Resources and Allies - Next Steps
The projects and inspirations I have described will guide me in developing my skill flexes in the year ahead. I am not alone in my learning journey as I live with many inspirational friends with whom I can collaborate on projects.
Gardening - I can team up with Wayne Fowler, Rose Porter, Jacques Marmen, many local farmers and landowners including Bantry Bay Farm where I apprenticed last year. I have a decent public library here in Saint John and a growing the personal/community library at home for those more specific books that are unavailible at the public library. My next steps towards feeding myself are to plant all the little starts currently in my windows out into fertile soil. I want to collect some rocks or bricks and built some raised beds around the house as well. I continue to photograph and journal about the gardens.
Freedom of Movement - I know many people involved in nomadic lifestyles and would like to interview them about their philosophies, worldviews and specific means of travel and supporting themselves on the road. Again, the library and internet are wonderful resources for researching diverse approaches to travelling lifestyles. I hope to attend some large cultural gatherings this summer that draw contemporary nomads in large numbers and learn about the culture and ideas. My employer is a wonderful ally for exploring materialism as she is what you would call a hoarder, giving me constant inspiration to reduce my own material load.
Mycology 101 - I feel like it would be great to meet some people who have local knowledge of mushrooms. I know some people who harvest wild chanterelles etc, and have been invited to join in this harvest this year. The wild forests around Saint John are an excellent resource for direct observation and sample collection.
Conclusions
I love to be intentional in my life, so doing this element has been awesome to show myself how possible my dreams are. I feel confident that things will turn out very well whether they go according to plan or not. I appreciate the encouragement of the Gaia U community and understanding that this is not a binding contract, but an exploration of possibility and taking the first steps of planning and thinking about how I can work towards my goals. I feel that if I continue on this path of learning and with my intentions, I will become a skilled person who can live independently of the large, impersonal and destructive systems that currently dominate human life.