The DL on OG
So… as it turns out building a healing space for people to be in and with nature has been the most potent time full of challenges asking me to confront all sides and angles of my own healing evolution. Moving out of the noise of city life and on to this quiet and expansive land has been an invitation to learn, build, grow, and heighten my awareness in every aspect of how I live, survive, and thrive. I have explored new depths of my relationships and personal responsibilities to care for this land and myself as a part of nature inter-connectedly. Disconnecting from “the grid” has strengthened my sensitivity to the energy within me and all around me, and allowed me to feel these internal, external, and interrelated forces in a raw and powerful way where I am asked to embrace my own darkness, lightness, and everything in between.
That’s my metaphysical analysis, but I’ll start at the beginning with the physical details and FAQs.
In January I left the city to follow my off-grid living and building dreams in the enchanted lands of New Mexico. My little pink toolbox and I had no idea what we had coming, and winter at 7000ft above sea level certainly gave me a run for my money. I quickly entered the biggest learning curve of my life. Temperatures dropped into the negatives, my hot water heater exploded, old shitty pipes under the house started leaking, and I quickly learned the gravity of my relationship with and necessity for water. The solar panels got covered with snow and the sun didn’t come out for a couple of days so I learned the limits of the solar system (well not THE solar system), which did allow me to rapidly shift my sleep schedule to the rhythm of nature while I navigated the literal darkness of this time without power or water. I had questionable gas heaters turned off for inspection, an inability to drive my city girl car (i.e. my two wheel drive “fake jeep for barbies”) on the muddy road, and one time the fiber-optic internet (the least off-grid thing out here) shut off because I forgot to pay the bill. Pretty much all of the creature comforts and the aspects of life I took completely for granted in the city have been challenged, pushing me into an accelerated learning curve of doing things myself like I have never experienced before. Overall I’d give this whole experience a five star rating for the healing, strength, personal responsibility, and knowledge it has instilled me with. I feel like I’ve been given an unexpected opportunity to come home to my natural, chainsaw wielding self that now knows how to chop wood, pump water, excavate floors, mix concrete, run plumbing, lay tiles, etc (with A LOT of help from my unbelievably generous neighbors and community)… and I’m sure this is just the beginning of this building journey.
My relationship with resources and sustainability has deepened exponentially. My water comes from the rain (which isn’t always prolific in this high desert mountain forest unidentifiable climate zone) and theoretically from a small well on the property that I am working on connecting to the house (a project requiring extreme levels of patience). The water storage capacity has been increased from 2500 gallons to 11,000 gallons, and I am continuing to learn about conservation practices and cultivating respect & abundance rather than scarcity in my relationship with water. Water filtration is a whole other complex world to explore. I have learned how to work with and deeply appreciate energy and electricity from the sun, limit my gas usage (there is a large propane tank connected to the house), cut and dry juniper and pine wood from the property for the winter, and am highly aware of the waste being created between the septic system (really connecting me with this land on a micro/bacterial level) and having to drive the trash and recycling to the dump twenty minutes away. One of the next, high priority projects is expanding the whole garden, greenhouse, food growing, composting situation, and continuing to be in relationship with the beauty and functionality of this wild land.
Being out here has shifted the way I live, eat, sleep, communicate, and work, and put me face to face with the raw beauty of nature/myself when I embrace and hold space for IT ALL. I am continuing to envision and create a space where I can live and thrive in mindful abundance, and share the magic with friends, family, and a growing community of humans seeking this powerful rhythm of nature, creativity, and connection. I can’t wait to meet you there!
