By pcflvly
on Sun 10 of Jan., 2010 11:59 CST
I've encountered quite a few different forms of alternative living
* Sun Myung Moon Fortunately, I was too young when I met their recruiters in Berkeley. They took me to their outreach office and fed me a sandwich. They were slick but careful. They did not accept 16 year olds into their community without parental permission.
* Rainbow Gatherings Tai Chi Bob and I built the first Love-n-Oven kitchen, now a Rainbow institution, and I was the baker. I made thousands of sourdough specials (big whole wheat sourdough peanut butter apple cinnamon rolls) and several giant Challah loaves.
* Quebec I went to a commune south of Montreal and had the best dandelion wine ever. The trick is to make it dry, not sweet.
* Christ Brotherhood They had a communal house in Eugene, Oregon where they translated and published The Gospel. They offered free meals and I made several friends in the community. Here's a snapshot:
After they let me out in Eugene I spent the afternoon hanging in downtown Eugene’s traffic free mall reading. I stayed there all afternoon until the offices started leaking people and the atmosphere took on a tone of supper. I knew a place I could go to eat, the Christ Brotherhood house. They served good food prepared with love and food for the spirit too. I was meditating on a few things I had learned the last time I was there, “Worry not what you should eat or wear as the butterflies are clothed in the most beautiful raiment without giving it a moment’s notice” and “Ask and ye shall receive.” I took that to mean ask God not man so instead of walking over to the Christ house, I sat on a bench with my head down on my backpack in front of me, the hawk feather in my fingers catching the wind.
I sat there with my head down for twenty minutes feeling the absence of all the motion around me in the light of spirit within me. Hungry but not wanting, knowing my needs to be wholly satisfied in the moment. When I lifted my head and opened my eyes, a bicycle screeched to a stop in front of me. It was a sister from the brotherhood. She immediately said, “Dale, I didn’t see you sitting there. Why don’t you come over for supper?” I asked for that invitation without asking or at all wanting an answer and I found the universe to be operating in synchronicity with the flow of the wind upon the feather in my fingers.
* Hare Krishna Visited a Krishna temple in Miami.
* Whitewolf's Ranch This was a commune North of Tuscon with a community kitchen and an assortment of structures including trailers, live in vehicles, and shacks. I stayed there for more than a month taking care of the chickens and helping in the kitchen.
A very young Dale at the Whitewolf commune ready to hit the road again. Smile on my face and love in my heart.
* U-N-I Ranch This was a commune near Camdenton, Missouri. At one time it had 100s of members but was almost abandoned when I found them. Stayed there the winter of 84-85
* Parados Another abandoned commune in Missouri. Stayed a month and learned to milk goats.
* Ithaca, New York Visited a couple different communities here.
* Rainbow Farm This is the old commune of lore near Drain, Oregon. I stayed there for almost a month.
Bruce and his daughter at main house of Rainbow Farm. The sign above the door says, "Never a dull moment."
* West Augusta, Virginia I spent several seasons here. It was a small community with a main house and several small sleeping rooms scattered through the woods. DR reminds me of this one because we used the sawdust and compost method for night soils.
Recycled lumber cabin in West Augusta. I built this and spent a winter in it.
* Floyd County, Virginia There are several communities here. Abundant Dawn was just forming when I left the area but there were several others. More communes per capita than anywhere. I had my own place but attended potlucks regularly at all the different communities.
"People getting together, and sharing and realizing that they can do what they dream, or that they can be freer of the expectations that have been put on them." from Uncompromising Ecological Architecture. I need that life. I've climbed the mountain, developed my skills, and gave of myself to my community helping the homeless. Now I am ready to build a natural house, garden extensively, and share my skills and exuberance.
Home
