AWAKENED LIFE

http://awakenedlifeproject.org  

                   http://awakenedlifeproject.org/the-place/  scroll down for pictures and videos.

                          Here are some introductory quotes from their web site:

“Sometimes the most difficult thing for a person to see and acknowledge is the truth of their own being.”
“…..we need to embrace the totality of both the inner and outer, individual and collective dimensions of who we are.
We need to awaken to our ‘true nature’ as the totality of the Life Process!"

"This means discovering who we are in the deepest sense - as One with all of Life, and then, even more importantly, taking responsibility for the truth of absolute interrelatedness.

This has nothing to do with religious belief or concepts or any dogma or cultural baggage of any kind. It has to do with seeing through and letting go of our false small sense of self and discovering a profound peace, an unshakable trust in Life and a vast new freedom of being. And in that freedom, if our motivation is not to “have” it only for ourselves, we may find we are compelled by a tremendous sense of positive passion and purpose that propels us forward into the task of co-creating a brighter future. We realize that Heaven truly can come to Earth, and we are the ones to make it so!”

Community & Communion

The Awakened Life Project is a place for passionate idealists, seekers, and adventurers. It is a place for those who yearn to drop the habitual pretence, manipulation, and mistrust that divide and alienate human beings from themselves and each other. It is a place for those who want to experience true communion and authentic, honest, trustworthy relationships based on a shared interest in Truth & Evolution.”

“We feel inspired by the idea of creating a “Garden of Eden” in which we and others could merge into living connection with the beauty of Nature. We are dedicated to rejuvenating the abandoned farm of Quinta da Mizarela in the spirit of communion and cooperation with the forces of Nature, and in the process hope to make ourselves as self-sufficient as possible.

We have embraced the principles of permaculture as an invaluable guide on this journey of observation and creativity. We are gradually learning the art of growing our own vegetables without tilling the soil, weeding or monocultures, creating forest gardens, seed saving, grey-water and irrigation systems, composting toilets, ponds, eco-building etc. We have planted 800 indigenous trees after a fire burned an area of pine above the settlement, and we have planted many fruit trees of all kinds. We have plenty of other sentient beings sharing the quinta with us, our two donkeys, five chickens, bees, two dogs and four cats, resident lizards and snakes as well as all the non-physical beings that are looking after all the plants!

With a goal to become totally off-grid and self-sufficient in energy produced from sunshine and water (both of which we have in abundance), we have installed solar power and solar hot water systems and are working towards a hydro system that will provide power in the winter months. One of our pride and joys is a ram pump (invented in 1776!), that pumps all our water from a stream in the valley up to the water tank above the habitation using only the pressure created by the falling water.

There are a number of ruins that can be renovated as both residential and communal spaces here. As resources and other people make themselves available we will rebuild them in traditional slate stone and wood in as ecological a manner as possible.”

Residents

Current residents are the founders Pete & Cynthia, Adam & Mim, who after volunteering for 3 months in 2009 decided to stay for a year and Laura whose love and focus is the permaculture garden. Glen, from USA, is a seasonal visitor, who has returned several times. Woofers and volunteers come and go throughout the year.

Laura with the Multicoloured Mexican Maize - just plucked.

They envision 6 or 7 people living there permanently or semi-permanently as a core group. Their vision is that this core group of committed people will create a field of consciousness, inspiration, love and care that volunteers, visitors and future course participants will step into and experience; that those who come there will have life-changing experiences and shifts in their perspective and values that will positively impact their lives when they leave.

Pete and Cynthia both lived for several years in a USA based community with Andrew Cohen (see: http://www.andrewcohen.org/  )

“Andrew Cohen, founder of “EnlightenNext”, is redefining the spiritual ideal of enlightenment for the 21st century. Through his revolutionary philosophy, his award-winning magazine, and his work with thousands of individuals and groups around the world, he is dedicated to creating nothing less than a revolution in consciousness and culture.” ….so you can see where the basis for this community comes from!

Rob Arrives

After a train and bus journey I was met by Glen, a young American guy with large clear brown eyes and an obvious quiet passion for the Awakened Life project. I was already feeling doubtful about the scenery. The bus had travelled far up hill into a mountainous region covered in pine trees. As Glen drove we entered forested hills and then began a steep decent on a rocky track. “No ways” I thought! Not the place for me!

That night I dreamed of sliding down and down just such a rocky decline.

It was still light and I was greeted by the others who were clustered around a rustic table outside eating a raw-food supper. Glen and I went into the small, dark stone kitchen and helped ourselves to food and joined the others.
 

By the time we had finished eating it was almost dark so rather than clambering up and down terraces in the dark and setting up my tent I negotiated a special rate for use of their Mongolian Yurt - which through continuing ‘deals’ I managed to stay in all week bar the last night when an overseas facilitator Ria Panen Godesberg arrived to run a workshop the following week. (founder of a centre for healing and the evolution of consciousness in Ibiza, Spain. Read about Ria here, and the history with pics of the first year on the quinta - http://www.beira-serra-sustentavel.org/tag/uncategorized/ )

Rob and Adam reinforce the sluice-gate up-stream.
 

My first day I worked with Adam to construct a reinforced concrete beam on a weir across a small stream which supplies their quinta. Most of the water was already diverted along a channel to a header tank which ran their ram pump. The object of the beam is to support the bottom board of a sluice-gate to divert all the water once the rains come. This should give them enough flow for a mini-hydro generator – at least in the rainy season – winter, when they need more energy as the sunshine is less and they depend on solar for all their electrical needs at present.

The dam was a long walk into thick forest and all tools and materials had to be carried up there by hand. It was totally quiet except for occasional bird song and the sound of running water. Very lovely. In fact that was the first thing that struck me about the whole quinta – it’s total silence.

One of several water falls and dipping pools.

The next day after the daily ¾ hr meditation a dip in the waterfall pool (for some – not me) and breakfast of fruit and soaked seeds and nuts three of us gathered on the wooden deck to discuss how to suspend a shade-cloth above it in preparation for the upcoming workshop. Having decided on a central pole with pyramid forming guy-ropes the job was left to me to organise and execute. Extensions were added to all the hand-rail poles and helping hands arrived when needed  Pete cut a gum tree for the pole and Glen stripped the bark off and helped me erect it. Mim appeared now and then to check if and when I needed assistance and the job was completed by the next morning, late.
 

The following days until I left were mostly spent constructing a rustic kitchen on the land side of the deck. This comprised a wooden frame to support a large marble slab, a double-bowl stainless steel sink (recycled from a tip) and a wooden slatted flat drainer. All this was made from free slab off-cuts from a local saw mill. (Me thinks – free wood and saw-dust to run woodgas generator and run vehicles on! – but then there’s plenty of wood on site anyway!)

I found myself whistling whist working - always a sure sign that I am very happy! The song I was whistling was an Emissary Hymn from my emissary Community days. (link to full words)

To walk again upon the singing land
And gather from each field what love hath sown,
.....In joy the works are done,
.....For heaven and earth are one

The vehicle access to the quinta was minmal! A steep rocky sloping single track ending abruptly at their water tank where a small excavation into the hill-side just about allowed one to do a five point turn. I have to say that when Adam turned his large SUV there, in which I was a front seat passenger, I was somewhat disconcerted when I felt his front wheel dip over the edge – an almost shear drop ahead of us! However, he assured me the wheel was just in a drainage groove, not over the edge, but I wasn’t convinced!

The main house in which Pete and Cynthia live has been nicely restored and the solar heated shower and kitchen are communal areas except for on Sunday mornings. The meditation room was also beautifully restored with lovely wood floor and while I was there Adam was busy installing a wood-burning stove. Above the meditation room was another couple of rooms – half-restored. This project has been put on hold because the local planners discovered them and stopped all work until the relevant applications have been made.

The project is totally off the grid - having a tracking solar panel which charges a bank of batteries. These in turn power a substantial inverter - thus giving mains voltage electricity to the two buildings. They also have a petrol-driven back-up generator. They even have a washing machine!

There are several other small ruins on the property that will in time be able to be restored and used for residents and visitors. What was lacking for me was a decent workshop for wood and metal-work, a safer vehicle turning place, and somewhere to park visitors cars.

On my last evening I discussed with Pete and Cynthia the options for me to return, perhaps for a longer period. I was made welcome to return and could pitch a tent anywhere I liked, by agreement, but not near the yurt which they sometimes rent out to paying visitors or facilitators.

I resonated easily with the group here. Their daily meditation practice and intention to manifest their most awakened self possible made them a very coherent and harmonious group. I also sensed the intention to serve each other and work together beyond ego. This was so refreshing! I have known this before - when I lived for12 years with the Emissaries, but never since, and this was definitely beyond the role-playing structures that we had to work with within the emissaries.

I found these definitions on their link below – which I resonate with fully.

Decision Making: by shared inquiry into what makes most sense in light of the whole.
Identified Leader: Natural Hierarchy: The person with the deepest and most authentic perspective in any given situation leads.

http://awakenedlifeproject.org/ria/  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PspQX2CZqSI  

Summary
Since the two projects are only about 1,5hrs drive apart it occurs to me that I may be able to spend time at both projects in future. Korashan for a more outward connection with the world and Awakened Life for a more inward time – perhaps for writing and running workshops where there are absolutely no distractions. (to read my report on my Korashan visit click here.)

Because of more space and buildings, I could see Korashan as the place to develop the wood-gas generator that I am keen to do, and build other sustainable energy projects. I could see myself running workshops at both places - on my favourite subjects - sacred geometry, breathwork, co-creation and wood-gas generation. Also of course drumming and music improvisation!