Mandala City -- An Ecovillage Revolution

To Mandala! The City of the Rainbow People, the City of Love!

 

All races, I call you. All peoples, I call you. All communes, I call you. All men, women, children, and individuals, I call you.

All beings of Love, I summon you!

For yes, it is I! The Rainbow Oracle you have all but forgotten!

But we are HERE, in the NOW, and so you must REMEMBER, yes?

Remember of the Song we all sang, the Prophecy we all sought?

Behold, MANDALA!

 

This great city of Mandala is here to express all aspects of Human effort and achievement,

and we join TOGETHER,

in our most sincere desire that there shall be PEACE on Earth,

and harmony amongst ALL PEOPLE.

Let us too harmonize in JOY,

with the rocks, rain, water, wind, soil and sky,

with the other mammals, birds, fish, insects, and critters,

so too all the Wonders of this World!

Praise, MANDALA!

 

--The Rainbow Oracle

 

 

We, The People’s Project, wish to make Rainbow’s original vision an actuality; we are helping lay the foundation to collectively build a network of off-grid ecovillages on shared land to fulfill the essence of the original Rainbow Gathering’s vision of a Mandala City.

 

Our world is suffering – from rising sea levels, to increasing levels of drought, to mass extinction of species, to the rising economic inflation and the resulting oppression and displacement of people. We intend to provide an alternative to a failing system, and give an opportunity for those willing to actualize it. We want to progress with a humble recognition of the wisdom of ancient earth stewards, seeking guidance from the peaceful cultures that the modern world has eroded. We envision a healthy and sustainable world where humans live in harmony with each other and our environments. We believe we can achieve this as a collective by providing spaces for people to live sustainably, learn invaluable skills, freely exchange ideas, host workshops and other events, connect to like-minded friends and allies, and collaborate on meaningful projects that will provide for those in the generations to come.

 

 

While the original vision of Mandala City was intended as 3000 acres on a single plot of land, we wish to establish a network of lands that exist as one family, sharing resources and supporting each other, all across the country. The Peoples Project has successfully acquired two parcels of land (an acre in Florida and 16 acres in Tennessee) that already exist as part of this network. Our next goal is to start working together to purchase 100-300 acres of shared land in the Ozarks to continue building upon this vision. After that, we will continue collectivizing and raising funds to acquire more land, each strengthening the existence of the other through mutual aid. The lands will be held under the vision of a healthy, harmonious space – a living example of peace upon the earth.

 

We are in the process of building a land trust non-profit that will do exactly this: hold the land as shared space under the values of equality, autonomy, peaceful cooperation, and sustainable earth stewardship. There will never be monetary requirements to exist on the land. It will exist as the earth once was and should be - free and shared amongst all creatures - but it will be protected as a peaceful, safe space under those four values and the culture we hold as a collective.

 

The legal trust is shaped to allow true sovereignty of people and to help people feel empowered to treat the land as their own, collectively. We want to transcend the paradigm that has been carried out on privately owned land where some have the individual power to control the lifestyle of the land, or some have the individual responsibility to protect the land; everyone and anyone on the land should be both empowered and responsible. By creating a trust, these spaces will ensure exactly that; the land will be stewarded and the culture we will all co-create.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Treaty of Mandala

 

1. Egalitarian Culture Creation

The City of Mandala wishes for all of its inhabitants to be able to equally participate in the formation of the community they are a part of. Those who choose to be present and steward the land could, and are encouraged, to decide as a collective through consensus the direction for each space, with no predisposed hierarchy in the way of change or transformation. In other words: these communities which wave the flag of Mandala consist of free land for free people, governed by a consensus-based decision-making process.

 

2. Sustainable and Regenerative Earth Stewardship

Permaculture. Sustainability. Restoration. These are the core tenets of Mandala’s relationship to Mother Earth, for it is through Her that our own lives, the lives of our children, and the lives of our loved ones is dependent; our Love should manifest itself into the Land and all that the Earth offers (including animals, streams, soil, and minerals), and that Love will naturally come back. You get what you give, after all!

 

3. A Living Resistance

Our stance is that of the Fighters of Freedom before us, whether that be those of the Civil Rights era, or those who fought for Women’s suffrage, or the innumerable indigenous heroes who defended themselves against colonization. As such, we oppose all forms of oppression, tyranny, and greed. Because of this, the cultures that form in the name of Mandala have to be understood as a way of engendering genuine freedom and liberation, for both the people of Today and the people of Tomorrow; we are setting a precedent of a better world, and a better us, and that needs to be considered when co-creating this the culture of Mandala.

 

4. Mutual Aid Network and Traveler Rest Stops

Let each and every village of Mandala support one another by realizing our mutual dependence and value, and honoring all that we can give! Our network of communities can support the nomadic community by creating spaces for people to rest and refill on their travels, so they can roam the Earth with minimal use of money, or simply get from point A to point B safely and healthily. This can double as a base for various types of activists and their important work, and all of it will allow travelers further independence from the capitalist framework.

 

5. Diversity and Inclusion

Come together, and let our variety be our strength, for it is division which weakens us! Some communities may want to develop specific focuses that offer a unique value to the whole family, just as different camps offer a variety of things to the Rainbow. Maybe there are lands extra focused on elder care, maybe some that produce an abundance of natural medicines, some that raise livestock, some that eat vegan, some which are art focused while others a hotbed for activist work, and some a combination of them all. Each and every color of the Rainbow could be supported and work together. Just as with all matters of Health, whether that be of the Land or of our bodies, a great diversity is always the pathway to balance and wholeness.

 

 

The People’s Project is a global initiative that facilitates grass-roots organization on a local level, networking and creating shared spaces that serve to strengthen humanity. In these egalitarian off-grid ecovillages, people of diverse backgrounds and beliefs can come together, for matters of work and play, in an environment of equality and inspiration. By living close to and interacting with the most basic but profound of our needs such as food, water, shelter, heat, companionship, and common-cause; we share in what it means to be human. We become more confident in ourselves and our abilities, so too do we cultivate greater respect for and from our peers, empowering the individual and the collective to access more of its potential. We live with the knowledge that what is good for oneself will be good for everyone and that what is needed for the planet is needed from us.

 

Reach out if you’d like to learn more about how the legal trust will be set up. This is a collaborative project, and you are invited to be as involved as you wish to help fulfill this vision!