Enjoy simple off grid living and immerse yourself in a nearby Ashram, New Zealand

Details

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  Description

  Hello dear people out there 😊
  
  Ok so a bit about here:
  
  I have been living on this beautiful piece of land for the past 4 years or so with an aim to live as sustainably as possible. I moved here in order to be closer to the Ashram that is down the road and my way of life is largely influenced by my involvement there, and my hope is that people who are wanting to come and stay can use this place as a way of finding out more about the purpose and function of Spiritual Practice in our modern age.
  Things here are pretty simple, allowing for a closer connection to nature and a slower, less structured pace of life. Solar power is limited, water is sourced from a nearby stream and a wood fire heats the water and living spaces. There are chickens in the garden, an open shower and toilet with the best view over the valley, three odd little cats that hang about doing their thing and lots of open space and quiet. The gardens are a constant work in progress, with the aim of growing as much food as possible and learning through experimenting and observing the natural cycles and processes of life. An organic macadamia and lemon orchard are also part of the land.
  The seclusion and setting of this place is a great privilege and much of the time is spent discussing, understanding and exploring what it means to be human, and then putting into practice a way of living and sharing that is more based on love and service. In many ways our intention with the place is to bring people together and use our time and energy in a more intentional way.
  
  
  For this time we wont be offering food as part of the exchange and will only be asking for up to 15 hours of work per week for you to have a place to park your van and be involved in cool projects and learning.
  So mostly you will need to do your own food with some shared meals every now and then. There is lots of space on both the properties so you will be able to set yourself up a little camp and have your own space.
  
  
  ASHRAM: 5 kms down the road is an Ashram where we spend time and study at different times. The Ashram offers silent meditation retreats, breathing retreats and student visit times with a Spiritual Master where people are able to stay for some time if they wish. Whether before or after visiting the Ashram our place is a supportive space to absorb and put in to practice a new/different way of looking at things and relating to the world. Due to the current restrictions there are no retreats happening at the moment but hopefully will be able to soon.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Charity Work

  Art Projects

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Farmstay help

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance

  Help with Computers/ Internet
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  We are happy to share our experiences and understanding through our study at the Ashram, and people who stay here will have to chance to be part of a more contemplative lifestyle.
  We are very much learning things as we go along so this is a place to come and learn and be creative about finding sustainable solutions to meeting basic living needs, and learning how to live and work with others in a healthy and inspiring way.
  We all have a lot of general skills and experience of living off the land and happy to share what we have learnt so far.
  We are also passionate about finding ways that local communities can create more sustainable and environmentally responsible ways of living and for other people to feel more inspired about living outside of cities and being more self resilient.

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  Help

  There is a whole range of different projects going on here at the moment so things are pretty varied week to week. And we also value having down time and not working hard out all the time!
  
  One of the big projects here is the Mini Earthship that we are starting to build so helping hands to pound tyres would be great. There are also lots of little gardening projects to be done.
  
  And then all the many other little things involved in off grid life like cutting firewood, collecting gardening material, looking after plants and setting up any new infrastructure and projects.
  
  I am also involved in managing and setting up a community gardens and nursery project on some land down the road so there are ongoing things to be done down there too.

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent

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  Accommodation

  For this time we are only able to accept people with their own van for accommodation. There is plenty of space to set up a little camp for yourself which we can help you with too (we have tarpaulins and things to make a little sheltered space etc.)
  Both our houses are pretty small so this way we will still be able to have sufficient space and privacy over this time!
  The house here also has some wonderful sitting areas where we can share meals and company and music and discussion when we feel to.

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  What else ...

  We eat mostly vegetarian.
  
  We ask that you don't bring or consume any drugs while you are here.
  
  For those that like to get out and about exploring nature, there are lots of walking tracks to wander and two swimming holes within walking distance.
  
  Getting here is a little complicated so i will explain it to in more detail if you are going to come. We are about 30 minutes south of Kaitaia
  
  This place will provide you an opportunity to slow down and immerse yourself in the lifestyle here and use this space as a way of considering your lives more deeply, spending some time around an Ashram and living a more simple way of life for a time.
  
  If this sounds like what you are looking for you are welcome to write to us. Because the nature of this place is a bit different to most Workaway places we ask that when you write you express what it is about this place in particular that attracts you and why you want to come, relative to what we have explained here.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  Hours expected

  negotiable (max 15 hours - no meals)

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