Living on a farm sounds like an old-fashioned lifestyle for many people. For others, it could be a rewarding and life-changing experience. Having a deeper connection with the Earth by understanding some of its biological processes, from a plant, fungi, animal and human perspective, is certainly one of the deepest ways to experience an expanded life. This is particularly special now that we live in a fast, electronic device-connected society, in which most people don’t really know where their food comes from, the languages of nature, or even how to relate with another human being in a nourishing way.
In this article, we’re going to analyze some pros and cons of relationships while living in an intentional community and forming part of a permaculture project.
To begin with, those who really love to establish a committed and strong relationship with nature will find their place living on a permaculture farm. It is a commitment to have an ecological approach to the way you want to create your life. For many, waking up with the sunlight, listening to the birds during the day, and hearing the night wildlife before going to bed is a more peaceful rhythm than the city soundscape.
The experience is even better if you find like-minded people with whom you can co-create a life project, such as an intentional farm community. It helps to find compatible people that share similar or complementary life goals and purposes, healthy habits, and ways to have fun! That is why there are so many people who choose to live this way. There is magic in knowing that there’s a team in which you can find and give support.
Another interesting facet that could arise from this lifestyle and be integrated in the project is ecotourism. This would include having daily tours, and a volunteer, apprenticeship or retreat program. Ecotourism adds constant freshness to the human environment, which can be beautiful and challenging at the same time. On one side, you’ll need patience to be repeating the same information about your home and work, showing your best face even though you could be having a hard day. On the other side, you’re are constantly getting to know new and different life perspectives, and integrating other kinds of meaningful relationships.
On the other hand, it is most likely that your closest relationships will be with just a few people, the ones that you see every day. They would be the ones with whom you live, work and make decisions most often. Conflict resolution could be a great challenge in this dynamic. If conflicts are not resolved, you´ll be dealing with them every day during work and free time. Living in community also implies a great inner journey of self-discovery, understanding our deepest shadows, and personal and generational traumas, which could all affect our interpersonal relationships. It’s a constant path of self-discovery, compassion and love.
In order to flow with the waves of relationships, it is highly recommended to have conflict resolution strategies present within the culture of the community. Non-violent communication is a great tool to learn a way to connect with oneself, and as a result, foster better connection with others.
Having a wellness activity on a constant basis (daily, weekly or at least monthly) also helps create stronger bonds. It’s like taking care of plants, if you water them and nourish them with good compost, they have more chances of improving their development, and thus, the whole ecosystem.
We also can´t ignore the recent change in human interaction dynamics due the pandemic, which has taught people to be distant from each other. Therefore, contemporarily creating a community lifestyle is a way to go back to our roots. In new terms, it is a way of slow socialization –opposite to fast dating apps and social media disposable relationships.
In conclusion, relationships are generally challenging, however, in a supportive and intentional farm community it can be a beautiful experience. It is key for every single person living in a community to be somehow in their own inner healing process, through a spiritual practice, therapy, or wellbeing practice. That’s just as important as having at least a basic notion of “why am I doing this?¨ Each person’s own purpose or mission, related to the collective ones, creates the power of community.
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