Our world has become strange. Times are chaotic and confusing. But this is our world, and it belongs to us.
I envision a world where people and animals have a place to go and be safe. A place where they can discover themselves, learn the skills they need to create the life they want, and a place they can return to whenever they need support.
I feel that the society we live in does not provide the resources and education that we need to live successfully. I am not criticizing the schools, because I am not sure that these things, these life skills, are their responsibility to teach. But it would also be foolish for me to run around, pointing fingers, and demanding that someone else take responsibility for it.
So *I* am going to step forward and take up this mantle. I will create a place where we can learn these essential life skills – skills ranging from working with the land and growing our own food to creating a resume, balancing your metaphorical checkbook, and making sure you eat a balanced diet. I will teach people how to be part of a community and how to find resources that they need. I will teach people about beauty in the world through nature and art.
Of course, I am not going to really be able to do this all my own. I will also be looking for people to help me. CrowSong Lodge is a very big dream that I am confident I will never complete. But I am hoping to start something wonderful, that will be an asset to our global community, and that I can leave behind to other people with a similar vision.
And the first place I’m starting is right here, on the internet. I have started planning the first of CrowSong’s online courses. I invite you to stick around, learn some things, contribute something if you like – or just rest yourself and take the time to heal.
Welcome to CrowSong Lodge! I hope you stay a very long time.
(March 2014)
So, back in 2014 and a lot of years after that, I was really envisioning CrowSong Lodge as something that looked like a community center, or maybe a small college. Lots of classrooms and public rooms like a cafeteria and studios, workout rooms, maybe some hot tubs and a pool, too, that’d be great. But my new vision for CrowSong Lodge has grown bigger because dammit, we need a whole lot more than we used to. People don’t just need a place to GO, they need a place to LIVE. And in the years in between now and 2014, I’ve spoken to counties and city people and the resistance I’ve run into in getting permits and permission to set up community services for no funding on their part – willing to pay for inspections and permitting and everything all on my own, is WILD. I’ve worked in non-profits before, so it’s not like I’m not used to hoop jumping. Anyways, blahblahblah, rambleramble.
Now I’m thinking CrowSong Lodge needs to be much bigger. If I can’t create a community center in a community, not even in California, then I need to build my own. See, I won’t take no for an answer, I’m just going to think even bigger. And housing is a real issue. So – we’re going to need housing, maybe some single families, some tiny homes, maybe some dorm-style situations and some multi family residences and some public facilities with kitchens, bathhouses, gyms, workcenters and the like. We can include RV parking for nomads and yurts because why the hell not. Classrooms and studios – art studios, dance studios, theaters. Rehearsal spaces and performance spaces. Parks. Recreation spaces and work spaces – we’ll go all out. We’ll go full on urban planning, but also include things like community gardening/farming, with sustainable living built in. Folks can teach and learn about the land, share knowledge and wisdom, take care of each other, and be a real community. No cult though.
(April 2024)
