Beloved Earth Community
A heart-centred project seeking to procure land and property in East Anglia and to establish a conscious, intentional community.
We are two friends who have been dreaming into a way of being that we believe offers a radical and definitive response to the predicament that we and so many find ourselves in: a world of unraveling systems and institutions, of burgeoning ecological crisis, of impending economic meltdown, and of social fragmentation. A world in crisis.
We are of the mind that, as well as bringing us into a more harmonious and sustainable relationship with the planet, taking concrete steps towards the vision we have outlined here will provide a framework within which to re-learn the art of community, thereby strengthening and resourcing us all for the times ahead.
As well as reading through these pages, you can also connect with this vision through conversation, in person and online; through speaking from the heart in circle; and through movement and action as we weave this tapestry together.
Let's dance with it. Let's sing it into being...
The Basics
Co-Dwelling
We’re looking to establish a type of co-housing project comprised of independent interconnected households, with land, communal spaces and other resources held in common and stewarded collaboratively.
We’re keen to settle somewhere in East Anglia but, with the support of a strong and committed group, we’re also open to possibilities further afield.
Along the way we want to embody certain core values and adopt some key group practices which we outline below.
A Model of Stewardship
While being open to new possibilities emerging in a world and society that is fast unravelling and evolving, we’re leaning towards re-purposing an existing site.
This means buying land with existing buildings and converting at least one of these into a shared house, and then adding further dwellings and infrastructure as needed.
We’re looking to existing models for inspiration such as the shared ownership project being developed by Jackie Carpenter at Carthvean Farm in Cornwall.
Finances
We seek to bring those with financial means and those without financial means, and everyone in between, into a workable and harmonious collaboration of equals.
This won’t be easy, as we touch in on historical tensions and difficult questions around ownership. However, through meeting these challenges with growing trust in each other, we believe we can, not only come up with a workable model, but also play a part in enacting deep cultural healing.
Timing
We are persuaded that a certain amount of community building needs to happen prior to taking committed steps towards things like shared ownership and stewardship of land. With the right relationships and processes in place however, we believe movement towards our goals could come about relatively quickly.
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Once formed, could we be up and running within 18 months? We feel this is a distinct possibility, but we’re also in it for the long haul.
Do you have knowledge and experience of land based communities? Perhaps you’ve done some research, and have ideas that could help us develop a strategy for managing finances and for organising and cohabiting land and property. In which case, we’d love to hear from you.
Aims
We are committed to establishing solid foundations in relationship and connection, and we want to prioritise these dimensions. That said, these aims will no doubt overlap and to some extent unfold simultaneously, being mutually reinforcing. We envisage different people and groups will hold different pieces, according to their gifts and passions, with everyone supported to find a place of ease and belonging within this ecosystem.
Connect
Nurture relationships of sacred reciprocity – between humans, the natural world, and the more-than-human realms.
Evolve our Approach
Develop an innovative and bespoke model of collective stewardship of land and property that is regenerative for both people and planet.
Work and Play Together
Take time to evolve our common purpose and shared intention, exploring meaningful and joyful ways of being, doing and celebrating together.
Procure Land and Property
Establish a settled, conscious, intentional community, putting our ideas and ideals into practice, learning by doing, and adjusting the plan as we go.
Vision
We have been sinking the roots of this vision deep into the imaginal realm, planting it in the fertile soil of our highest intentions. We envisage that weaving these dimensions together will enable us to come into coherence as a Beloved Earth Community, in an ever-deepening and ever-widening dance of sacred reciprocity.
There are many aspects that are yet to evolve, and we invite you into the adventure. Come join us as we till and toil to bring this vision to life, and as we feed it with the nutrients needed for growth and flourishing.
Our Values
Here are our top-line values to give you an idea where we're coming from. We are also looking to bring in some key principles, to guide us in the practical application of these values.
All of this is a work-in-progress, and we anticipate we'll review and update these values from time to time once a wider group has formed.
About Us
We’re looking forward to hearing more about the quest that brings you to this table. In the meantime, here’s a flavour of our respective journeys towards Beloved Earth Community – our personal Holy Grail.
Get Involved
With two taster sessions fully subscribed, we've now scheduled a third, which you can sign up for below. Come and meet us, we will answer any questions you may have (at least those we have answers to), and we'll hear from each other about what might be drawing us to this project and what we are bringing to the table. Going forward we envisage getting into a rhythm of regular Sunday morning gatherings, with other working groups and events running alongside this.
Is This for You?
We’ve set out a series of questions, a checklist, that we hope will help you decide whether this is the right path for you to begin to explore.
Taster Gatherings
Come and join us for this taster session on Saturday 21 October in Norwich. It will be great to meet you, and to begin exploring together how we can bring this vision to birth.
Mailing List
Join the mailing list to receive Beloved Earth Community project updates. You can also sign up here for the Gathering Gates newsletter if you would like to hear about other like-minded projects.
Contact Us
We'd love to hear from you if this vision speaks to you.
We offer an outstretched hand and a warm welcome to your questions, your ideas, your unique perspective, and the many gifts you may wish to bring. We are calling on the deep dreaming of your heart, the discerning wisdom of your mind, and the willing and skilful gift of your hands.
We also want to invite your deep knowing, your faith, not just in what could be, but in what is always already here – the more beautiful world that exists, even now, within and among us.