My friend is hosting a 2-hour gathering tomorrow night, and 10 of us have been asked to share 2-minute responses to the following 3 prompts. Here are mine:

(1) My dreams and desires for community: I would like my house to serve as a retreat center for visionary artists. I imagine finding a house manager who collaborates in creating and holding the powerful field of this physical space for this project. With each retreat, there is a public offering that includes a short speech or presentation about their retreat experience. For example, a poet might read a new or newly edited work, or a small group may rehearse the scene of a play. Surely there will be groups and individual musicians who rehearse and give a show. Over time, the cycle of successful performances helps spread both the messages of the artists, and the reputation of the house so that the invitation stretches far and wide for creatives from around the world come to book a retreat at the Music Box Retreat Center.

I would like to also host as often as weekly or monthly open mics or piano karaoke nights in the living room. I would love to come to Phoenix’s for a weekly potluck, or have one at my place. I would love for the kids to ride their bikes over and take music lessons and spend some time with my animals.

(2) My needs / desires that could be met with community resources: I am looking for help with maintaining/managing the energy of the house at the high level that a “retreat center” deserves. This could look like part-time work for someone to come on an occasional or regular basis. This also could look like a housemate who would be interested in reduced or free rent in exchange for house stewardship.

I would love to have a list of possible house sitters to watch the animals and enjoy the space of the house when I plan for travel.

(3) The gifts and resources I wish to contribute in community: I would like to share my home space as a center for creative expression, engaging conversation, and mindful retreat. I would like to play the piano and sing for guests, and I would like to connect audiences with performers for living room and backyard shows. I would like to teach music lessons, and have people over to sing at the piano. I want you to know you can come for an overnight visit, and we can make it into a personal retreat for you.

I am also offering a weekly online meeting for spiritual entrepreneurs on Thursday mornings called the Skill Share Collective. You can read more about that in the previous post: https://waterbirdmedicine.com/2024/01/22/skill-share-collective-part-2/

You are invited! I am hosting a weekly check-in/accountability group for budding entrepreneurs. It’s okay if you haven’t used that word: “entrepreneur”. I mean human beings using their spiritual gifts as the source of their livelihood. Yes, this is a big deal. I have thought that “it isn’t ethical or ‘spiritual’ to receive payment or to exchange money for an act of loving service”. That “a righteous devotee would trust the lord completely and leave money alone”. And maybe that is possible, to live totally in the gift economy, so if that is your goal, you are welcome. But especially for those people who want to talk about how we relate to money and business, this group is for you.

During each Zoom meeting, each person gets a chance to share with the group updates about their business or creative projects, and ask for suggestions or feedback if desired. I’ll help manage the time time and keep the attention focused so that each person gets a chance to be on the hot seat. It is okay to come late or leave early, but it is appreciated if you can be on time to help set the container together, especially if it is your first time.

Recently, I led a weekly group on Charles Eisenstein’s online community, the Sanity Project, that focused on Mind-Body Connection. In some way, this is a kind of continuity of that. Step 1, focus on the basics of embodiment, step 2, focus on a devotional aspect of how you choose to offer your loving service to the world. What is the loving service I want to provide that I am willing to bill for, so that I can have my livelihood in service of the good?

Until I am able to step into this kind of spiritual entrepreneurism, I continue work under the system of control. I am having a wake up call, and it is hard to give up my salary when I don’t have any alternative source of livelihood. I am paid in US dollars by a medical clinic for providing my services according to their rules and their values. And I need those dollars to pay my living expenses as well as payments on my huge educational debt. Not to mention that I have sacrificed so much time and money to earn that big time degree, the MD.

Well, the reality is that I want to use my heart-center skills in service of humanity, and I do that by running a successful spirit-led business. It creates the opportunity to end my employment with the system. I will be able to earn money directly from my customers. I am becoming a successful businessman. And you get to come along and do it too. I am not charging any money for this class, though it does seem consistent to receive donations in exchange for the facilitation I offer. We will be in a peer group, and over time, we will support each other at whatever phase of the journey we are in. Come on in! Reach out to me with any questions.

Thursdays 9:30-11:30 am CT

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82729039326

I attended an excellent call on intentional community with about 15 others hosted through Charles Eisenstein’s Sanity Project today. I have been thinking about the vision I have for my house in Minneapolis, and wanting to share a few thoughts here as I continue to develop my vision and make steps towards bringing it into reality. The host of that call recently bought a community house in Tennessee, and shared that she has learned that asking for help has repeated led her to people who have generously offered support, and even seem to be fulfilled by being able to contribute. I think it’s time for me to learn to ask for the help I need to get this project moving forward.

2 years ago, I bought a 4-bedroom house on behalf of a group of 5, which included 3 adults and 2 kids. We have decided to separate into different living situations, but remain friends. For the last 6 months, I have been living here with just a dog and a cat, which has been a kind of necessary space as I make way for the new. I see it as a kind of intentional community, but not just people sharing the rent and eating together etc. It is a kind of art project retreat center. I am looking for a partner and collaborator who can join me in creating this space in service of the mission. I am looking for a house manager. I am able to manage the bills of the house, but I am not able to manage the energy of the house by myself.

I need help making the space nice. I need help managing the kitchen and buying groceries and cooking meals. I need help cleaning the bathrooms and the floors and organizing. I need help managing the lawn and planning and developing gardens. I need help building 1-3 tiny houses (someday) in the backyard.

The right person (people) will help me develop this as a retreat center that focuses on the guest experience for groups of 1-5 who stay overnight, for up to a month while they focus on personal development, spirituality, healing and creative expression. Guests who stay will develop some kind of creative performance, talk, or reflection to share with the broader community who will be invited to come for a gathering at the end of their time at the house.

The right person will enjoy living with an active dog and a disabled cat. The right person will enjoy singing, dancing, and hosting events for the community. The right person will enjoy quiet time and will also navigate the shared sound space with sensitivity. The right person will appreciate daily check-ins and being part of each other’s lives. The right person will have language and access to identifying emotional patterns in themselves, and a compassionate attitude towards all living beings. 

I’m not sure who the right person is or how I will figure it out, but I think that talking about it is a step in the right direction. I am open to comments or direct messages if you have ideas that might help me find them, or if you think it might be you.

I wrote these values and agreements 6 months ago, and they still look good to me now:

House Values and Agreements:

Communication: Honest, transparent communication is vital. We aim to have a weekly circle to check-in, discuss house issues. Daily, informal check-ins are welcome.

Spiritual/Personal Development: We are all on a unique and sacred journey. Deep reverence and respect for individuality and integrity.

Mindful intention: from the care of the pets, to hosting guests, to cleaning the bathrooms and kitchen.

Sound attunement: Being aware that this is a shared space, we value music and conscious conversation. Thoughtfulness regarding use of electronics with audio throughout the house.

Community: this is a space that welcomes guests. We will also be respectful of housemates and communicate about all events and provide notice when invitations are made. 

Hello! I have been leading a Zoom group for the last several months, and it is about to split into 2. Initially, the focus was on creating a space for holistic health practitioners associated with Charles Eisenstein’s Sanity Project to be in a talking circle together.

For the Wednesday group, we are going to focus on the skills we want to develop and share with the world. I have described that in a previous post. (https://waterbirdmedicine.com/2023/12/29/skill-share-collective/)

The new group that I am aiming to host on Saturday mornings is going to focus on spiritual healing. Another description of that, is a recognition of the elements that are overlooked or ignored by the system that governs our conventional medical system, and creating a space for those elements to breathe.

We will meet at 10am CT, and you can message me at drew@waterbirdmedicine.com for the link. I only check that email consistently on Friday or Saturday morning, so I can get the link out to those who request it, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t hear from me before the meeting time.

I will post more updates as this project evolves!