Monday, May 3, 2010

Our Vision

Mama Roja is a living experiment and experience in self-reliant homesteading and voluntary simplicity. This project was born of our desire to live happily and harmoniously, free to explore our full potential as creative and intelligent beings. We want to live true to our values and be honest in our relationships with ourselves and the world. For us, this means being close with nature, increasing our personal awareness, making choices with ecological consciousness, and living in a comfortable, peaceful place conducive to growth and sharing.
Simple, sustainable living not only provides for our basic needs (food, shelter, medicine, and clothing) but also encourages personal growth (mental, physical, and spiritual). It is a way to reclaim our personal independence and security. We cannot know freedom or happiness if we build our lives on a system of acquisition, accumulation and waste, depending on outside industry and non-renewable resources for our livelihood. If we are to have better lives and a better world for future generations, we can, should, and must take an active role in that revolution. We believe this is easily achievable through simple, natural means, respecting ourselves, the Earth, and her cycles.

At Mama Roja, we are focused on positive human action within the natural world and with other beings. We are striving to be good stewards of the land and pioneer it respectfully-- constructing buildings with natural materials, installing renewable energy sources, making organic gardens and culitivating field crops, minimizing our waste, reducing our consumption, and preserving the wild spaces for the native flora and fauna.

As interactive participants in making the world better, an integral part of our work is outreach, education and encouragement. Currently at Mama Roja, we host internships in sustainable living, invite visitors and school groups to the project, write articles and information, and organize community workshops. Our intention is not to be isolated from the mainstream but to be integrated, promoting a viable alternative. There is no need to wait for our leaders or experts to do something about the deep flaws in our present system, all of us can already take responsibility and make positive change.

Those who come to Mama Roja are participants in a collaborative effort to promote sustainable practices, not just here but globally. Mama Roja is a place for shared learning, experimenting with new ideas, adding new tools to one's "personal toolbox", and exploring one's potential and creativity. By coming together with a positive, active awareness, we can both save and savor our world.