Building a Forever Retreat

[bIondethunder_28]

Our society caters most often to the idealistic dimensions of "normal" - a label placed on people or places based on characteristics from a docile and untraumatized perspective. The rigidity of our world's boundaries are unrealistic and end with most of us shackled by the weight of achieving a problematic picture of perfection that could never be attained anyways. We are all living in denial and it is of our own historical doing.

Unfortunately, attempting to transform the entire world into one of perpetual acceptance and compassion is a task not meant for any single person. What I did realize after much thought was that maybe a single person didn't need to change the entire world, but maybe create a new world within it. On a different scale and a new perspective, maybe world peace is possible.

It is my sincerest dream to one day open a forever retreat, a home extended to anyone interested in building a new community, giving back to the earth, and living in genuine kindness. There would be endless gardens, handmade homes, nightly gatherings, and so much more. Think ecovillage meets mental health mixed with a spiritual retreat.

Many have already achieved this dream, too, which makes it that much more realistic. However, the weight of my mental illness and the everyday obstacles that interfere, it is still very much out of reach. I struggle to grasp just how I can make this come to fruition especially when in the moments where I have the most strength, I am still fraught with panic that I cannot do it alone.

Any well wishes, advice, or thoughts are welcome!

[Midori]

Hate to put a downer on your beautiful dream; but it has been tried and failed more than once, because People!

You would need to keep it small, the more folk there are, the more room for disagreements and politics to come in and disrupt things.

The world still intrudes upon you, taxes, etc, still have to be paid, and many would still need paid work to survive in the set up you envisage.

You would need a committee of people to oversee the general running of the place, and that can get problematical (think bad HOAs).

These Communities have been tried in many countries, and they go one of two ways, they fall apart because nobody wants Rules, or they end up as weird cults, and I have seen both ways in my 73 years on Earth.

It is a beautiful dream, and it would be lovely if it could work, I'd be with you in a heartbeat, but human egos get in the way every time.

Cheers, Midori

[bIondethunder_28 in reply to Midori]

Unfortunately, I completely understand and agree with the issues you pose. I have considered going outside of the states, though, as I've heard it can be less restrictive, while of course still having it's own slew of potential problems.

[Mrspjsmom]

Your vision is beautiful! Hold on to it if it makes you happy. I have found many dreams I had came true in a different way than I thought. When I was young I wanted to be a teacher. I took another path for financial reasons. But I did have a chance to teach. My children took dance lessons at the studio I went to. My teacher had retired and passed the studio down to my friend. We had danced together for many years growing up so I helped her teach their class, even helping with choreography at times. I was a teacher. My point is don't be rigid about your dream. It may not be exactly as you pictured it. But you can still achieve it. In the meantime live your life incorporating some of the dream you have. You may be suprised.

[bIondethunder_28 in reply to Mrspjsmom]

Thank you for your inspiring words and advice. I have often struggled with allowing what happens to be outside of exactly what I had imagined, but I continue to try!