I gifted my skills and resources as a contributor to the fulfillment of a collective dream, and was amazed at how that turned out, back then.
A year later, it's time for a little back story and update.
When I arrived at the Econaut Camp on Lago Atitlan, the team was burnt out. They'd had one heck of a trip through Mexico to get to this site, their resources were exhausted, and each person had a story of disenchantment with the mission.
When I arrived at the Econaut Camp on Lago Atitlan, the team was burnt out. They'd had one heck of a trip through Mexico to get to this site, their resources were exhausted, and each person had a story of disenchantment with the mission.
I heard about the stories of course, while doing dishes. ;)
They embarked with the belief that they would be having impact on the places they visited, delivering permaculture projects of value, but due to time and money constraints, they could only start the initiatives, then leave them to the people of each place to carry forth. This was anticipated by the organizers and necessary to meet the higher aims of the PNM organization, and discouraging for the participants nonetheless.
PNM created this Odyssey to make connections with the people of each place visited and prepare a base of ecovillages and permaculture experts that would become the founding membership of an online platform for people everywhere to have a way into these projects (side note: now in Beta!).
After the first month of journeying, the mission was not clear anymore, and individuals could no longer see how their own purpose for coming was part of the larger purpose for being together on this adventure. So we came together, and crafted a new mission.
There was only one problem that remained after unifying on the mission, and that problem was money. We brainstormed around what we could do without it.. then we brainstormed what we could do with it, if we had it. How much was really needed to complete a deeply meaningful project with lasting impact to both the peoples of that region, and the peoples that had come to be in service to them?
We didn't know, and I witnessed the anguish that these beautiful beings put themselves through, with a singular desire.. to make a difference. So - I picked my favorite number - 23, and stood up before them, and asked what they could do if they had $2300 earmarked specifically to complete something they all agreed was valuable. I made this offer with a requirement - that they utilize the broad set of community development tools they each had experience with to answer this question.
Several projects were identified.. 5, as I recall. We broke our Village Building Workshop population up into groups, and those groups worked together to produce project plans with budgets, time and material requirements, and to validate the expected benefits as useful to the local peoples that would receive the fruits of these labors.
Astonishingly - we discovered that with the resources at hand, we could do ALL the projects!!
The team had created their own set of democratic processes, communication roles and procedures, and a road map toward completing all of the objectives of the Odyssey AND the organization that was flexible, allowed team members to engage to the level they felt capable, and would evolve to meet the overarching duo of intention - on the ground relationships that would weave into the online platform for everyone who is called to get on board. At this point.. I bid my farewells and returned home to the Pacific Northwest and my home tribe.
A remarkable media collective was part of the Econaut team, and the Republic of Light produced the following videos that demonstrate what we were able to do when united and freed from the scarcity mindset.
AND!!!! The larger story of this work we did on the tour is now being told, in the chapters and pages of so many other people, places, and projects that have been developing alongside this tale of Project Nuevo Mundo. As I describe in last years blog, I first heard of this PNM Earth Odyssey project through the Tribal Convergence gathering 'Awaken' and the Tribe Talks that were conducted there.
Many activated people brought their superhero tool belts, worked and played together, and are now crafting the templates and tool set that mystically facilitates the magic of community for any who choose to follow this path we are walking together.
It has been my pleasure and honor to work with the people of Tribal Convergence hosting both their inaugural Ambassador Training program AND inaugural Regional Seed Gathering, DreamGeneration at Our Sacred Acres in 2014.
Introducing ..
YOUR SUPPORT OF OSA ENABLES ME TO TELL... THE REST, OF THE STORY.
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