[Narz]

I've checked out a couple "communities" (neither done, both in process) over the last few years, neither caught my fancy, now I'm waiting for a third, actively involved with the group that's starting it up.

That said, I'm tired of waiting. Moving different places to check out different groups, getting waiting apartments, waiting jobs, waiting hobbies.

I try to improve myself, my knowledge, etc. in the meantime but I seem to lack the self-discipline and support (the support that can only come from long-term, trusting relationships) to stay focused.

I don't have the financial means to break away from the world and go off on my own. Nor do I think such an approach is really the ideal. I'm just tired of waiting. Part of me wants to go off into the woods for a month, live in a tent, drink spring water (probably boiled), read, think, meditate, clear my head. But even if I reached some kind of pure clarity, I'd still have to come back to "the world" and I'd have a month less time to prepare and connect (not to mention be more in debt).

Anyway, can anyone relate?

Any ideas?

Thanks!

[Roccland]

Yeah bro - I can relate.

Two weekends ago I could have easily died in the Sonoran Desert after I left my truck in a mountain on a log and walked out - 7 hours and 15 miles later with nothing but mud water to drink.

I thought quite a bit during that time...I was in the flow.

I retrieved my truck last Saturday with the help of a rancher in the area.

During my walkabout I thought how very peaceful it was in the wilderness.

I would like to think that our future holds more of these types of experiences...quess we are just gonna have to wait a bit more to find out...eh?

[Evltre]

yep - can totally sympathise We desperately want to be part of an "ecovillage" or intentional community type place - there are a few existing ones in New Zealand, but I'm not keen to be within "walking" distance of Auckland - and we just haven't found the right people to even consider starting one with. Our biggest problem is work - we are young(ish) and don't have a big house we can sell to run off to the woods and buy a big chunk of land! So we are limited to where we can go, and we are limited to how much debt we can take on to pay for it. I get really down about it sometimes. All I want to be doing is growing food and "living the life" - we're doing what we can, but on a 800sqm section it's not nearly enough.

[Ludi]

I'm currently wishing I had a younger person to help me with all the work here. Since I messed up my arm, I can't do much without damaging it more... But we don't have anywhere for another person to stay, except a tent. And I can't pay anyone, not having spare money.

[jboogy]

Grasshopper, the path to enlightenment can only be found within the labyrinth of your own mind.... Wander the world unencumbered with no responsibility whatsoever , or find someone or some group and start to build something . If it were me I'd alternate between camping solitude interspersed with periods of nomadic wandering .....No , I hate camping and walking so those are out . Lets see , lets see.....commune?.. no, I'm kinda anti-social and "sharing" is something I've never mastered. How 'bout ...I dig chicks so maybe I'll get a girl ? I'll find a cheap little apartment and screw and watch TV and go to work and type on my keyboard after work ! Yeah , that's it . While I'm doing that I'll dream about becoming self-sufficient or joining some utopian hippie paradise! Yeah , that's the ticket.

[wisconsin_cur]

Do not let waiting for the best keep you from beginning the good.

My situation is not ideal. I could sit around and be jealous of some of the set up that people have on this board and bide my time trying to get a set up like their's or I can settle down with my imperfect neighbors who don't get it (I think they will rather shortly). There are, however, barns filled with old and very useful things. I buy some of them at auctions and sleep better at night knowing that surrounding my home there are blacksmith anvils, draft horse equipment (if we can see it we can reverse engineer it), crosscut saws and who knows what else.

[drgoodword]

Many of the monks on Mt. Athos (Orthodox Christianity's monastic centre; a peninsula jutting off northeastern Greece) have a curious custom: in their sparse, one-room cells, they keep a coffin, beside which they pray (in front of their icons, of course). They keep the coffin close by in order to remind themselves that death is always at hand, no matter age nor health. Every day may be the last one.

Out of this seemingly morbid practice, the monks actually derive great strength and joy. Although death, disease and all the terrors of this world are forever at our doorstep, one must be grateful for every day, and live fully IN every day.

Being totally prepared for peak oil--which will create historic changes no one can completely forecast--is not the point. There are those who will remain in cities, in the same houses they were born, who will be safer and live longer than some of those who spent years preparing for a "safe life" off the grid and far away from the unprepared masses. Just do your best: contribute what you can as positively as you can, and let nature take its course.

Since I started this little post with a Christian example, let me end it the same way. One day an ant saw his neighbour, who was very elderly, preparing for a long journey. The young ant asked him where he was going, and the old ant replied, "to Jerusalem."

The young ant shook his head and exclaimed, "my good neighbour, Jerusalem is a thousand miles from here. You will never live long enough to reach your destination!"

The old ant smiled gently and said, "at least I will die on the right path."

[Lore]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('jboogy', 'G')rasshopper, the path to enlightenment can only be found within the labyrinth of your own mind.... Wander the world unencumbered with no responsibility whatsoever , or find someone or some group and start to build something . If it were me I'd alternate between camping solitude interspersed with periods of nomadic wandering .....No , I hate camping and walking so those are out . Lets see , lets see.....commune?.. no, I'm kinda anti-social and "sharing" is something I've never mastered. How 'bout ...I dig chicks so maybe I'll get a girl ? I'll find a cheap little apartment and screw and watch TV and go to work and type on my keyboard after work ! Yeah , that's it . While I'm doing that I'll dream about becoming self-sufficient or joining some utopian hippie paradise! Yeah , that's the ticket.

[jasonraymondson]

Your lives all suck.

[burtonridr]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('jasonraymondson', 'Y')our lives all suck.

[threadbear]

Here's what I'd do. Wish I'd thought of this when I was broke. Hang out a shingle as a psychic, or "body" worker, energy healer, or blah blah blah. Rely on the power of placebo to help you. I was looking at a huge volume of ads for these charlatans (apologies to those who are legit) the other day. They charge large and work on the "need to believe". As long as you reinforce the positive and try to help these people, where's the harm? I think just about anyone could do this, if he connects well and easily with people.

You can work over the phone too.

[burtonridr]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('threadbear', 'H')ere's what I'd do. Wish I'd thought of this when I was broke. Hang out a shingle as a psychic, or "body" worker, energy healer, or blah blah blah. Rely on the power of placebo to help you. I was looking at a huge volume of ads for these charlatans (apologies to those who are legit) the other day. They charge large and work on the "need to believe". As long as you reinforce the positive and try to help these people, where's the harm? I think just about anyone could do this, if he connects well and easily with people.

You can work over the phone too.

[burtonridr]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('threadbear', 'H')ere's what I'd do. Wish I'd thought of this when I was broke. Hang out a shingle as a psychic, or "body" worker, energy healer, or blah blah blah. Rely on the power of placebo to help you. I was looking at a huge volume of ads for these charlatans (apologies to those who are legit) the other day. They charge large and work on the "need to believe". As long as you reinforce the positive and try to help these people, where's the harm? I think just about anyone could do this, if he connects well and easily with people.

You can work over the phone too.

[threadbear]

"Hanging a shingle" means posting a little sign, generally hanging from some bracket, over the entry way to your office, indicating your profession or occupation.

I'm not actually referring to any one healing practise, if meditation can be described this way. I'm referring to the legions of flakes who practise re-birthing therapy, aroma therapy, etc..etc... energetic healing etc..

[burtonridr]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('threadbear', '"')Hanging a shingle" means posting a little sign, generally hanging from some bracket, over the entry way to your office, indicating your profession or occupation.

I'm not actually referring to any one healing practise, if meditation can be described this way. I'm referring to the legions of flakes who practise re-birthing therapy, aroma therapy, etc..etc... energetic healing etc..