Hello I am CJ,
I am seeking an
intentional community to become a part of, I'm also open to
land shares, etc. I haven't found an avenue to search (
WWOOF, Workaway, Coolworks, etc) that really fits the situation I'm looking for. Below I'll list what I can offer, what I am looking for and I'll put a short bio to describe myself and my social and working habits. I'm somewhat flexible and open to lots of options. Please email me if you think you have/know of a good fit for me. Thanks in advance y'all!
Short version:
I'm F25, I'm pretty low maintinence, I'm neurodiverse. I'm a leftist, inclusive and anti-asshole. I don't do technology for fun, I can do it for work and am pretty good at it. I know at least a little about a lot, specialization is for insects (respectfully). Direct communication is a necessity. I am passionate and motivated, this can be intense sometimes. I'm an ambivert. I'm an Aries sun, Leo moon, Leo rising. I'm spiritual but not religious. I've lived in community for short periods before. I'm not afraid to get dirty, I'm not afraid to be vulnerable. I want to grow as a person and a soul and that's really important to me, I want others around me to also prioritize growth and living healthy. I'm an omnivore. See lists below for knowledge areas, things I can offer and things I need. I'm open to both established and forming communities that already have land they are living on at least part time. Thanks! If I sound like a good fit please read the long version and email me at
astralavish@gmail.com.
About me:
I am a female person who is 25. I am a fairly masculine person. I don't watch TV (excluding an occasional group movie night if it's proposed), or mess around with
video games, I try to avoid personal use of social media and "doom scrolling". I am (as we all are) a huge fan of nature and the outdoors. I am a leftist and I am spiritual but not religious. I subscribe to a lot of pagan/new age spirituality beliefs but I support others following their own path so long as they aren't hurting anyone or stepping on anyone's free will. I do my best to be trauma informed and inclusive to people of all abilities and neurotypes. I am anti-racist. I want to live in harmony with the planet and live a healthy lifestyle, I want those whom I associate with daily to do the same. I believe in the balance between homeopathic medicine and western medicine. I am currently an omnivore. I'm somewhat open to a
vegetarian diet however, veganism is not for me. I would like to ethically raise/hunt and process my own meat/dairy/eggs eventually if I continue to partake in them. Self sufficiency where possible is a goal of mine. I think the point of life on earth is for all of us to grow and learn as souls, so that is my number one priority. Shadow work and self improvement is paramount. Community is a great place for that, I believe. I am from North Carolina (US) and would like to stay in the northeastern US or Appalacian areas if possible. I am an Aries sun, Leo moon, Leo rising in the zodiac, if you subscribe to that. I am intense, generally speaking. I don't go out of my way to be that way, nor do I do or say anything to be overbearing or intimidating, but it is worth noting that I have been told I'm intense. By extension, I am also a person who leads and organizes people and projects easily if needed or desired. I have a BS in agriculture production systems. I've worked in corporate America (briefly), it was not for me. I've worked in blue collar professions as well, that was a better fit but the expectation for me to disregard my health and well-being was not
sustainable on the long term. My outlook on knowledge and learning is that I'd like to have at least a jumping off point for any
project or topic and progress from there. My hobbies include listening to music, hiking,
art, journaling, whittling, crafts and projects, etc. Socially I love deep conversations and reading as a group, live music is awesome, I enjoy learning together as well. I like to talk about spirituality, community and nature.
Politics, literature and queer issues can also be intriguing but are somewhat draining to discuss often. I am an ambivert (kind of between an introvert and extrovert). I love being social and I can be outgoing but alone time is also very important for me. I like to imagine potential projects, make materials lists and draw plans, I do so for fun sometimes. I'm good at bringing people's ideas together. I believe I am a good communicator, I am considerate but direct. Direct, clear communication is a necessity for me as a neurodiverse person. I need to know what is expected of me and within what time frame when it comes to projects or chores. Work-wise I function best when I am "shown the ropes" in the beginning and then (when I understand) given a reasonable list of tasks and allowed to function autonomously. I also work well in teams when necessary as both a leader and a member. I am very motived and passionate about things that are important to me, this would of course include a community where I live. I value efficiency and will advocate for it, but also recognize the need for it to be balanced with other factors and preferences. I am a planner, I want to take in a view of how we want something to look on a long term basis and make sure that our first steps do not make our later steps more difficult. (Example: forming a general, flexible plan for how we want the land to look in the future so that we don't accidentally build something we need now in a space we need for something else important later.) Community wise I have some
experience living in community and using communal spaces, including composting toilets and communal washrooms. I enjoy communal meals and spaces, and I appreciate working together with others socially, spiritually and practically. Having my ideas heard and the opportunity be a part of group decision making is important to me. For transparency's sake, general community principles I am not interested in include: full income sharing, a standardized religious practice, mandatory veganism, decision by 100% consensus (I find it hobbling to the group, modified consensus is fine). I cannot "buy in" to a community monetarily. I am seeking communities only within the continental US, preferably towards the East Coast. I'm open to both established and newly forming communities (who have already acquired appropriate amounts of land for the proposed community) and am willing to camp while facilities are built if we have a good social/ideological fit!
Knowledge areas:
Below I'll make a list of things I have knowledge on rated 1-5 as described, as always I am excited to learn more about a topic or learn new topics. (1 - I have a jumping off point for research or learning, I know of this topic. 2 - I have a layman's understanding of this topic and could assist on a project involving it or participate a conversation/planning meeting about it. 3 - I have a functional understanding of this topic and could achieve a satisfactory outcome in a project involving it, especially as part of a team. 4 - I have worked with this topic before and have confidence in my knowledge on it, I could lead a project related to it. 5 - I am comfortable and experienced with this topic, I can innovate and create in this realm and would like to champion development in it.)
Animal Topics:
Small Ruminants (Goats, sheep, alpacas) - 5
Chickens/Poultry - 5
Cattle (
dairy or
beef) - 3
Pigs - 2
Rabbits/other small livestock - 2
General animal care - 5
Feed rations - 4
Aquaculture - 3
Plant(ish) Topics:
Gardening/food production (more traditional) - 4
Food forest - 3
Soil management/restoration - 4
Erosion control - 4
Pasture management - 3
Native plant landscape - 3
Fruit tree/orchard management - 2
Viticulture - 1
Vermiculture - 3
Composting - 4
Hydroponics - 3
Mushroom growing - 3
Greenhouse building/management - 3
Irrigation - 3
Plant identification - 3
Herbal products - 3
Herbal Medicine - 2
Building/Repair Topics:
Carpentry (traditional) - 4
Earth building - 3
Plumbing - 3
Electrical (traditional or
solar) - 2
Wood/non electric heating - 3
Equipment operation - 3
Household repair - 4
Auto/equipment repair - 3
Repurposing of existing supplies or objects/cheap building - 5
Acquiring supplies/materials at a bargain or bartering - 5
Concrete (small projects) - 3
Tinyhouses - 3
RV's - 2
Schoolers/vans - 3
Yurts - 3
Earthships - 1
Power tools - 4
Hand tools - 4
Life/Home & Craft Topics:
Buy nothing lifestyle - 2
Buy it for life - 4
Cooking - 4
Leatherwork - 3
Spinning/weaving - 2
Ceramics/pottery - 4
Visual arts - 5
Clothing repair/waterproofing - 3
Sewing - 2
Carving/whittling - 2
Canning/drying/preserving - 3
Smoking (meat) - 2
Tanning - 2
Outdoor Topics:
Forest management - 2
Wood cutting/splitting/stacking - 4
Outdoor grounds/trail maintenance - 3
Hiking/camping/backpacking - 4
Foraging - 2
Hunting - 2
Firearms - 2
Community/Social Topics:
Social media management/creation - 4
Website creation (Weebly) - 4
Etsy - 4
Farmers market/selling of goods - 4
Project planning - 5
Creation of guidelines or procedures - 5
Organizing (including neurodiverse/ADHD friendly types) - 5
Teaching/tutoring (both adults and children) - 5
Organizing workshops (adults and children) - 3
Childcare - 3
Gentle parenting style - 3
Leadership - 4
Mediation - 4
Leading of meetings - 5
Spiritual Topics:
Intuitive energetic healing/reiki - 4
Energetic reading/sight - 4
Spiritual ceremony/ritual - 3
Meditation - 4
Breathwork - 3
Shadow work - 5
Journaling - 5
I can offer:
- At least 20 hours/wk labor (One of my needs is a small monetary income stream, I am more than willing to do additional labor on or off site if it contributes to that income. If it does not however, I will need my spare time to seek that out.)
- Approximately $100/wk ($400/month) of EBT towards groceries for the group (possibly more, waiting to hear about that).
- Cooking a communal meal 1-2 nights per week.
- Cleaning duties split with the group (ofc).
- A lot of fairly nice dishes/kitchen supplies (if needed) including revereware, corelleware, pyrex, etc. (Upon agreement of full membership.)
- Some tools, mainly hand tools. (Primarily for my use and use on projects I am a part of but willing to allow borrowing for sure.)
- A collection of
books on assorted practical topics. (Upon agreement of full membership.)
- More or otherwise upon request/discussion (I am flexible).
I need:
- A physically, emotionally and spiritually safe environment.
- A private sleeping space consisting of at least a bed and desk (eventually). I am willing to build this space if necessary.
- A way to charge my cell phone.
- A place to park my car.
- At least a small source of income on or off property (a few hundred a month is plenty if my food and housing needs are seen to by the community). If my income exceeds this I will be able to contribute monetarily to the community as well.
- Time and space to develop my meditation practice and do my journaling.
I would like (if possible):
- Access to an electrical outlet, one is
enough for me.
- Access to an electric
oven and running water for cooking purposes.
- Internet access/phone service for research and Google would be good.
Honestly, that's all that comes to mind. I'm sure I've missed some things even in this novel I wrote. If you actually read this, thanks so much!
If you have/know of a good community fit for me please email me at
astralavish@gmail.com! Thanks so much!
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