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Dreams and Plans


 

One intention of the course is that everyone takes away with them a personal plan of action. Before you come we would like to ask you to think about and maybe make some notes on the following:

 

What is your call to adventure?

What direction are you heading?

What excites you most at the moment? (could be something you are already doing or something that you are thinking about doing).

 

Allow yourself to dream big without putting obstacles in the way. Maybe you have too many ideas!? Put them all down. Maybe you only have one or two key ideas which you want to focus and develop?

 

This all may not be easy to answer, but remember that we are not asking for any finished product; the Seeding Change course is created with some time for designing and refining raw ideas into something that can be achieved.

Task Discussion


  • maarja   Dec. 27, 2012, 6:03 p.m.

     

    Hi, all of you wonderful people!

    I want to share with you some of my thoughts from these last weeks, and what I've been looking into. As I came back, the political situation in Estonia has become more and more out of balance, my life and new job have been quite time-consuming, and my new (mainly online) friends are actively organising protest performances and making manifests (paradoxically, the situation in media and public speeches has become „calm“ again, politicians are even talking, how we can learn from the crisis we had, though it is far from over). A lot of this protest ideology is rather new to me, so I've started reading and re-thinking what I've read before. Mind you, all of my „live-without-money“ and anarchist ideas are not to propagate moneyless environment and upset Martin, it's just exploring the possibilities to learn and develop a better system with combined knowledge :)

    The information might not be new to a lot of you (as you are exeptionally smart ppl with a lot of knowledge), but writing it down sort-of clears my mind and helps me organize information in my head, so here we go:

    I recently read Kalle Lasn and his book called „The Culture Jam“, and though it is a bit old already, I really recommend it. There's more on it here, for example: http://depts.washington.edu/ccce/polcommcampaigns/CultureJamming.htm

    Adbusters, his activism campain focused on creating a shift in the public consumerist conciousness using the tools of the same commercial propaganda and brainwashing machine, has a webpage (www.adbusters.org) and it is quite active on Facebook, too. There are a lot of great creative approaches to changing the consumerist system on the web.

    I have also looked into the food wasting system we have here in Estonia (what happens to the expired supermarket foods, what regulations stop it from being redistributed, what to do with the local food bank being evicted from its storage space, etc) and tried to get in touch with the people interested in freeganism.

    Also, my friends, I want to encourage you to look into your local freecycle mailing list. The stuff circling there is surprisingly versatile. It's a good place to ask for anything, or to get rid of those slightly too small but oh so pretty shoes, or your old PC speakers, or really.. anything. And when exchanging your gifts you definately meet nice people :) http://www.freecycle.org/

    Oh, I have missed you, and I have used so much of the knowledge gained in Sunseed when talking with my friends. A strange thing has happened though, for many different reasons I have lost touch with most of the people I shared my ideas with before, and many of the new friends are more interested in sharing love and enlightenment than political activism or something like that. It is sometimes hard to find the right people to work with, and I have been quite quiet as well, focusing on gaining knowledge and personal development..

    I have enjoyed all of your links and thoughts, and will continue to do so, I'm sure! 

    Have a wonderful end of the year, and keep everybody updated on your plans, there is much to gain from your wisdom :)

    Greetings and hugs,

    Maarja

  • Nieves   Nov. 27, 2012, 8:02 p.m.

    Hello my dear friends!!

    I´m back to "real" life, and I have missed you so much the last week.... All the warmth and kindness, singing and laughing together, sharing so many dreams and plans!! I´m afraid I  also miss nature, here in the city!! :S

    Well, it´s been such a meaningful time for me, I´ve felt really happy these days in Sunseed. And now, since I returned, I discover myself talking all the time about the new knowledge I got, and how I would like to use it... And I realize when I share with some people how I hear the same words, I start to see common ideas, that maybe were there before but I hadn´t notice, common dots in the map in my head... Well, I guess you know what I mean.

    I feel this can be the beginning of something, even if I can´t see yet the shape of it, but there are so many things happening here these days.... And after this experience with you I truly believe things CAN be changed.  I´m full of gratitude for these new seeds and new hope you all brought to me, and full of excitement!!! for all the dreams I see coming closer on my way. Ehh! I see them coming on YOUR way too!

    And to celebrate! (woooowww!!!) I would like to share a song with you.  It came to me when I was remembering the course and reflecting on change in my life- as it is titled “Todo cambia” (Everything changes). It´s performed by Mercedes Sosa, known as "the voice of Latin America"…. And seeing her singing, so powerful, somehow connects with my feeling after the course. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8VqIFSrFUU  (Translation at http://lyricstranslate.com/en/todo-cambia-everything-changes.html)

    I wish you all the best. Can´t wait to hear more about your plans !!!!

    Nieves

  • cecilia   Nov. 27, 2012, 3:53 p.m.

    Hello everyone! 

    Just a quick one to say hello:) and let you know that I will be going to this place soon and that I'm excited :)

    http://valderrodasaldea.wordpress.com/

    Mirka, take a look at "Educational Resource" - I hope you find it interesting for your courses :)

    Hope you are all well! 

    Warm hugs!

    With metta*,

    Cecilia 

     

    * I've learnt and adopted this new concept today: The Pali word metta is a multi-significant term meaning loving-kindness, friendliness, goodwill, benevolence, fellowship, amity, concord, inoffensiveness and non-violence. The Pali commentators define metta as the strong wish for the welfare and happiness of others(parahita-parasukha-kamana). Essentially metta is an altruistic attitude of love and friendliness as distinguished from mere amiability based on self-interest.

     

     

     

  • Mirka   Dec. 22, 2012, 12:18 p.m.
    In Reply To:   cecilia   Nov. 27, 2012, 3:53 p.m.
    Ola Cecilia, Que tal estas, querida? I've been thinking of you these past few days, and when I looked through my emails I found this one from you! (I missed it before). I'm so curious about your experience at Valderrodas. What's the atmosphere like? What's the culture like? Are you connecting with the people? When we last spoke your heart was craving a village. Are you feeling that valderrodas might be that place for you? I've been loving the goatherding work at Los Portales. The days are long- from 7am to 6pm, but it feels easy, and I don't get tired doing it. The starts and ends of the days are very intense: milking, feeding, cleaning, etc. but the middle 8 hours are just walking through the mountains with the herd, singing, enjoying nature and making sure the herd stays where it should. My days off feel more tiring than the workdays! I'm now visiting family over christmas, and when I go back, I'll be doing other things instead of exclusively gosteork: tending the gardens, outdoor programs with the kids, and learning some cheesemaking. I love the quality of connectioon I feel with the people hee, they're really good listeners. Also, the inner work they do shows in the way they relate to their land and animals, There are a bit too many goats for the health of the land, but it's because they love the goats and have trouble deciding which to kill, and they let Enzinas grow in the wheat fields. I feel more at home in Galicia - the hot dryness of the South isn't my favorite environment :-). I'm thiking of visiting valderrodas to see if it would be a good place for a course... Or for my home. but I'm super curious and would value your impresions! -Abrazos y felizes navidades! -Mirka
  • Paul   Jan. 6, 2013, 4:25 p.m.
    In Reply To:   cecilia   Nov. 27, 2012, 3:53 p.m.

    Hey Celicia! 

          Just saw this post! Metta has been one of the most powerful practices for me. This website also contains many great reflections and meditations on Metta! hope you are doing great 

    love! 

    http://forestsanghapublications.org/searchAudio.php?type=search&terms=metta

    Paul 

  • cecilia   Jan. 6, 2013, 4:37 p.m.
    In Reply To:   Mirka   Dec. 22, 2012, 12:18 p.m.

    Dearest Mirka,

    Hope you are well :)

    Sincere apologies for getting back to you so late ... I'll write you an email explaining to you my experience in Valderrodas.

    Receive a warm hug for now :)

    Love, Cecilia

  • cecilia   Jan. 6, 2013, 4:40 p.m.
    In Reply To:   Paul   Jan. 6, 2013, 4:25 p.m.

    Thank you Paul!! :)

    Listening to the reflections now ... :)

    Hope you are well too!

    Big warm hug for you!

    With love,

    Cecilia

  • cecilia   Nov. 23, 2012, 1:44 p.m.

    http://workawayblog.com/focus-on-permaculture/

    Nice blog entry.

    Hope you enjoy it ;) x

  • cecilia   Nov. 23, 2012, 11:59 a.m.

    Hello dear all!! :) 

    I just got back to Málaga and I'm feeling so inspired and loved thanks to all your posts.

    Words cannot express how grateful I feel for making part of this amazing group.

    It's been a gift staying a few more (sunny:) days at Sunseed. 

    I thought of you all, our songs, our complicity, love and care.

    I went for walks, swam in the river, ate delicious food and shared very good moments with the wonderful staff and volunteers. 

    I'm now going through a brainstorming of things to do next and the list is becoming endless :) 

    I'm thinking about going to Santiago (Galicia) in the next month and visit my family, but I would like to do it in a different way: instead of going into town and look for a room/place to stay, I would like to stay in the countryside, while working/helping in a house/eco village/garden. I think that would make a great combination - working, learning and visiting at the same time :)

    Mirka, I've also taken a look at Ecodharma and it looks so nice :) Thanks so much for sharing. 

    Like Paul, I would like to be your student too! So please, keep us posted on your Spring courses. 

    As soon as I receive the email addresses from all of you I can send you a selection of pics, if that sounds good to you all. 

    I send you my best wishes and the warmest hugs.

    Love,

    Cecilia 

     

     

     

  • Inara Cerpa   Nov. 23, 2012, 6:33 a.m.

     

    Hello, everybody!

    I’d also like to join those who have already given their responses ( Mirka, Paul, Naomi, John, - sorry if I forgot any of you) and expressed their feelings.

    I  try to adapt myself to “normal” life back home. Here we have real Latvian November with average temperature about +3-6 °C and air humidity 95%. Brrrrr….  The day when I left Spain (on Sunday morning at 6 a.m) it was +25°C in Alicante airport.

    I have uploaded to my PC all the photos I made with mobile phone and when looking them through it really makes me feel warm.

    Tonight I am going to share my experience in our team - Ikskile Transition Initiative. My colleagues are excited to hear all my stories.

    Mirka, I really would like to spend a few days in your goat farm - especially when those babies are coming! Maybe some day!

    You all are great guys!

    God bless you all!

    Inara 

  • Zoë   Nov. 22, 2012, 5:08 p.m.

    Dearest people! Just a quick note to say that I miss your warmth, energy and singing. Feel rather like one of Mirka's newborn kid goats out here in the world again! Bleating, bare and quite confused.

    Just wanted to share a quick story - was at an Ethical Business award ceremony yesterday (which Eric and his business partner won!).  I was talking to the director of the award and it was all very corporate - he was talking about how the awards promote businesses in this tough competitive world, provide a networking opportunity blah blah..

    I thought of you all and told him what Patricia had said about the importance of also celebrating success and having fun. He was very struck by this idea (fun and celebration aren't really in business dictionary).

    I overheard him later being interviewed by the local news channel - he was talking to the camera about fun and celebration! So the word spreads (wave hands the air and go wooo). 

    Will get some sections on growing, mental health asap  - loving the shared links. Thank you. 

    Zoe xxx

  • Mirka   Nov. 22, 2012, 5:20 a.m.

    Hello!

    So heartwarming, heartfilling to hear from you, Naomi and Paul!

    Paul, have you heard of EcoDharma, a nature connexn & buddhism community in the southern Pyrenees? The place sounds really cool, I´ve been thinking of visiting there myself, but haven´t ventured that far into SE Spain yet. www.ecodharma.com

    If people know of other cool eco places in Spain, please share, I´m curious. :)

     

    Naomi, just remembered a woman I met this summer at the permaculture convergence that you might want to connect with, her name is Monique Wijn. She lives in the Netherlands, and works with nutrition education (raw food), healing foods, and local veggie growing. Her website is here:

    http://www.degodin.nl/

    Let me know if you want me to introduce you through email.

     

    Here´s the link for my cultural design prezi. Let me know if you have questions!

    http://prezi.com/t--vqt23_oyc/cultural-design-native-technologies-to-help-a-village-thrive/

    Abrazos,

    Mirka

  • Paul   Nov. 22, 2012, 6:10 a.m.
    In Reply To:   Mirka   Nov. 22, 2012, 5:20 a.m.

    Wow, thanks so much both of you for your amazing links and ideas. This is what makes me so excited about sharing with you guys, that we can have a free flow stream of ideas, opportunities and inspiration, Naomi your mindmeister map is great and totally inspired me to do one of my own and I also want to check out more about the walk on walk out movement.. Theere is another software called lucidchart.com where you can make up to 3 mindmaps for free

    Mirka, the link you sent me is exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for in both of the areas I want to develop most in, who knows maybe we will cross paths there one day! For the moment, it is brilliant to dream about such places. 

    I think it would be really great if we can keep sharing ideas and getting everybody involved, maybe if we can make tasks under different headings, the things we want to know more about then people can contribute links, courses, ideas, knowledge and discussion points, i just created one about permaculture because I want to learn more in that area and maybe take some courses... 

    Hope to hear more from everyone soon 

    Love, 

    Paul 

  • Mirka   Nov. 21, 2012, 6:19 a.m.

    Hi everyone!

     

    Not sure where this comment goes, but I wanted to say I miss singing with you all, and still feel each of your unique selves very strongly. Wanted to send HUGS and say hello, since its raining and the goats aren´t going out.

    My days are long and busy, but with time to contemplate. The births will start this week. Cross your fingers for healthy goat kids!

    I´m curious how your lives are going, wherever you may be.

    Love,

    -Mirka

  • Paul   Nov. 21, 2012, 6:33 a.m.
    In Reply To:   Mirka   Nov. 21, 2012, 6:19 a.m.

    Hi Everyone! and thanks Mirka for getting me motivated to send a message! I've also been thinking a lot about all of you guys and the great warm fuzzy energy and inspiration that I got from you all and also figuring out how to use it in these days. 

    I've been quite busy since I arrived back finishin off a teaching course that I'm doing and also searching for what learning opportunities are next on the horizon. 

    I've decided to move on from here in the new year and looking for communities of practice to be a part of in different places including maybe Thailand, Spain, Tibet or western U.S. If anybody know some great places for learning about soothing soul and nourishing nature let me know! 

    And Mirka I will keep my fingers and toes crossed for your goat kiddys, but only on one condition, if you make sure to let me know when you're starting your wilderness training in Spain so that I can come to be your student. 

    Much love to everybody! 

  • Naomi Raja Boean   Nov. 21, 2012, 9:16 a.m.
    In Reply To:   Paul   Nov. 21, 2012, 6:33 a.m.

    Dear Lovely All,heart

    Nice to hear from you both Mirka and Paul.

    It has been fuzzy landing back in Holland since I got a little fever last two days. Now I amgetting better and taking next steps in contacting people and observing actively what "growing food projects" are already emerging in Holland.

    I made a little online MindMap to follow some observations you can see and edit ideas and projects: http://www.mindmeister.com/230034750

    As for Paul, I have to think of this inspiring book called "Walk out Walk On" about communities world wide that dare to live their dreams http://www.walkoutwalkon.net/ maybe this inspired you on your quest?

    Mirka, your songs are everyday in my head and I am singing them here in my home :-) at least twice a day. Could you send me the link of your Prezi? 

    Feeling connected and warm hugs for all,

    Naomi

  • Nieves   Nov. 27, 2012, 8:18 p.m.
    In Reply To:   Paul   Nov. 21, 2012, 6:33 a.m.

    Hi Paul!

    I often check this website (it´s where I found the Sunseed course): the Spanish network of ecovillages http://www.ecoaldeas.org/ And, among the places you can see there, I love this place in the north, near the Pyrenees: Lakabe. I found a lot of wisdom there (and there is a chance I come back in a couple of weeks! :D).

    Yes, I realize the information I send is in Spanish...If you see any place of your interest there, i can translate it. The thing is I don´t know about English speaking projects of this kind in Spain. But I will have it on mind, in case I hear of any!!!

    Lots of love,

    nieves