The Vision
We all feel enormously fortunate to be shaping Khula Dhamma into an environment that is primarily designed as a haven for spiritual exploration and is enhanced by a profound reverence for all of Creation. We integrate simple, natural and creative living into a sensitive and supportive environment for a diverse, yet attuned community.
The community will be a village style set-up with each family, couple or individual enjoying their own private space, but all contributing to the “greater whole”. Without sacrifice or compromise we are naturally able to combine the greater good of the community with our own, understanding that they are ultimately one and the same.
Much care is directed towards “our” children’s growth, with spaces and activities designed for play, creativity and learning. Children here could pass almost as much time with any given community member as with their own parents. A “school” -more like a children's community- will be co-created by young and old. Through fully honouring this most precious time of innocence and exploration we aim to create a space that offers a wide variety of games and tools for learning.
As we do with all the useful information we gather (and there is a vast amount available these days!), we chose and select what we resonate with most. This applies to our spiritual growth, our farming/gardening practices, to our technology, and most importantly to how the younger ones are guided through their learning. Montessori, Waldorf, Unschooling etc. all have wonderful qualities and attributes; those, combined with intuitive and noninvasive guidance, can help the exceptional beings that are incarnating at this time to flourish naturally.
Practical skills learning would often happen through example; by imitating and assimilating the life skills of the elders, who gladly find opportunities to pass on practical knowledge and skills to the youngsters.
We hope, with the support of new members and the latest innovations in natural farming and appropriate technology, to become completely self-sufficient (although growing, spinning, weaving and sewing cloth might be a while off). Communal projects will involve growing fruits, vegetables and grains, and producing honey, oils, bread, jams, pottery etc. -beyond our own needs, to trade at the market.
Apparently our isolated position beckons that we attract our livelihood to be gained here, at Khula Dhamma. What a joy- to work within the natural and peaceful space of our community, while giving service towards the greater good. This is now coming to fruition through the HOPE project!
Through our HOPE initiative we will build a Learning, Healing and Resource Centre to host spiritual retreats, workshops and training courses ranging from vision quests to whole food preparation, from djembe-making to yoga and dance retreats- basically all activities that we engage in as a celebration of the life we choose to live that others may wish to experience and learn.
We also intend to host culturally uplifting gatherings and conferences as well as musical, dance or theatrical performances.
We hope to be working together with a local network of kindred spirits to share our knowledge and experience with receptive local communities, initiating environmentally friendly and self-reliant co-operatives. This is also coming into form through our "Circle of Awakening" program.
We would also like to link ourselves to an international web of like-minded communities with educational and cultural exchange programs.
There will be a communal meditation space where residents and visitors alike can go to sit in silence… Furthermore we will construct a retreat area specifically to accommodate longer periods of secluded self-observation. The retreat will consist of about five huts on the other side of the farm. There will also be a meditation lapa, a yoga space and an ablution block. We understand that those who are meditating so diligently nearby are also contributing enormously towards the harmony of the community.
Although some rays of our vision are starting to shimmer, many will take time and the loving, energetic dedication of many more members to manifest. In all humility we hold no attachment to our dreams. Indeed we honour the journey itself as the goal- and what a blessed, fun-filled learning experience it is! We do, however, understand that these aspirations are also cages for a higher vision that lie beyond the bounds of our present imagination. “Khula” means “to grow” in the local Xhosa language, and as the community grows so will the vision.
