to
have to report back and account for every little thing we do which would be burdensome and unnecessary so we will choose the most optimal tax status possible to qualify for under the law which I believe will be very similar to the one used by Twin Oaks and a lot of other places.It's not at all unusual
Much of this is already well understood. But people don't know how to understand their relationship to this project. People aren't ready to follow where this is going as members of this community because of a serious personal identity crisis. People don't know who they are supposed to be here.I want this group to
become a little bit tighter before I go to work on this yet another little dimension to this project. I do have certain expectations about how I want this to go. And I do need people to remain open minded and accepting.Not that I won't
keep on doing what it is that I have been doing. But I need to have your full support not just a blank stare off into space as we have seen from some of the new members who have shown more of an interest in an easy ecovillage fantasy dream of getting all this for nothing now.I do want us to have
a decent sized board of directors. But the understanding has to be clear. We do have to meet you and then we can talk about many things face to face. It cannot all be presented right here on the streets of the superhighway.There are limits
Try to respect those limits. I don't need followers. But you should be able to do so. You do have to be somebody who does have something to contribute to our overall success.This is all so very Real
You can make it if you try. But you do have to be willing to try. You don't have Edenand you don't have a place here yet. Not a real one. And you may not even be very clear about where everything stops and nothing begins. Well you have so come to the right place to find out. But first I would like to see some careful speaking and some considerate listening.We will begin to make
something out of nothing right here before your very eyes. But you have no right to have everything explained just yet. That will all come in its own time. You have not yet made it that far into this project. Maybe not. Very few have qualifiedas being in this thing far enough along to be serving on any Board of Directors I would be willing to set up.We do have an account
with the Permaculture Credit Union. #385. And you can make deposits into that. And that is the only thing we really do need from you right now. We do need your support on every level. And we will account for it.I want this project
to have a meaningful Board of Directors. Committed people that I know I can count on. These people who only come to one meeting and expect the world to be delivered right into their laps would be the ones who are quite mistaken.You may have come from
a long way off. And that in some cases might be as far away as Oregon, Colorado or we have even had people come out here from Ohio. But do come here prepared to accept whatever it is you see at first.Later on you can make
some real contribution to this project. And these were some of the things that T was trying to say. But this meeting was coming to an end. It seemed like it was too much to form a board of directors or a stewards council on the spot as the meeting had already been in session for over 2 hours and it felt like it was drawing to a close.Arlie expressed the need
to see at least one tangible step come out of the meeting.Larry proposed that some
sort of working group be formed to further work on issues that had been raised such as creating a FAQ and forming a board or council.It was considered to create
a separate email workgroup that would be called the EdenWorkGroup that could work on such issues. The 'pro' was that things could be discussed among people who are beyond the initial introduction to the project without turning off or being inundated with too much information from those who are new to the project.Larry felt that a 'con' was
That it would be creating layers of openness in the project. T and others felt that this was natural that at any time there would be some more and some less deeply involved in various aspects within the overall project.In the End
There was no definite resolution to form a working group, but there was commitment to continue to work towards this at the next meeting, and possibly before. - TTo Save the Earth
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