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Thursday
Mar112010
Our Community
March 11, 2010
Yesterday I went to the market on my scooter, in the town about forty-five minutes from where I live. I bought some fabric from a man who refused to let me pay my bill before he could give me tea. He told me that next time I come, I must have a samosa, too.
While I was driving, many thoughts went through my head, as thoughts always do when I am traveling in the luxury of my own company.
Isn't it amazing that a landscape can wind itself into you? How you may not have noticed every lovely detail when you were new and raw in your transition, but now, two years later, that lone magnolia tree in a field can bring you to tears? Or the egrets, the great white birds, friends of cows and water buffalos, winging over the emerald rice paddies, the egrets have you waving after them foolishly, able to do nothing more than put your hand up toward the sky as if you thought you could touch them.
How you love even the dustiness, the color of it, all the lonely dusty roads and fields, crisscrossing like veins over a vast country.
India is certainly majestic. But it is not mine, not really, because I am from somewhere else.
We are preparing to go back for a visit, soon, to Canada and the U.S. I am thoughtful and sorrowful and excited and over the moon. And scared. And happy. And thoughtful.
But what I wanted to talk about, on this rambling evening, is the shape our community takes. Christine's question in the comments on the last post made me think that I take so much for granted, I'm never completely clear. Actually, I'm never sure just how clear I should be, but I think I can tell you this.
Chinua and I have lived in community for all of our married lives, and for many years before. In fact, in the whole time we've been married, we've only spend five months out of intentional community. We've lived in many different situations. There was the big house in San Francisco, with people everywhere, in all the kitchens, falling down the stairs, spilling out of the windows. That was fun. There was the house in Arcata, always changing. For a while it was all boys and me, and then it was a few couples with newborns, and then we moved back to San Francisco to a largish flat with all our babies and had lots of crazy fun interspersed with whispered fights in the hallways. That was crazy. And then we lived at the Land. A couple of times. There's lots to say about all of it, but what I will say is that I really love all those people I lived with, and I really believe in community.
This is the shape our community in Goa takes now. There aren't so many of us, really. There have been six of us (adults) committed to being here for six months of the year. We have three small houses close together and one a little farther away. Our courtyards touch. We eat lunch together everyday. We take turns cooking, and we have a circle once a week to decide who will cook on what day.
We are a meditation community, and we are followers of Jesus. We do daily meditation in the Christian and Judaic traditions, and we focus especially on the Divine Presence of God among us. In our weekly circle we also decide who will guide each meditation.
The committed people in our community keep the structure running, but it is an open community, which means that we have a lot of visitors. The meditations are open to whoever would like to experience this kind of meditation, and lunch is always an open invitation. It's great, really, because we get the best of whoever is cooking; everyone can put their all into one or two meals a week. Lunch in my family is the biggest meal, and dinner is usually pretty snacky. Sandwiches, or omelettes, or leftovers.
We live close together (the meditation space is on my rooftop) but Chinua and I and our family are the only ones living in our house. (Thank goodness, because we only have two bedrooms.) I love this. We run in and out of each other's kitchens, but we can find our own space, too.
Sometimes the rhythm of it all (the lunches everyday, the other meetings we have) gets repetitive to me, since every other waking hour is filled with the restraints of family life, but I remind myself that if I can sigh into the structure of it, into the restraint (as a friend of mine once said) I will gain the freedom to learn to truly love.
Our vision is for a Jesus focused, creative community exploring art and music as well as the disciplines of meditation and prayer and worship, in an international hub. Goa is the place for us, right now.
We will be back here in October, for our third season. If you are interested in something like this, something rather crazy and fun, you can email me.
So. I hope that clears things up. If you're interested, I can write more on meditation in the future.
This feels like a letter, somehow.
I'll sign it,
Rae
While I was driving, many thoughts went through my head, as thoughts always do when I am traveling in the luxury of my own company.
Isn't it amazing that a landscape can wind itself into you? How you may not have noticed every lovely detail when you were new and raw in your transition, but now, two years later, that lone magnolia tree in a field can bring you to tears? Or the egrets, the great white birds, friends of cows and water buffalos, winging over the emerald rice paddies, the egrets have you waving after them foolishly, able to do nothing more than put your hand up toward the sky as if you thought you could touch them.
How you love even the dustiness, the color of it, all the lonely dusty roads and fields, crisscrossing like veins over a vast country.
India is certainly majestic. But it is not mine, not really, because I am from somewhere else.
We are preparing to go back for a visit, soon, to Canada and the U.S. I am thoughtful and sorrowful and excited and over the moon. And scared. And happy. And thoughtful.
But what I wanted to talk about, on this rambling evening, is the shape our community takes. Christine's question in the comments on the last post made me think that I take so much for granted, I'm never completely clear. Actually, I'm never sure just how clear I should be, but I think I can tell you this.
Chinua and I have lived in community for all of our married lives, and for many years before. In fact, in the whole time we've been married, we've only spend five months out of intentional community. We've lived in many different situations. There was the big house in San Francisco, with people everywhere, in all the kitchens, falling down the stairs, spilling out of the windows. That was fun. There was the house in Arcata, always changing. For a while it was all boys and me, and then it was a few couples with newborns, and then we moved back to San Francisco to a largish flat with all our babies and had lots of crazy fun interspersed with whispered fights in the hallways. That was crazy. And then we lived at the Land. A couple of times. There's lots to say about all of it, but what I will say is that I really love all those people I lived with, and I really believe in community.
This is the shape our community in Goa takes now. There aren't so many of us, really. There have been six of us (adults) committed to being here for six months of the year. We have three small houses close together and one a little farther away. Our courtyards touch. We eat lunch together everyday. We take turns cooking, and we have a circle once a week to decide who will cook on what day.
We are a meditation community, and we are followers of Jesus. We do daily meditation in the Christian and Judaic traditions, and we focus especially on the Divine Presence of God among us. In our weekly circle we also decide who will guide each meditation.
The committed people in our community keep the structure running, but it is an open community, which means that we have a lot of visitors. The meditations are open to whoever would like to experience this kind of meditation, and lunch is always an open invitation. It's great, really, because we get the best of whoever is cooking; everyone can put their all into one or two meals a week. Lunch in my family is the biggest meal, and dinner is usually pretty snacky. Sandwiches, or omelettes, or leftovers.
We live close together (the meditation space is on my rooftop) but Chinua and I and our family are the only ones living in our house. (Thank goodness, because we only have two bedrooms.) I love this. We run in and out of each other's kitchens, but we can find our own space, too.
Sometimes the rhythm of it all (the lunches everyday, the other meetings we have) gets repetitive to me, since every other waking hour is filled with the restraints of family life, but I remind myself that if I can sigh into the structure of it, into the restraint (as a friend of mine once said) I will gain the freedom to learn to truly love.
Our vision is for a Jesus focused, creative community exploring art and music as well as the disciplines of meditation and prayer and worship, in an international hub. Goa is the place for us, right now.
We will be back here in October, for our third season. If you are interested in something like this, something rather crazy and fun, you can email me.
So. I hope that clears things up. If you're interested, I can write more on meditation in the future.
This feels like a letter, somehow.
I'll sign it,
Rae
Reader Comments (15)
How wonderful it sounds. Your time now of mentally and physically preparing to leave must be something of a roller coaster. Sending prayers of love and peace your way.
.-= Tj´s last blog ..http://theranchonsalmoncreek.blogspot.com/2010/03/yesterdays-post-march-snow.html" rel="nofollow">Yesterday's Post / March Snow =-.
I read this and if I was sitting across from you (and all the other bloggers/readers likely sitting there too... so kind of a big table) I think I would sink my chin into my hands and say "mmmm..." It makes me think of all the stages of community I've been through. The Mountains, the Dorm, the Rotten Apt. Building, and now a School. I loved them all and you carry them with you-- but in some ways it's sad to me that they are all so fragmented from each other. Such is life in todays transient world. Maybe that's why I keep reading about farms and small towns:)
Oh, and you should write more about meditation. Or whatever suits your fancy cause it's all fun to read.
.-= Christine´s last blog ..http://homemadeinchina.blogspot.com/2010/03/bookworm-wednesday.html" rel="nofollow">{book}worm wednesday =-.
"Isn’t it amazing that a landscape can wind itself into you?"
Yes! Every day I am shocked by some other beautiful thing here where we are. I look at the curve of a hill or the way they pile up on each other in the distance and wonder if I ever even saw it the first time.
When I first came here with you, all those years ago you called out every single wild flower on the sides of the freeways and I barely saw them. Now the hills are alive again with the yellow and orange poppies, and the gray blue of the wild lilacs and I'm amazed at the beauty. I think of you friend, every time I see those flowers now, and your ability to see them right away, when all I knew was heat and dust strangeness.
.-= carrien (she laughs at the days)´s last blog ..http://shelaughsatthedays.blogspot.com/2010/03/when-tragedy-hits-close-to-home.html" rel="nofollow">When tragedy hits close to home =-.
wow, this is definitely the sort of life that inspires me to them full and a kind of life that i want to have when im older. It sounds so fun, chaotic and love-filled!
You inspire me so much Rae. Community is awesome!
You live a life so completely different from mine and that is why I come here each and every day. I am both curious and in awe of your family, lifestyle, meditation, homeschooling your kids. I don't know I would able to do that. But I really admire you for doing it.
Carrien, What a beautiful thing to say. Thank you.
Hey Rachel,
That is great stuff! You know we will end up seeing you over there at some point. I wanted to ask you a funny technical question? How do you get your blog posts to show up on your Face Book as an "article". I just seem to make them into notes and they don't take you right to the blog site. ?? Sorry we will be missing you here in the US. We are off to Ethiopia on April 5. Love you guys.
.-= Micah´s last blog ..http://5family.wordpress.com/2010/03/08/drawn-from-water-on-st-paddys-day/" rel="nofollow">Drawn From Water on St. Paddy’s Day =-.
Your blog makes me look at my life, and want something more. I'm so close to moving over there and living in community. I too enjoyed living on the Land and living amongst so many people - it was such fun, especially the kids and all their antics. Changes are in the air!
Two years ago (or whenever you were preparing to move to Goa) and traveling up the West Coast, a mutual friend gave us your info in case you needed a place to rest in Seattle (where we live). Ever since then I have been spying into your life thru this beautiful blog. At that time I had just had my first son. Now we are expecting our second baby within the month sometime. I have so connected to your honesty, candidness and wisdom shared about your life. Thank you.
We are planning to travel again later this year. Perhaps the Lord would send us on the winds to Goa. We long to live intentionally (even more). We love the community in which you describe; exactly what we want for our family: fun, crazy, Jesus focused, creative community of prayer, worship and meditation. Would love to hear more for sure! (and if you pass thru Seattle while you are in the States, you are welcome here)
Rachel, Can you let Chinua know that I wrote him an email on his gmail account. I hope to hear from him soon. Thanks, Dylan
I've been reading your blog for a few months and trying to visualize how you lived. I'd heard the phrase intentional community before but didn't know how it differed from a neighborhood. Thank you so much for this post--I feel like I can "see" you now!
.-= Jen´s last blog ..http://olivespearls.typepad.com/knittersknitters/2010/03/heres-your-choice-for-possum-queen.html" rel="nofollow">Here's your choice for Possum Queen... =-.
Thanks for sharing -- I'm always curious what tugs the heartstrings of other planet wanderers. Your community there in Goa sounds so brave and genuine and soul-filling. Are your children sad to be leaving?
.-= Bethany´s last blog ..http://www.coffeestainedclarity.com/2010/03/conscience-on-a-ledge/" rel="nofollow">Conscience on a Ledge =-.
I love the way you talk about community here. Beautiful. Nurturing. Home. I can so feel the love and honor you have for your home
.-= LisaD´s last blog ..http://wearethedelzers.com/2010/bestfriend-3-16-10/" rel="nofollow">best friends ~ 3.16.10 =-.
sounds so much like my community, though ours is a direct family base. but it is a daily choice, it has to be. we are woven into each others lives and that gives us the freedom to get up and leave and have somewhere to come to that is called home.
speaking of that...canada huh? we are heading to arcata in may, will be there mid month, then up to oregon then b.c. wonder if we will intersect at any point?
.-= mamie´s last blog ..http://mamieknits.blogspot.com/2010/03/supported.html" rel="nofollow">Supported =-.
I've stumbled upon your blog and really enjoy reading it, as I am currently living in Hyderabad-but only for a few months. I'm trying to plan a trip to either Kerala or Goa, and this blog has tempted me to want to come out and see your community. I tried looking for your email address so I could email you and ask you about this, but I can't find it...could I possibly get that from you? My email is whitneywillett86@yahoo.com
thanks!