Creating a World That Works for All: One Community at a Time
Notes and Reflections about Asheville Communities Network's First Community Summer Tour of 2009
Notes and reflections about the ACN's First Community Summer Tour of 2009
Asheville Communities Network Meeting
July 12, 2009; 4-6pm
Location: Prama Institute, Marshall, NC
Facilitators: Dan Watson and Mary Silva
What an exciting adventure, taking our first ACN summer tour! After a long and lovely, winding road, 15 of us Asheville Communities Networkers, finally arrived at Prama Institute, in Marshall, NC.
We met at our usual meeting time (4 pm) only this time, following the community presentation, on site at the Prama Dining Hall, we were able to walk the land and see the community first hand. It was such a treat to experience the flavor of being in the energy of the community and the feel the enthusiasm of Prama Founder, Sid Jordan and Marketing Director, Ramesh Bjonnes.
They were both informative and entertaining, sharing their stories of the beginnings and ongoing development of this large undertaking…. including the amusing tales of their new neighbors, some young Warren Wilson students who have just purchased 10 acres of adjoining Prama property to start their own small farm production of dairy and eggs.
Following the presentation and review of the land maps, we had a tour of their main facility. This 6,000 sq/ft., double-dome (plus) meeting facility was quite impressive! The three story building serves at a meeting, retreat and workshop space, with several room sizes – the largest seating 150 people. It also has lodging facilities for Ananda Marga members as well as guests, volunteers and workshop attendees. Their main dining hall has a fully equipped commercial kitchen with a specially built stove which allows them to cook huge meals on the largest wok any of us had ever seen! Sid says, when you have to cook vegetables for over 100 people it comes in handy!
It was quite a moment to be in awareness while standing on the deck of the domes, looking at the beautiful scenery of the lush wooded mountains surrounding the community.
The tour of the land allowed us to see first hand the buildings already in place and envision the future plans for the next stages of their intentional community. Although the projected plans for the residential part of the community are not slated to begin until 2011-12, the planning group for this project is already dialoging with Sid on community designs, guidelines, procedures and land use. We also viewed the site of the future Healing Center planned by a group of women from the Ananda Marga organization that are a part of Prama.
At the end of our tour, we were treated with a visit by an international entourage of Ananda Marga members. We were suddenly surrounded with beautiful people from Africa, Mexico, Belgium Norway, Jamaica and a couple other countries! It was brought to our awareness that only 4 of the 10 people left in the circle were actually Americans. I couldn't help but wonder what kind of delectable international potlucks this community has with this diverse international mix! Yum! There was such a exhilarating feeling of community networking in action on a global scale, knowing that there is an ongoing exchange of international travelers to this special place. We were having such a delightful time, it was difficult to leave this idyllic setting ….but alas… we could tell our hosts were anxious to get back to their busy schedules.
As we left, we took the Prama energy with us and let it us inspire us about all the community developments happening in the WNC, ….now… and in the future, ….here, ….and around the world!
Don't miss our next ACN Tour to Hickory Nut Forest on August 9th!
__._,
Asheville Communities Network Meeting
July 12, 2009; 4-6pm
Location: Prama Institute, Marshall, NC
Facilitators: Dan Watson and Mary Silva
What an exciting adventure, taking our first ACN summer tour! After a long and lovely, winding road, 15 of us Asheville Communities Networkers, finally arrived at Prama Institute, in Marshall, NC.
We met at our usual meeting time (4 pm) only this time, following the community presentation, on site at the Prama Dining Hall, we were able to walk the land and see the community first hand. It was such a treat to experience the flavor of being in the energy of the community and the feel the enthusiasm of Prama Founder, Sid Jordan and Marketing Director, Ramesh Bjonnes.
They were both informative and entertaining, sharing their stories of the beginnings and ongoing development of this large undertaking…. including the amusing tales of their new neighbors, some young Warren Wilson students who have just purchased 10 acres of adjoining Prama property to start their own small farm production of dairy and eggs.
Following the presentation and review of the land maps, we had a tour of their main facility. This 6,000 sq/ft., double-dome (plus) meeting facility was quite impressive! The three story building serves at a meeting, retreat and workshop space, with several room sizes – the largest seating 150 people. It also has lodging facilities for Ananda Marga members as well as guests, volunteers and workshop attendees. Their main dining hall has a fully equipped commercial kitchen with a specially built stove which allows them to cook huge meals on the largest wok any of us had ever seen! Sid says, when you have to cook vegetables for over 100 people it comes in handy!
It was quite a moment to be in awareness while standing on the deck of the domes, looking at the beautiful scenery of the lush wooded mountains surrounding the community.
The tour of the land allowed us to see first hand the buildings already in place and envision the future plans for the next stages of their intentional community. Although the projected plans for the residential part of the community are not slated to begin until 2011-12, the planning group for this project is already dialoging with Sid on community designs, guidelines, procedures and land use. We also viewed the site of the future Healing Center planned by a group of women from the Ananda Marga organization that are a part of Prama.
At the end of our tour, we were treated with a visit by an international entourage of Ananda Marga members. We were suddenly surrounded with beautiful people from Africa, Mexico, Belgium Norway, Jamaica and a couple other countries! It was brought to our awareness that only 4 of the 10 people left in the circle were actually Americans. I couldn't help but wonder what kind of delectable international potlucks this community has with this diverse international mix! Yum! There was such a exhilarating feeling of community networking in action on a global scale, knowing that there is an ongoing exchange of international travelers to this special place. We were having such a delightful time, it was difficult to leave this idyllic setting ….but alas… we could tell our hosts were anxious to get back to their busy schedules.
As we left, we took the Prama energy with us and let it us inspire us about all the community developments happening in the WNC, ….now… and in the future, ….here, ….and around the world!
Don't miss our next ACN Tour to Hickory Nut Forest on August 9th!
__._,
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