~ The Wooded Way ~

The GAIA DREAMSPACE at Larnook has now been recognised as a rainforest and riparian regeneration site and potential seed bank. It is now being managed by the Mulvena Road Landcare Group (Adama Community branch managed by myself. This means that it is possible to apply for government funding for landcare programs, as well as making it possible for people to undertake volunteer work on the property as part of their Centrelink commitments.

In addition, the site is now under consideration by GREENCORPS as a landcare and training project for up to 3 months duration.

In brief then, this all means that very soon, Wooded Way members will have access to the site to start developing the Temple of Gaia and Sanctuary, once it is properly cleared and the access road completed in January/February 2012. The objective is to have the site completed as a residential sanctuary and organic food resource for Wooded Way members prior to the December 2012 transition. As such, please email me if you would like to be involved in this work at thewoodedway@gaia.net.au .

Blessings always,
Beau

On Friday, 8th April, I had the pleasure of visiting Jasper Hall at Coopers Creek in Northern NSW. Jasper Hall is a 46 acre permaculture farm that has evolved into a small, self-contained community of (variably) 20 to 40 people, many of whome are renters and wwoofers.

The visit was a real eye-opener. Jasper Hall, to put it simply, is incredible, however, even more incredibly it is a precise model of what would effectively be a Wooded Way haven. As such, it has become a possible referal place for people wanting to learn about the Wooded Way lifestyle first hand from people actually living it.

The community Founder, Andi Islinger, was a great host and provided a great deal of stimulating information to ponder, and, by the time we went home, my relationship with the community had become one of kinship and family. I will never forget seeing the joy in everyones eyes, and seeing children of all ages laughing, playing and happily joining in the conversations. Their openness was like a beacon of light in a world of increasing shadow! ... and as for the Friday Pizza night ... my god, straight from the woodfire pizza oven with fresh toppings from the community gardens ... divine! ... and they just kept coming in every variety imaginable!

So if you want to be part of the next visit to Jasper Hall, send me a message!

Blissings, Beau

Check out the many new resource links HERE

  
This is the way of it ...

Currently, The physical assets of The Wooded Way consist of:

This website as an online meeting place and information sharing resource.

Approximately 3 acres of stunning land at Larnook, 30km Northwest of Lismore, being the GAIA DREAMSPACE (working name only), that has been put aside for the creation of a Gaian Temple, community garden with labyrinth, gathering space, temporary accommodation and camp site.

Our longer term objectives are:

The completion of the GAIA DREAMSPACE as the 'home-base', ritual and teaching facility for The Wooded Way incorporating the TEMPLE OF GAIA and the Order of The Wood.

The publication of THE WOODED WAY handbook of Gaia Conscious living.

The creation of a Wooded Way intentional community or communities.

The creation of Wooded Way 'haven' homes (Cohousing projects) accommodating up to 12 members using purchased shares on existing Rural Land-sharing Communities and eco-villages.

Our core philosophies are:

• The recognition that the Earth is a living, sentient being in her own right and that she is called GAIA, the Mother.
• The recognition that GAIA is a part of the universal body and nature of GOD, the Father.
• The recognition that all life on Earth, including humankind, is symbiotically connected with unique roles to play as part of the oneness of Gaia.
• The recognition that there is no unique divinity of Humankind over and above any other forms of life on Earth.
• The recognition that all life is sacred and that to unnecessarily harm other living things is also to harm the body of Gaia, and thus, our selves.
• The recognition that all life on Earth needs air, water and nutrition in order to live and, as such, we must strive to maintain the basic building blocks of life in as clean and pure a state as possible.
• The recognition that, currently, due largely to the unconscious activities of humankind over the ages, Gaia is in a state of dis-ease and requires our assistance to heal (and vice versa).
• The recognition that the most healing power that exists is Love, and to love life is to heal Gaia (and our selves).
• We recognise that the current way of living on Earth is unsustainable and that we need to re-think how we choose to live as part of the Gaian symbiosis.
• We feel that a Gaia conscious, community-orientated, extended family model whereby part-time resources and family responsibilities are shared, yet still respect the need for personal space is a far more sustainable way of living.
• We believe that a 'Primalist' philosophy free from material and emotional excess is achievable.
• We believe that adopting an approach to life based on sustainable technologies in everything from energy supply, to building, food and transport is also achievable.
• It is our intention to build the first independent, 100% Gaia Conscious intentional community as a transparent, living example of a new lifestyle for others to learn from (Long-term aim).
• It is our intention to manifest a number of linked 'havens' (such as the current GAIA DREAMSPACE) on other sustainable communities and eco-villages that resonate with The Wooded Way philosophy of life.
  (This involves purchasing shares to build expanded homes and is an objective that is achievable immediately once funds are made available. Currently there are at least 4 possible Haven venues in Northern NSW open to this.
  
  

Dare to be different!

Where do we go from here?

To me, it would be a sensible approach to create the GAIA DREAMSPACE on the land we currently have available at Larnook. This gets us all working together on a shared gathering place that we can then use, but mostly it brings us together as a communal 'family' creating something that we own and can take pride in. While this is in process, it would also make sense to create a 'handbook' detailing our philosophies, aims, objectives, etc as an ongoing reference tool. Linked to this would be a Wooded Way workbook, being a collection of land care techniques, building techniques, permaculture techniques,  suppliers and every other resource available to meet our objectives.

- blessings always, Beau.