Farm Fresh December 2021: New Music! Hindu Wisdom, Kids To The Country Winter Program

Farm Fresh News - December 2021

In this issue:

A New Recording:
Om Namah Shivaya
Hindu Wisdom:
Stages of Life
Kids To The Country Winter Program

Om, the sound of the Universe

Dear Friends,

The days of winter solstice draw ever closer, and the return of the light and longer days are close at hand. I hope for you this is a time of family and friends, coming together as best we can.

During the early discussions at Monday Night Class in California, talks that led to the formation of The Farm Community, it was recognized that all religions and faiths share common truths and values that are at the essence of our lives.

Because most of us were raised within the traditions of Christianity and Judaism, there was an interest, a curiosity, and a fascination with spiritual practices of the East. The Hindu tradition, with its many layers of gods and goddesses, spiritual renunciates or Sadhus, gurus and ashrams, seem to have a deeper connection to the mystery, and a multi-layered understanding of the meaning of life. This month I explore the stages of life as taught by the Hindu tradition, and the deeper meaning of the chant, On Nama Shivaya.

This year, Kids To The Country will be giving gifts and teaching about the celebration of Kwanzaa to a number of children from Nashville's homeless families. Using the Kwanzaa celebration demonstrates that when we honor all traditions, everyone benefits.

Peace on Earth, Goodwill to All!

Douglas

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Om Namah Shivaya

Watch my latest recording on YouTube: Om Nama Shivaya

A chant of devotion, we bow in humility before the great mystery and the consciousness that resides within. Lord of the Dance, Shiva energy represents both destruction and creation, wiping the slate clean to begin anew. The five syllables of Nama Shivaya resonate with the energies of the five senses, the five chakras, the five actions.

The Four Stages of Life

Ancient Hindu writings dating back as far as 500 years BCE make reference to the four stages of life that we pass through during our time here on the physical plane.

Stage 1: The Student, Brahmacharya

The first 20 years we are students of life, learning the skills that will support us and those within our care, but also that establishes the foundation of our spiritual path. Without this foundation, we can be swept up in a sea of materialism, evidenced by the unbridled consumerism so rampant in our society today.

In the east, young men in particular are traditionally sent to spend time in monasteries during their late teenage years, so that they might better align with this aspect of life and learn the importance of service to the greater community.

A Guatemalan mother speaks to her son, receiving training on The Farm in Tennessee, via ham radio.

Deborah serving as our lab technician in Guatemala

When I joined The Farm back in 1973, it was with the acknowledgment that I was to be a student of the spiritual path. These years were also when I studied electronics, developing the skills that would support my family throughout my life. During this same time Deborah began her training in a variety of medical skills. This would lead us to Guatemala, where we spent the better part of two years as volunteers with Plenty International.

Stage 2: Householder Yogi, Grihastha

As householders, we are in a period of building our career, perhaps finding a partner, starting a family. Our responsibility is to care for the children and for the elders, as we discover our inner strength and the power to manifest.

We recognize our ability to be a pillar of the community, going beyond taking care of ourselves and extending our hand in service of the greater good.

Returning from Guatemala, I started my own business in video and developed a career as a writer. Deborah became a registered nurse and began working as a midwife. We both served The Farm Community in eleced positions on the membership committee and Board of Directors.
(Right: My work often involved travel, such as installing satellite dishes in Africa)

Stage 3: A time of Service, Vanaprastha

When we reach the age of 50 to 60, ideally our children have finished their education and grown into adults. We are no longer driven to define our own careers and can seek ways to dedicate more time in service.

This was when I gave much of my energy to Swan Conservation Trust, a nonprofit Land Trust founded by members of the community. I served for 10 years on its Board of Directors and helped to lead a fundraising campaign that raised 1 1/2 million dollars to establish Big Swan Headwaters Preserve, something we all hope will stand for generations to come.
(right: signing the note to purchase the land establishing Big Swan Headwaters)

I was The Farm Community's manager for eight years, overseeing construction projects, building roads, hosting The Farm Experience Weekends, building the community's website, and putting my time into fulfilling our vision, while shifting away from the business of commercial video production.

Stage 4: A Time for Reflection, Sannyasa

In this final stage of life, we recognize that we are beyond the time of building a career and that we have to pass the baton to those who come behind us. We have the opportunity to look back on decades of decisions good and bad, learning more about our strengths and weaknesses and how they have come to play throughout our life.

With the internal shifts that turn down the fire comes a more relaxed outlook on life, wherewe may find it easier to forgive, put aside petty differences, and instead place our attention to things that bring us joy and deepen our connection to the heart. We can take the time to be more contemplative, to meditate, and feel the oneness that permeates all things.

In reflection, I can see that many of my life choices were not conscious, but the natural ebb and flow of following a path.

It can be easy to say we do not have time for our kids, to volunteer, and difficult to pull back from being driven by work and the need for more money. However, with greater awareness, we can see these opportunities as they come toward us, and make changes to ourselves that the rational mind may push aside. And in doing so, discover our true selves.

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The Kids To The Country Winter Program in Nashville at The Shelter

Visit the web site www.kidstothecountry.org photo from a previous KTC Winter Program

This year Kids To The Country is happily going to be able to do a scaled-down version of our regular winter program of gift making and Kwanzaa specially designed for covid safety!

We are asking for donations to help make this Gift Giving and Kwanzaa Reading happen for the kids of the families cared for by Safe Haven Shelter for the homeless.

The Shelter families are being housed in a hotel in Nashville.

There are about 48 kids in the group.

Each child will receive a Whole Foods grocery bag filled with:

3 kinds of fruit

protein bars

candy in a Christmas tin,

a holiday ornament or memento

In addition, every kid will get a copy of the book Practicing Kwanzaa Year Around, written by Gwynelle Dismukes, an African American Farm member who has passed away. Her daughter Ami (who grew up on The Farm) will be there to talk about the Principles of Kwanzaa and read from her mother’s book.

The kids will also be able to choose several books to take home from Books To Kids, another of Plenty's projects!

photo from a previous KTC Winter Program

To keep everyone Covid safe, all this will take place from our rental van outside in the parking lot of the hotel. The goal is to raise $3,000 for this effort for the kids. We hope that by the summer of 2022 we will be able to bring kids to The Farm again for more regular KTC nature adventures!

Holiday Blessings to everyone and thank you in advance for HELPING KTC pull off this Holiday event!

Folks can donate through kidstothecountry.org or plenty.org and donations through PayPal will get to us the quickest!

Donations can also be sent directly to:

Plenty,

PO Box 394

Summertown, TN 38483

Be sure to note that your gift is to support Kids To The Country ( KTC)!

Mary Ellen Bowen, MSc, Director kidstothecountry@gmail.com

Order your copy of Practicing Kwanzaa Year Round

from Amazon

directly from The Farm's Book Publishing Company

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Peace,

Douglas

Douglas@thefarmcommunity.com