- Who Are We? (book 5)
In Sanskrit, the word Santosha can be translated as a peacefulness with what is. Acceptance through balance. True to our namesake, the journey of Santosha over the last few months has been a delightful mix of hard work and lots of fun. When practicality meets idealism in perfect balance, life flows with a gentle simplicity that reassures you that you are on the right track.
While Emily has begun her two new jobs (wardrobe mistress at Santa Maria and Mystery Shopper), I have spent the summer completing assignments for my Montessori qualification and writing the legal framework for our future community.
Santosha Co operative Ltd
As I mentioned in our last blog post, we have decided that the best structure for Santosha is a Co operative. The legislation for Co operatives is still very new, passed only in 2009. Recently Emily and I had a meeting with the Department of Commerce to go through some of our questions. The Department of Commerce have been very helpful, providing lots of guidance for how to best use the structure to suit our needs.
The advice that we received early on was that lawyers didn't know a lot about how Co operatives work and that if we wanted a lawyer to write our rules for us, we had better be prepared to pay big money.Instead we have decided to save the money and write the rules ourselves. I had completed part of a law degree and so I have some legal background. Good thing that I had no idea the enormity of the task I had assigned myself!!!
I still chuckle when Emily and I first spoke about creating a Co operative. We discussed whether we should do it Friday or Saturday? 3 months later and I am still working at it daily hahaha :)
At 108 clauses (and counting) and 41 pages, I feel that we have fulfilled our criteria for creating a thorough legal framework for the community. Even though I myself wrote much of the document, I still find it intimidating to think of all the contingencies, subclauses etc. But rest assured, my task after completing the rules (which is getting very close) is to create 'Alex's Guide to the Contract' which should write out people's legal rights and obligations in simple, easy to understand language. After that has been completed, we can finally start the Co operative!!
Affordability and Investment Options
One of the most exciting developments for Santosha has been our work to try and make Santosha an affordable option for people who don't have a lot of money. As it stands, due to the way that the community will be structured, no one can borrow against the land. While I am not a huge fan on banks, our inability to take out loans does make it harder for people who don't have the money up front to pay for a domain and build a house. Enter the Co operative Capital Unit (CCU).
A CCU is a way for a Co operative to raise money, other than the issuing of shares. They can be issued to members or to non members. In practical terms, this means that we can provide the opportunity for members of the Co operative to buy a share in the Co operative, be allocated their portion of land and build their house. Repayment of these costs will be made to the Co operative in the same way that a loan works. The amount owed can be paid over a period of time, with a cumulative interest rate.
Any money paid back to the Co operative then gets paid to the holder of the CCU. In case that was confusing, lets look at this with a hypothetical example using WealthyNiceGuy and EnthusiasticDude:
note: we don't yet have estimates for the housing, and so the figures used here are purely theoretical.
Hypothetical Example
The Co operative issues a CCU to WealthyNiceGuy. The CCU is for the value of $160 000. The Co operative now has $160 000. It uses $60 000 of that money to help purchase the property.
EnthusiasticDude loves Santosha, but does not have enough money to buy a domain or build a house. He does, however, have a little bit of money. Enough to pay for the deposit ($3 000) and 10% of the share price ($6 000).EnthusiasticDude will pay the remainder of the share price over a period of time. EnthusiasticDude also signs a contract with the Co operative to build the basic structure of a house on his domain, in accordance with the pre-approved plans. This way EnthusiasticDude gets to take advantage of the cost savings of having his house built at the same time and in the same way as every other member of the Co operative. EnthusiasticDude will pay back the debt created by this contract over a period of time.
The Co operative spends the remaining $100 000 from the CCU issued to WealthyNiceGuy to build the basic shell of the house. Enthusiastic Dude will pay for interior finishings himself in his own time.
The rate of interest for payment of the share price and for the contract with the Co operative to build a house will be the same rate of interest as the CCU that was issued. Therefore, over the years, whenever EnthusiasticDude makes a payment to the Co operative, the Co operative then pays that money to WealthyNiceGuy.
The Bottom Line
If EnthusiasticDude is unable to pay back to the Co operative the money he owes, he can apply to have the debt cancelled. If this occurs, then the Co operative will sell his share to someone else. This new person will continue the payments.
If no person can purchase the shares, and the Co operative cannot make payments to WealthyNiceGuy then both parties can agree to invoke the Right to Land procedure. This involves the owner of the CCU being given the right to use that piece of land for establishing an organic fruit orchard, or any other purpose that is in line with the principles of Santosha.
After 20 years, if repayment still has not been made in full, then WealthyNiceGuy can invoke the Right to Land Procedure independent of the Co operatives agreement. The Right to Land can be sold or transferred to another party, even back to the Co operative at a later date.
A Win-Win-Win situation
After I have finished writing up the Co operative rules, my next job will be to go about raising capital for the Co operative by finding conscious investors for these CCU's. I don't believe commerce has to be done at the 'expense' of someone else. True commerce should be a situation that is Win-Win, where both parties benefit. In our arrangement, there are lots of benefits for both parties, as well as for the Co operative as a whole.
Benefits for the CCU Holder - WealthyNiceGuy
Monetary Gain - The Holder of a CCU has made an investment that yields interest, giving a clear financial benefit.
An Investment in Land - As the world begins to realise the importance of food, rural property rather than urban property, will be increasing in value. The bottom line behind the investment is that if the money is not repaid, the CCU holder takes the Right to Land. This land will be surrounded by conscious individuals growing high quality produce. Over the years, the value of that land will increase significantly.
Benefits for the Co operative Member - EnthusiasticDude
Time - Unless you have put aside savings for many years, many people won't have the necessary funds to pay for a domain and a house straight away. This arrangement allows for someone to enjoy the benefits of the land immediately, plant trees in the ground and then pay off their debt over a number of years.
No More Rent - Many people spend thousands every year on rent, which allows short term living arrangements but gives nothing for the future. In this arrangement, any money spent paying off the debt is paying for land and a house that will be a domain passed on to your descendants for generations!
Benefits for the Co operative
Buy the Land Sooner - While we are very blessed to know that the property that we want to buy is still on the market, there is no guarantee that the property will be available indefinitely. By raising capital by issuing CCU's we can purchase the land before we have all 28 families with the available finances necessary.
Flexibility in Attracting Kin - Owning the Land and developing it with housing quickly allows families who are interested in joining Santosha the opportunity of seeing a community already up and running before making their decision.
We have decided that we won't buy the land until we have at least 14 families ready to settle there straight away, even if we have raised the money in other ways. These families will be in the first round of building. The second round of building will be in five years time. Over that five years, more and more people will be joining the Santosha Domain Community until all 28 domains have owners!It is worth noting, however, that the price of shares will be increasing slightly each year. This is to repay the interest on the CCU that was issued to purchase the land. The share price will still be relatively cheap, considering that the money is going towards a piece of land in beautiful Margaret River that will be surrounded by conscious individuals and families, each engaged in the sacred task of co creation.
However, for those who see the writing on the wall, who feel Anastasia's dream in their soul and know that small scale sustainable agriculture is the way of the future, we highly recommend that you start making it happen now! If you know that you want to live in a domain community eventually, you will save yourself some money by acting sooner rather than later. Contact Emily or I and organise a dialogue, we would love to talk with you :)Dreams of the Future
Santosha has not been all work and no play. As well as working out the legal requirements for the community, there has also been lots of time for dreaming, chatting, laughing and gardening.
While our process of dialogues continues, it seems as though every second person interested in Santosha is a Raw Food Chef or a Naturopath of some sort! Not that I am complaining. Having all these talented people as neighbours is definitely a good thing :)
In my daydreams, I see my domain in ever increasing clarity. I feel that being specific in my intent is one of the forces responsible for the incredible synchronicities that have helped us along. I recommend to everyone interested in creating a space of love to take the time to try and feel what it will be like to live on your domain.
My Own Daydreams
With the work I have been doing, Santosha is on my mind constantly. Perhaps this constant awareness of the future that we are creating is responsible for the many ideas that I have been having hahahaa :D
The Cape to Cape Walk
There is a walking trail that runs for 135 km along the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge between the lighthouses of Cape Naturalist and Cape Leeuwin. For the most part, the track follows the coast, along beaches and cliffs. There are also some inland sections, where the trail goes through the tall trees of Boranup Karri forest. Seeing as this part of the globe is soon to become our backyard, it struck me as a good idea for all Santosha residents to walk the trail together!
The Bibbulmun Track
The Bibbulmun track is almost 1000km long and runs from Kalamunda all the way to Albany. People who know me know that I love hiking in the South West. The Bibbulmun track has taken me to some of the most exquisite places I have ever been to.
At Santosha, we will be showing the world that you can take an empty field and turn it into a lush oasis of gardens. Having said that, there is an extraordinary energy in the old growth forests of the South West. The beautiful forests of the South West that have been untouched by Man should be preserved. As well as planting our own trees, I thought it might be nice in the future if the Santosha community helped preserve some of these ancient forests.The Bibbulmun Track foundation allows for individuals or groups of individuals to 'care' for a particular section of the track. This involves routine checks of the condition of the track, moving any small obstructions, reporting to DEC any major obstructions or problems with the campsites etc. It would be a wonderful way for Santosha to give back to the community and continue the incredible work of Bibbulmun Track Volunteers who help ensure that people can enjoy the beauty of the South West with minimal environmental impact.
Olive Trees
Can you recall the story in Book 8.2 Rites of Love when the whole community gathers together to cut hay for the community reserves. This is where Radomir and Liubomilia first meet. I just love the idea of everyone joining together, working for a common task and having lots of fun in the process!
My Latest Expedition
In early February some friends and I headed to Balingup for a relaxing weekend. While we were in the area, we took the opportunity to head to one of my favourite places on the Planet - The Golden Valley Tree Park (for more information see previous blogpost 'Gardens of Inspiration').
So my friends and I found some particularly large oak trees in Balingup and set about digging up some of the baby oaks to put into pots. At first, we were unsure about how successful this transplanting would be, but I am delighted to report that it has been a tremendous success!
I have brought my little oaklings home, given them LOTS of love and LOTS of worm juice and they have sprouted green shoots and brand new leaves! Oaks can live for 600 or 700 years. They are some of the most glorious living beings on the planet, full of wisdom and beauty. When Emily and plant these Oaks on our domain, we will be planting trees that will loved my countless generations of our descendants :)As a reminder, Autumn is almost upon us, which is the greatest time to start gathering up the seeds of trees and putting them into pots. I have my eye on Jacarandas, Gold Shower Trees and Elms. Even though we may not be living on our domains yet, we can still plant trees that will eventually go on our domains. Yay!!
The Balingup Small Sustainable Farm
Just before heading to Balingup, I made a phone call to the Balingup Small Sustainable Farm to see if we could come and have a look at their set up. I have been following Gavin and Lisa via their blog and I am constantly inspired by their commitment to 'walk their talk' and live sustainably.
We were shown Lisa's medicinal garden, their chooks, their vegetable gardens, the solar cooker, the space where they plan to grow wheat and their numerous fruit trees. At one point I inadvertently complimented to taste of a yellow plum. Next thing we know, we are helping with the harvest and heading home with two large boxes of them!!!!
I highly highly recommend that everyone head down to Balingup some time this year and see what Gavin and Lisa have managed to create. It is a very special place of extraordinary beauty. They hold workshops and open days during the year. You can follow them at their blog here: http://balingupssf.blogspot.com.au/
note: as I was searching the internet to find the link to their blog, I saw that they had plugged thr Santosha Community on their blog. Much love guys!!
Black Wattle and Chinese Pauwlonia
Some of the best news that we discovered on our expedition south was about two trees in particular. The Black Wattle and the Chinese Pauwlonia.
The Black Wattle
The Black Wattle is an Eastern States native that grows VERY FAST. When we asked Gavin and Lisa how old some of the Wattle trees were on their property, we expected them so say 7 or 10 years. Some were only three years old!
These were big trees already, providing lots of shade for the property and for us. In my opinion they are also the most attractive wattle species. They shimmer delicately in the sun and their leaves have a very deep green.They are highly valued for firewood. The wood burns well and the tree grows fast. I immediately placed an order to the universe for lots of these on my domain so that we have lots of wood to keep us warm through the winter!
The Chinese Pauwlonia
I had never heard of this tree before my recent expedition south. When we first arrived in Balingup, spotted one of these trees and asked my friend David if he knew what it was?
The Chinese Pauwlonia is the fastest growing tree in the world!! This is good news for people wanting to set up a domain and are keen to have nice big trees growing on their property soon! It is sometimes called the Princess Tree and in Spring it has beautiful purple flowers. Commercially it is grown for timber, due to the incredible speed with which it grows. This makes it an ideal tree to plant while waiting for other trees to grow large, at which point they can be felled for timber.
The trees at the Balingup Small Sustainable Farm were very large and very beautiful. I am a total convert to this tree and want to plant lots of them! As synchronicity would have it, while driving through Nannup I was telling my friend Brendan about this newly discovered tree, I saw one across the road. We parked the car and walked over to the tree, to find that there was a sign wrapped around that told of the many positive attributes of the tree. Friend of birdlife, grows many climates, many soil types etc.
Could the Universe speak any clearer? And yes, I did gather up a number of seeds for later planting!
A Visit to the Property
While I was in the area, I couldn't resist taking the opportunity to have a look at the property and see how it was in Summer. Personally, I am a winter person. I like cool weather, flowing streams and green pastures. Therefore I had low expectations for how the property would look in all this heat. There hadn't been a drop of rain in the area for over a month!I was, however, pleasantly surprised! In the lower areas, close to the stream there is still green grass! While the stream was not the torrential river that it had been in winter and spring, there was still water flowing. This really impressed me, because later that day we went walking on the Bibbulmun Track along the Donelly river which had all dried up. If our little stream has water flowing, even what a giant river like the Donelly has dried up, I feel I have no right to complain hehehe :P
There was also a nice breeze blowing which keeps the temperature down, one of the benefits of a coastal property. It was still hot, but the ground underneath was dry and solid, unlike the mud that you sometimes get in winter. With lots of trees planted across the property, the shade will take an additional edge off. If I can minimise the effect of the heat in summer, then I can free my mind to focus on the number of tomatoes that can be grown!
Until We Next Meet
Well I think that wraps up all that has been going on in Santosha for the last few months. I sincerely hope that when this blog is next updated, I can report that we have completed all of the legal structure and are now taking deposits for the Co operative. It is coming very soon, I can feel it!
Then my next step is to put on a suit and tie, and raise some capital for us. On that note, if you know anyone who might be interested in the conscious investment opportunities we are offering, please pass on our details to them. Also if you know anyone who has read the Ringing Cedars Series and is keen to create a Space of Love in a Domain Community, pass on our details.Remember that placing a deposit (when the time comes) is linked to the order that domain locations will be chosen and that in order to place a deposit, you need to have a dialogue with Emily and I. Don't be frightened, they are heaps of fun!
To receive updates from this blog, be sure to enter your email address in the sidebar of the blog. This will automatically alert you when there is a new blog post. We appreciate all of the love and support of our friends and of the wider community for this project. Your positive thoughts mean a lot to us. Thankyou.
My sincere love to you all. May you follow your dreams x
''In the whole of the Universe there is no being capable of more powerful development and greater freedom than Man. All other civilisations bow before Man. All sorts of civilisations have the capability of developing and bringing themselves to perfection, but only in one direction, and they are not free. The greatness of Man is beyond even their grasp. God - the Great Mind - created Man and to no one else gave He more than to Man.''- Anastasia (book 1)
