I just copied everything of the old page on to this one. I believe this will be easier to keep updated.
Tuesday, August 18th, 2009
I am currently care-taking someone else's property to earn my keep while networking and working on refining the purpose, mission, process and website of Obi en. I've almost got enough of the site scriptomappeted to make sense.
Sunday, September 13th, 2009
I believe I've gotten enough of the website together to start networking with the site.
Thursday, September 17th, 2009
Today, I am working on the by laws of Obi en and will post them on this site in the near future, (hopefully).
Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009
I was inspired today to describe the energies that I wanted to fuel Obi en. You can find that description on the home page.
I'm also working on the ad and proposal that I intend to send to land owners who might be willing to take a chance on us and offer some land to build Obi en.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
I received this in my email this morning.
Hi,
I stumbled across your site by accident, and like your vision. We're on 10 acres here in -------------; one acre flat and 9 acres of forest/hillside. Our house, garden, and barn are on the flat part, but the hill is unused. There are lots of trees down from January's ice storm which could be used for log cabin building. There are many good things about the hill, but there are drawbacks, also.
It's not exactly what you were looking for, but give me a call, or e-mail, and I'll tell you more about it, and then we'll see what happens.
C-------
I am absolutely jubilant!
We, here at Bear Creek, are getting ready for a sweat lodge this weekend so I won't be able to get back in touch with these folk for several days. I'll let you know what happens.
Thursday, October 1st, 2009
I'm too excited to wait, so I took the time to write the folks who offered the land an email
Hello C------------,
Thank you for contacting me and for your extremely gracious offer.
The property assets that I describe on the site are my "ideal" for beginning Obi en, but I will go where intuition and the universe leads me. Besides an acre in ------- is so much more... "cooperative"... than an five acres in, say, some parts of -----------.
Also, since I wrote the description of the gardens and buildings on the site, I've learned another way to garden that uses far less space and virtually no tilling. It's called forest gardening and it's mostly done with compost. I believe I can do the same thing with much less space and very little clearing of forest.
So, to business:
Following are some points that have recurred as misunderstandings when others have contacted me, I include them now for the sake of expedience:
First, I want to be very clear that I possess very little, I have no money, no financial credit, no car, no computer and no other property. I'll be starting Obi en with just an intention and a network of people with similar intentions, and the intention is to provide a particular service to the greater good. I have no intention of adding to anyone's purse by creating Obi en, however, I also intend that Obi en be sustainable so that, in time, it will not be a drain on anyone's resources. However, right now if I come to --------- I'll probably hitch-hike. I do, however (and I stick my chest out when I say this), have a dome tent.
Next, I intend to have others, folks of all sorts that I've never met, come to stay to be a part of Obi en, to grow in themselves and Obi en, to have students of all sorts coming in and out and to be doing shop work and building things. These people can be from every background one can imagine, from street people to retired professionals, as well as, people of all races, sexes and sexual orientations, economic and educational backgrounds.
No illegal drugs or alcohol, but I do use tobacco in ceremony and in me.
We may be performing ceremonies from all kinds of ancient and new traditions. These might include Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Pagan, Native American, Universal, ancient Greek or Roman and just about anything else one can think of. Be prepared at the least for a nightly camp fire and drumming, or if I'm there alone a native American flute.
Lastly, to build Obi en as I describe and with the intentions that I describe innately challenges all the old paradigms about religion, morality, government, justice, fear, love, sex, judgment and money. Virtually everyone who comes to Obi en will be going through extreme and sometimes painful changes. Many people will come in to Obi en with a flair for the dramatic, however the drama will eventually leave and they will begin to live authentically, or they leave before they get there.
If you're OK with all those things then here are some questions. All these questions are just to help me get a clear picture of what you are offering.
Is there electric power to the property?
Is there high speed internet that I can access or cell phone reception? I will likely have a computer either before or soon after I get there. And the internet is how I stay in contact with the network and one of the ways in which I bring in income, (or intend to).
Are you thinking of donating, contracting or leasing the land to Obi en?
Are you thinking of this being a place to start then moving Obi en to another place when we can?
Are you interested in being a part of Obi en or just wanting to provide a place for others to build?
How strict are the local building and residential codes? Can we build cabins to start that we don't have to permit?
Are there any close neighbors?
Is there room to expand? If Obi en grows quickly is there near by land that can be purchased.
What are the drawbacks you mentioned?
That's all I can think of at the moment.
I love ---------, and the whole ----------- for that matter. After being over ten years in the west, where everything is evergreen, I'm excited at the prospect of living in a deciduous forest again and plants with more potent essences.
Thank you again for contacting me and for starting this dialog. I hope to hear from you soon.
I Wish You Love and Peace,
Randy
http://sites.google.com/site/obiencommune
Please, if anyone has any comments please feel free to post.
