Everyone’s journey to finding community looks different; some start their search early, suspecting from a young age that something isn’t quite right with society and the ways of living we’ve been thrust into. Others may lead a full and varied life before realizing that any alternatives exist; checking all the boxes society expects of them, only to discover that many of these metrics bear only a tenuous relation to true happiness. Most of us fall somewhere in between.
If you’ve found a happy life, filled with connection and meaning, while existing within the prevailing framework, I am sincerely happy for you. For many though, even those who have found “success” within the system, there remains a certain disconnect, a sense that something fundamental is missing from our modern way of life. But what is it? Well, whole books could be written (and have) about this, but a few things come to mind:
- A deep sense of belonging to a community, tribe, or family.
- A life connected to the natural world and the changing seasons.
- The ability to access land and interact with it in creative, sustainable, and nourishing ways. Maintaining this connection across generations.
- A sense that the principal pursuits of our lives are contributing to a greater good, however defined.
- The knowledge that we are restoring, not degrading, the foundation upon which all life, including our own, relies upon.
Bringing these elements back into our world will be the work of generations. Though a monumental task, it’s already begun; particularly in ecovillages and intentional communities (In indigenous communities, this work has never stopped). My home of six years, Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, is one such place.
“Life feels different [at Dancing Rabbit]. There is a connection to the natural world and other people that is rarely present elsewhere.” –Randall Lux, visitor, 2023
Everyone deserves the chance to experience, and remember, that life can be different. Unfortunately, this remains notoriously inaccessible to a majority of people. Either folks aren’t aware that any alternatives exist, or they have fears, judgements, entanglements, or hardships that prevent them from taking the leap.
“My biggest fear was that it would be a bubble of people escaping the world. Instead, it’s people committing to being part of the world in the most active way possible.”
–Juji, visitor, 2021
Our mission is to bring the experience and skills of sustainable community living to all who seek it, while meeting people where they are. To do this, we welcome 100-200 people every year to experience and learn from our community through a variety of educational programs. In order to make these as accessible as possible we offer a sliding scale, a free work exchange program, and scholarships for all programs. Our goal is to try to never deny anyone because of money. This is only possible because of the generosity of those in our network.
Hence the reason why I am reaching out today: Thursday, May 7, is Give STL, a regional fundraiser to support changemakers around St. Louis and Missouri. This year 100% of donations will go towards our sliding scale and scholarship fund. Our goal is to raise $5,000. The first $2,000 will be fully matched!*
Ways to get involved:
- Donate now and meaningfully reduce financial barriers to learning about regenerative living.
- Mark your calendar for May 7, and donate on the big day!
- Forward this email to friends and family and encourage them to donate as well.
*Thanks to our longtime friends, Ed Pultz and Wendy Soderland. We’re searching for more matching donations!
“…you will be hard-pressed to find a group of people so openly and honestly dedicated to pursuing creative ecologically sustainable living options AND emotionally sustainable processes of living in community together. The [visitor] program is well-structured and will give you a good idea of what is involved in Dancing Rabbit–how it works, who lives here, and some of its shortcomings. Plus, it’s hella fun!”
–River Abel, visitor, 2021
In community,
Eric Mease
Villager // Land Steward // Development Lead