Memphis Democrat Column Week of 9/7/09
Greetings from Cob at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage with the latest news and views from out on the prairie. After a fairly quiet week of lime plastering, tree mulching, committee meetings, gardening, canning, pickling, cooking, cleaning, shifting wet straw bales, coordinating errands with neighbors, visitor workshops, and the occasional yoga class or evening conversation with friends, it was great to sit back a little bit and observe the excitement and enthusiasm our many new residents and members have brought to our community.
The Labor Day weekend was an unintentionally appropriate time for the entire population to come together and review our "Wonderwall" of committees, tasks, and responsibilities for doing the work of the community, advancing our educational mission, and maintaining and growing our infrastructure to accommodate increased numbers of rabbits. After a quick review of what each committee was responsible for, and whether they felt they needed additional folks to help with their work, we reviewed the myriad tasks that keep our daily lives running smoothly.
For several hours we played with the Wonderwall like a large jigsaw puzzle...adding our own names where we had interest in helping, sometimes removing our name from other places in order to do so. The many new residents and members who were not here the last time we held this exercise back in February plugged their names in as well...providing us all with a general sense of bounty and reminding us of the power of our collective labor and thought. I think most of us focus naturally on our own tasks or personal labors on a day-to-day basis as we juggle the many demands on our time. It's easy to lose sight of the big picture in the midst of to-do lists, shopping lists, bandaging skinned knees, soothing children, food preparation and preservation, and so forth. This past Sunday was truly a celebration of how far Dancing Rabbit has come since our inception!
You will also benefit directly from the new infusion of energy and talent from newer rabbits. Many have added themselves to the writing rotation for this column, and you will receive weekly updates from new perspectives colored by different life experiences. I myself will be taking a hiatus from writing to shift my time to some other areas of interest. I'll probably come back writing a some point, but for now am looking forward to learning along with you.
Before I take this break, I can't help but reflect on the changes I've observed over the two years that I've been helping to write this column. I'll pass over the more obvious changes such as population growth and the increasing number of ongoing building projects, and focus instead on the deeper underlying issues that have probably existed for far longer than I've been aware of them.
Desire for Connection
Humans are tribal people and have been for millenia. Our modern era of cheap energy and focus on owning the newest and latest technolgy in ever larger homes in increasingly dispersed neighborhoods, has instead fostered personal isolation and disconnection from family, from neighbors, and even from ourselves. The folks who come to visit us at Dancing Rabbit are increasingly looking for a simpler and more connected way of life. That such a way of life is less expensive is merely a side-benefit, rather than the main reason for seeking a change. Perhaps this is a reflection of the efforts of the DR Viz Team, or maybe more people are actually looking beyond cost for the things that matter more deeply to them.
Sustainability Plus
Ecological sustainability is huge. The resources humanity currently utilizes are simply not renewable on the scale or speed with which we are consuming them. At some point they will be gone...or will only exist in such insufficient quantity that they might as well be. What sort of legacy is this for our children, or grandchildren? The realities of climate change make such self-examination even more imperative.
Intentional communities, where individual desire for connection can be meaningfully met abound. I've been encouraged by the degree to which concern about the environment and our impact on ecosystems has been held here by new visitors, residents, and members. But it's not just about the environment...it's also about personal and social sustainability. Dancing Rabbit truly encourages taking care of oneself through rest, personal meditation, or seeking emotional support. We have improved our systems and capacity for helping each other through illness, interpersonal conflict, and more.
Emotion, Fear, Logic, and Power
In the couple years that I've lived at Dancing Rabbit, I've become ever more aware of my own emotional reactions, fear triggers, the limits of logic, and power dynamics amongst individuals and societal groups. As our larger society wrestles with the hype and rhetoric surrounding the very reals needs of national security, rising health costs, competition for resources, access to healthy food, etc., I am increasingly saddened and frustrated by the seeming reduction of everything to sound bytes, fear-mongering, and name calling. There is no question that people are motivated by fear, and especially by fear of scarcity.
At Dancing Rabbit I've seen a huge collective effort to be open, understanding, and non-judgmental. To acknowledge individual fears and be willing to explore them, understand them, and work with them. I still learning, and it's often uncomfortable...yet it has also been incredibly rewarding to change how I relate to my own fears, and the fears of others. Dancing Rabbit has given me a glimpse of the freedom and power inherent in understanding myself.
According to Wikipedia, The first Labor Day in the United States was celebrated on September 5, 1882 in New York City. In the aftermath of the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the US military and US Marshals during the 1894 Pullman Strike, President Grover Cleveland put reconciliation with Labor as a top political priority. Fearing further conflict, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unanimously and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike. The form for the celebration of Labor Day was outlined in the first proposal of the holiday: A street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations," followed by a festival for the workers and their families.
As Labor Day has increasingly become a mere marker for returning to school, the resumption of football, and consumer oriented sales in virtually every store and car dealership in the nation, perhaps it's worth remembering the value and strength of our collective efforts as citizens of this country. Every week you read about the labor and efforts at Dancing Rabbit, in this little corner of northeast Missouri, but what about yourself? What "big picture" tasks are you putting Your efforts into? What changes have you noticed about your own fears and desires over the past several years? Most importantly, where are you bestowing YOUR labor?
Thanks for reading about Dancing Rabbit, and if you're interested in seeing us up close and personal, be sure to attend our annual Open House! Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 26 from 1-4pm. We'll offer tours, eco-shopping at the new Milkweed Mercantile, baked goods, produce, and lots of smiles. Hope to see you there!
Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage is an intentional community in Rutledge, Missouri practicing ecological sustainability. We offer tours on the second and fourth Saturdays April through October - our next tour is scheduled September 12th at 1:00 p.m. (just show up-- no need to let us know ahead of time). For more information, check out our website at http://www.dancingrabbit.org, or give us a call at (660) 883-5511.
The Labor Day weekend was an unintentionally appropriate time for the entire population to come together and review our "Wonderwall" of committees, tasks, and responsibilities for doing the work of the community, advancing our educational mission, and maintaining and growing our infrastructure to accommodate increased numbers of rabbits. After a quick review of what each committee was responsible for, and whether they felt they needed additional folks to help with their work, we reviewed the myriad tasks that keep our daily lives running smoothly.
For several hours we played with the Wonderwall like a large jigsaw puzzle...adding our own names where we had interest in helping, sometimes removing our name from other places in order to do so. The many new residents and members who were not here the last time we held this exercise back in February plugged their names in as well...providing us all with a general sense of bounty and reminding us of the power of our collective labor and thought. I think most of us focus naturally on our own tasks or personal labors on a day-to-day basis as we juggle the many demands on our time. It's easy to lose sight of the big picture in the midst of to-do lists, shopping lists, bandaging skinned knees, soothing children, food preparation and preservation, and so forth. This past Sunday was truly a celebration of how far Dancing Rabbit has come since our inception!
You will also benefit directly from the new infusion of energy and talent from newer rabbits. Many have added themselves to the writing rotation for this column, and you will receive weekly updates from new perspectives colored by different life experiences. I myself will be taking a hiatus from writing to shift my time to some other areas of interest. I'll probably come back writing a some point, but for now am looking forward to learning along with you.
Before I take this break, I can't help but reflect on the changes I've observed over the two years that I've been helping to write this column. I'll pass over the more obvious changes such as population growth and the increasing number of ongoing building projects, and focus instead on the deeper underlying issues that have probably existed for far longer than I've been aware of them.
Desire for Connection
Humans are tribal people and have been for millenia. Our modern era of cheap energy and focus on owning the newest and latest technolgy in ever larger homes in increasingly dispersed neighborhoods, has instead fostered personal isolation and disconnection from family, from neighbors, and even from ourselves. The folks who come to visit us at Dancing Rabbit are increasingly looking for a simpler and more connected way of life. That such a way of life is less expensive is merely a side-benefit, rather than the main reason for seeking a change. Perhaps this is a reflection of the efforts of the DR Viz Team, or maybe more people are actually looking beyond cost for the things that matter more deeply to them.
Sustainability Plus
Ecological sustainability is huge. The resources humanity currently utilizes are simply not renewable on the scale or speed with which we are consuming them. At some point they will be gone...or will only exist in such insufficient quantity that they might as well be. What sort of legacy is this for our children, or grandchildren? The realities of climate change make such self-examination even more imperative.
Intentional communities, where individual desire for connection can be meaningfully met abound. I've been encouraged by the degree to which concern about the environment and our impact on ecosystems has been held here by new visitors, residents, and members. But it's not just about the environment...it's also about personal and social sustainability. Dancing Rabbit truly encourages taking care of oneself through rest, personal meditation, or seeking emotional support. We have improved our systems and capacity for helping each other through illness, interpersonal conflict, and more.
Emotion, Fear, Logic, and Power
In the couple years that I've lived at Dancing Rabbit, I've become ever more aware of my own emotional reactions, fear triggers, the limits of logic, and power dynamics amongst individuals and societal groups. As our larger society wrestles with the hype and rhetoric surrounding the very reals needs of national security, rising health costs, competition for resources, access to healthy food, etc., I am increasingly saddened and frustrated by the seeming reduction of everything to sound bytes, fear-mongering, and name calling. There is no question that people are motivated by fear, and especially by fear of scarcity.
At Dancing Rabbit I've seen a huge collective effort to be open, understanding, and non-judgmental. To acknowledge individual fears and be willing to explore them, understand them, and work with them. I still learning, and it's often uncomfortable...yet it has also been incredibly rewarding to change how I relate to my own fears, and the fears of others. Dancing Rabbit has given me a glimpse of the freedom and power inherent in understanding myself.
According to Wikipedia, The first Labor Day in the United States was celebrated on September 5, 1882 in New York City. In the aftermath of the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the US military and US Marshals during the 1894 Pullman Strike, President Grover Cleveland put reconciliation with Labor as a top political priority. Fearing further conflict, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unanimously and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike. The form for the celebration of Labor Day was outlined in the first proposal of the holiday: A street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations," followed by a festival for the workers and their families.
As Labor Day has increasingly become a mere marker for returning to school, the resumption of football, and consumer oriented sales in virtually every store and car dealership in the nation, perhaps it's worth remembering the value and strength of our collective efforts as citizens of this country. Every week you read about the labor and efforts at Dancing Rabbit, in this little corner of northeast Missouri, but what about yourself? What "big picture" tasks are you putting Your efforts into? What changes have you noticed about your own fears and desires over the past several years? Most importantly, where are you bestowing YOUR labor?
Thanks for reading about Dancing Rabbit, and if you're interested in seeing us up close and personal, be sure to attend our annual Open House! Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 26 from 1-4pm. We'll offer tours, eco-shopping at the new Milkweed Mercantile, baked goods, produce, and lots of smiles. Hope to see you there!
Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage is an intentional community in Rutledge, Missouri practicing ecological sustainability. We offer tours on the second and fourth Saturdays April through October - our next tour is scheduled September 12th at 1:00 p.m. (just show up-- no need to let us know ahead of time). For more information, check out our website at http://www.dancingrabbit.org, or give us a call at (660) 883-5511.