Caminos of Peaceful Warrior: Still Walking

Hello readers.

It's been a while...!

You may already know that I finished the walk a year ago. It was due to lack of funds initially, and I wasn't overly keen on begging. That is to say, taking kindness that wasn't directly offered without any prompting of peoples emotions. The people that did help and offer so many kindnesses are forever in my heart, and too numerous to list, but I'm sure you all know who you are and of my lasting thankfulness.

By way of continuing the IMAGINE project, which fundamentally was to meet people and discover things about them and how they react to a stranger, I came by chance to be in Lincoln, where I had the opportunity to live as a homeless person for almost 9 months. At first I stayed in the park, (in November and it was bloo.....ming cold) before being offered a place at a night shelter called strangely enough NOMAD. As I am a nomad of sorts, it was wonderful (and scary) to be there enjoying the comforts of sheltered accommodations (nights only) and the further kindnesses of the Beattitude project (Saint Mary Le Wigfords CofE) for food and daytime shelter. Later I went on to live very comfortably at the Y.M.C.A. Lincoln where they cared for my housing needs and helped me get back into work. Some months ago I left to find accommodation in a privately rented house, and subsequently became unemployed again, which means I have to find alternatives again.

Through association with some pretty wonderful groups and organizations here in Lincoln, I have become attached to a new project. It will be a workers Co-operative of a kind that hopefully will incorporate a community housing venture as well. Temporarily (name has to be agreed upon) it is called the Abundant Earth Community. The aims are again not yet set in stone, but primarily they are to set up a working/housing project to get away from typical business type ventures of capitalist methods and form a close working group. Many ideas exist, but in one sense this will be an Intentional Community with some differences. I am very excited to have come from meeting people out on the open roads and in their own communities, to now be a founder member of starting another one. And all this in just over a year. No-one (especially me) thinks this will be easy, but here in Lincoln there is a thirst, a very real hunger for an alternative to the current model. Many similar projects/communities exist and are thriving all over the country and the wider world, as I think we all recognise the end coming for the current way of living. What I mean by this is, that the present way we live is too materialistic to be sustainable. There just is not enough resource to keep up with demands we place upon them, to create material things.

Here in Lincoln I have come to love the growing wave of movement to make a difference in the lives of more people, not just our close circles of friends and family. One such group, pioneered by Angela and Phil Porter, Revival Lincoln is an amazing sharing platform. Together with their wonderful volunteers and associated members and collaborators they have gotten a movement going towards learning and skill sharing that is truly abundant. Please check out the web-pages and discover the diversity of this project, which is due to expand again soon. If you think that you too could benefit from a similar scheme in your town/area and need some help and ideas for this, please get in touch with us here, as we would be more than happy to assist. (Click here)

So in reality the Imagine project goes on, just in a slightly altered format. If you would like to help, get involved and or learn anything more about it, please don't be afraid to contact me or any members of the Abundant Earth Community team. It would be amazing to have your support and company. I have an article on my other blog about the ideas of this Community if you would like to get more of a feel of what it's about.