Full Moon Manifestations

Twenty-seven days ago, I sat with my dear friend wilson on the edge of a garden at Orr Hot Springs, somewhere just inland of the Mendicino Coast in California. As the moon made its approach towards the eastern horizon (still just out of our view), we wrote, with intention, what we wanted to see come into our lives. In the most positive terms, we described our relationships, our communities, our passions as if they presently existed in the way in which we'd have them be. I found that I had a lot to say about community, and development of a creative environment for exploring and expressin relationships to the ecosystem, to spirit, and to each other. I particularly expressed my family's relationship to this space (my parents have long been critical of my utopia-like dreams of community) through growing understanding and openness.

The next day, my dad called me: he had found a piece of river front property in West Virginia, with ample area for a large garden, 5 residences, and a commercial scale kitchen. The moment he saw it, he recalled details of discussions he'd had with my sister and me about our dreams for developing a restaurant and gardens, and possibly an education center with classes for the community about sustainable living practices. In his eye, this property would provide a perfect site for such an endeavor. He would be willing to invest in this property if my sister and I would come "home".

My first thought was, "wow! i should have been more specific about WHERE i wanted this community!"; but then, what do i know? maybe west virginia would work! My sis and I went over every detail of the property, came up with a 3 page list of questions, talked about our needs and expectations, and then called our parents. We would come to look at the property with them.

Now, West Virginia is beautiful. And this piece of property is no exception. It has access to 300 km of National Forest trails that climb high into the mountains, providing views of Virgina. It hosts the head waters of two rivers, and sits on underground caves that spill water to the surface through small springs when the water table rises. Much to my surprise, there were few bugs, and a fairly moderate climate as well. There were a few drawbacks, however; the land presently hosts a highly successful recreational business (fly-fishing, mountain biking, and fly fishing) as well as a busy inn (hosts 50) and restaurant. The demand to keep this business successful to provide the overhead necessary to make the changes we'd like to see happen would be exhausting. The land adjacent to the property is slated to be developed into vacation homes. Those folks who actually live in Pocohontas County would be the least likely to visit the restaurant, and our intention is to be as local as possible. The nearest town is 1.5 hours away, and the majority of people coming to the area would be driving a minimum of 3 hours to get to us.

I've been through a whirlwind of emotions around all of this, and I've had more thoughts than I can handle in the waking hours (I've not slept much, either!). But we all decided that this was too much to take on too soon, and we're letting go of this possibility. The amazing thing, however, is this: my family is talking about working together such that we all might see our dreams come true! Lori can have her community supported restaurant, I can have my community supported farm, and my folks can have their girls near by. We're learning more about each other's dreams, and how to listen to each other in supportive and cooperative ways. It's more beautiful than the West Virigina countryside.

Now, I tell this story today because there is a full moon--in Pisces, at that--on Sunday. I don't know what kind of magic she'll hold that night, but I'm convinced that she shines light on truth and possibility if we are open to her assistance. I don't know exactly what I'm asking for this time around (that's a whole nother mess of emotions, i'll tell you) but I'll take the time to allow for a bit of inspiration to come through me, and see what, together, that moon and I can create.