In urgent need of my own village after my marriage ended in 2011, I began inviting people to gather, explore and connect to consider the themes foundational to "the Village it takes". Countless talks, potlucks, panels, workshops, celebrations, circles, one on one calls and visits happened over the years. Awakening the Village is the umbrella under which I "do everything."

photo by Phi Vernon, Third Eye Arts

After much dreaming and discussion, I set up Awakening House in the fall of 2015 in Calgary, AB, Canada as a microcosmic experiment of The Village. Residents and visitors tasted and tested intentional living possibilities up until the project ended with a beautiful Death Ritual in the spring of 2020. The "phoenix" may be emerging in what we now call the Big Brown House.

photos by me except where otherwise noted

From 2015, I have been part of the two annual gatherings of ArcaTribe: Intention (5 days) and Symmetree (a weekend), and the revival of Envision, our organizers retreat. My role as Vibe Pod bottom liner has been to apply space holding technology to support the emotional well being of all involved, during and between gatherings.

It was an honour to be invited as village weaver for the team that won 4 out of 5 categories with this hempcrete and timber beauty, "The 109," at the first ever International Grow Calgary MicroHouse Building Competition. The team included some of western Canada's most notable natural building pioneers Dion Lefebvre, Christina Goodvin, Dor Lav, Melody Mossing, Brian Lavoie, Chad Gendall, Olivia Johnson, and Hemp experts Erin Lindley, Bonnie Mackay, and Carl Martel. Great Fun was had.

photo credit coming

Time spent at the Kinship, Alberta's first Earthship Biotechture-built Earthship inspired me to undertake a gift economy project with the remarkable poet, Ian Kinney. Glorious workshops, demos, herb and fossil walks, shared meals, games, drum circles and farm duties from egg collection to shepherding happened in the coulees.

photo credit coming

Permaculture Guild Calgary, the AB Permaculture Convergence, One Tree Village (Dewinton, AB), Edmonton Ecovillage Hub, Studio M*, the 920A Live-In Library (Calgary, AB), Aloha Aina Farm (Salt Spring Island), Featherstone Farm (Creston, BC), Cherry Hill EcoVillage Coop (AB/BC), Our Calgary Intentional Community (we brought Diana Leafe Christian to town!), The Hempery (AB/BC), Alchemy of Womxn (east of Edmonton, 2017 and 2018, pictured!), The YYC Earthship Symposium, Project SaLV'age, FOODx, Calgary on Purpose, TEDx Calgary, XR Action and Training...oh my goodness I am missing so many.