resonating at anahata

i found a ride at dance church that whisked me off to the community of anahata. on the way we picked up another member of this community at the top of Pilot Mountain. there was a great view from the top and summer told us that the mountain is said to be an energetic hot spot. i think i felt it a little bit...


thunderstorms- while i was at anahata there were three separate thunderstorms. the first was the most dramatic, and when it cleared in the early evening there was a beautiful double rainbow that graced the view out the window of the main house for a good while before dinner.

nettles- i'd had nettles on my mind since brasstown, and in asheville it was mentioned that they could be harvested in these forests. at anahata i was told that there was an abundance of them along a small stream across the river. my first day there i waded through the cold water, entered the forest on the other side, and harvested four shopping bags full! the stream was such a tranquil and vibrant corridor. it inspired a feeling of reverence and i remembered to give thanks as i snipped the tops off hundreds of the emerald-leafed nettles. i did my best not to trample the delicate plants and soils as i ventured into dense patches of forest fertility.
these nettles are different from the ones i am familiar with on orcas island. they grow one large leaf from each node rather than two and the stems are more fleshy (more like asparagus than celery). when i lightly steamed them the stems became pleasantly tender.
we ate almost half of what i picked and i hung the rest to dry on lines we strung up in the drying area of the house, where screens and sheets were being utilized already. this system of lines above head level is how i used to dry herbs at wild's edge on orcas island. i thought it could be a useful contribution to this place. summer, the girl who had been doing most of the herb drying, didn't like that it was so high up and would require a ladder. seemed too much trouble to her. i felt really bad about it until she expressed to me that she still appreciated that i had gotten all those nettle up to dry, even if it was not in the way she liked best.

community interactions- dinner is shared most nights. there were two community meetings in the time that i was there. with three separate households in the anahata community, it is sometimes difficult to bring everyone together at the same time.

we came together in circle at dinner and meetings. summer led songs mostly. in the mornings while i meditated there was a couple who did their morning yoga in the big space of the main floor of the house, which is intended as a meeting place and spiritual practice space. i think it could have great benefits if everyone was encouraged to join together for spiritual practice (inner work) each morning before a shared breakfast. what if...

children

humanure- last year a huge fortress of a humanure bin was built where the five gallon buckets could be dumped. it was about 7 by 7 feet and 5 feet tall, with double walls of boards and chicken wire filled with hay. when i went to do that chore and saw the bin for my first time i could not bring myself to participate in this impractical approach. this huge bin would take at least five years to fill up at the pace it as currently being filled. the bin was located farther from the outhouse and water supply than necessary, requiring lots of extra energy. the bin was built with four solid walls, so harvesting the finished material, after perhaps six years, would be more difficult than necessary.
i talked with the current coordinator of this project and he accepted my proposal to build a smaller bin out of some pallets that were available. eventually there will be two or three, but i only had enough materials for one. this size bin will be filled in one year or less, making the finished compost available within two years of starting it. the pile does not need to be turned, just built with the right mix of materials (carbon and nitrogen), and kept moist.
there is a method i recommended of depositing the humanure which is illustrated in a video of joseph jenkins, humanure guru and author of the humanure handbook.
for more information on humanure composting i also recommend the site of david and pearl, who met at their winter home near tucson.
there are many methods. one must decide which one works best for their living situation. at anahata they were not intending to use the finished compost for growing food, but in fact it is totally safe to do so when the compost is made in a thermophilic pile such as this. they do not combine their food scraps or other compostables because of wanting to keep it separate, but combining them can have great benefits. the faster the pile is built, the sooner you will have finished compost to feed the soil with! also the diversity of materials benefits the diversity of beneficial microbial life in the compost pile, which acts as another safeguard against pathogens. in the humanure handbook i learned that many of the beneficial microorganisms are predators to pathogens, and that they can also decrease levels of other contaminants in the composting materials. like magic!
it felt so great to be helpful in making the humanure composting more accessible and sustainable at anahata. i hope that eventually all the residents are participating in this sacred practice of giving back. it is a way of great abundance!

paintings- it was pleasant to be in the presence of laurel song's paintings, which are hung on almost every wall in the main house. one's eyes are attracted to their vibrant colors and the spirit of the beings she has rendered. i felt a kind of healing energy coming through them.

i'm so grateful that i was able to experience this amazing place. it has so much potential to become a beacon of light in the U.S. for those learning to lead holistic, selfless, compassionate lives. thanks to everyone there for welcoming me!