In my previous article and accompanying video, I expressed my desire to create adjacent systems that are aligned with consciousness, freedom, peace, and love. Now, I am sharing what actions I’m taking in my personal life to start making these shifts. I will also paint a picture of my dream life, and delve a little into life purpose.
Shifting the Power
My parents and I are in the process of organizing and planning a glorious, family-based, homestead. Creating a system that is HIGHLY functional, efficient, luxuriant, and off-grid is of the UTMOST importance to us. I believe, and my parents are with me here, that refusing to PARTICIPATE in corrupt and unjust systems is one of the BEST ways for US to make a difference and take our power back.
If we all continue to stay in the rat race, we are essentially CONDONING the destruction of our environment, the degradation of our freedoms, and a corrupt government. You may think that you have no point of leverage to make a change, but I believe you DO. The current system requires our PARTICIPATION.
Every individual has the power of CHOICE, and with that power, they can create a positive change in their lives, and in the world.
Until robots completely substitute human labor, PEOPLE are needed to run the machines, grow the food, operate the water treatment centers, build the structures, and do everything else that contributes to supplying our country with our basic needs.
The Inner Work
Can we all AGREE that our outer world is a reflection of our INNER world? Please leave a comment below if you disagree or if you have any other opinions about this concept.
First and foremost, I am vehemently DEDICATED to expanding my consciousness and RAISING my vibration so I can attract the right people and circumstances to make the world a better place. By creating inner PEACE, I believe I am contributing to world peace. As each person makes the personal CHOICE to live peacefully and cultivate inner peace, I believe the world will eventually move into harmony.
Every day, I take a couple of minutes at noon to focus on acceptance of what IS and feel and EXPERIENCE inner peace. It is followed by setting an intention to live peacefully and expressing my desire for people to awaken, cultivate inner peace, and by doing so, live in harmony with each other and create freedom for all.
I have invited multiple people to join, and if you have any questions about timing or process, feel free to reach out to me directly or leave a comment below. It’s really quite simple
Self-Sufficiency
In order for my family to withdraw our participation and allow the system to atrophy, our first step is to find suitable land to create our OASIS. My parents and I have created a list of desirable non-negotiables and we are in contact with a realtor to help us in our search.
We have outlined our location criteria which is specific to OUR needs and here it is in a nutshell: we want to be no further than 200 miles from Spring Lake and no further than 3 hours from Detroit because that is where my dad still works.
A substantial source of RUNNING water is high on our list because it would give us the means of generating hydroelectric power. The property also needs to be partially wooded so we have some materials to work with for heating, cooking, and building.
Additionally, we have decided that 5 acres is our minimum size. Ideally, I want to have some cows and horses someday (for work, travel, and sheer biodiversity) so more land would be HEAVENLY.
We do NOT want any chemical agriculture farms surrounding our property, and we do NOT want any 5G towers within 10 miles. Oh, and friendly zoning of course based on our lifestyle choices.
Some existing infrastructure, such as a house (or two), a pole barn, or a greenhouse would be INCREDIBLY beneficial too.
The plan is to sell our current homes and buy the land with CASH. Say goodbye to debt and hello to FREEDOM. If you know anyone that has done this before, please leave a comment below and share some more details with me.
Supplying Our Basic Needs
Most of us rely on FEEDING ourselves by going to a grocery store or eating out. What is the nutritional value of the food we are eating? The health of the SOIL determines the health of the PLANTS, and I am determined to eat highly nutritionally dense food that is grown locally in VIBRANTLY healthy soil.
As I sit at my pink desk, writing this article, gas prices have SOARED to over $4 a gallon and I imagine a SPIKE in food prices will follow. I’m not an economist, but when our food is shuttled from far away places, fuel prices are BOUND to influence food costs.
Not only do I want my food to be nutritionally DENSE, but I also want it to be non-toxic. Is that TOO much to ask? Is ORGANIC food even non-toxic these days? There are approved “organic” pesticides…so GREAT, even the organic stuff can be sprayed now.
The only sure-fire way to know the quality of your food is to grow it YOURSELF or be grown by someone you TRUST. I use to hear this in the context of cannabis, but it is equally relevant to food plants.
On the Hailstone Homestead, as I’ve FONDLY come to call our family-based sustainable farm, we will grow our own food in HARMONY with nature. I’ve been independently studying permaculture, ecological design, microbes, and soil health for a couple of years. I’ve only put into practice my newfound knowledge in one garden so far, but the results were MARVELOUS. And I’m EAGERLY awaiting the day to implement my knowledge at FULL scale.
I used a total of ZERO fertilizer in my ecologically designed garden, with the exception of compost tea. I spent almost ZERO hours weeding, and I was able to harvest food and medicine for my friends and family.
I couldn’t tell you in pounds how much the garden produced, but it was mostly herbaceous plants. My favorite was STINGING nettle and borage. I discovered my LOVE for stinging nettle in soup, and my kids went BONKERS for it too. They GOBBLED up the green soup and asked for seconds and thirds. Please comment below if you would like the recipe.
Our Homes
The typical, modern-day home is HIGHLY inefficient, relies HEAVILY on high-energy inputs to keep it comfortable in weather extremes, and is EXPENSIVE to build or buy. An earth-integrated, tiny home would best suit my needs, and I plan on building it MYSELF with the help of family and friends.
An earth-integrated home is one that is covered PARTIALLY by dirt but not fully underground and the benefits are LEGION. If done properly, this can ELIMINATE the need for heating and cooling costs, provide a home that is more protected from external damage AND is partially hidden. How NEAT is that!?!
My goal is to build my house and an attached greenhouse for UNDER $5,000.
I’ll need a place for my two kids and me to stay while my house is built, so that is why existing infrastructure is on the NON-negotiables list. There are other options, such as buying a trailer to live on while I build my house, and if you have any other ideas please leave them in the comments below.
The Business of Homesteading
We have many EXCITING ideas for how to create income while living off the land. My mother and I are starting a garden consulting business, teaching people how to garden through ecological design while creating aesthetically pleasing landscapes.
Rabbits will be raised for meat, pelts, and manure. Bee’s will be kept for honey, wax, and pollinating. We will sell compost and compost tea. We are considering starting a gluten-free/sugar-free bakery. Building tiny homes and renting them out on Air BnB is on our list of ideas as well.
We will DEFINITELY be growing gourmet and medicinal mushrooms for ourselves and to sell. The concept of a bed and breakfast has come up as a potential too. My mom polishes stones by hand and wants to make specialty jewelry. And we will host workshops, teach and write to help bring awareness to the possibilities and JOYS of living in a deeper connection with the earth.
My Dream Life
Speaking of a DEEPER connection with the earth, allow me to describe my DREAM life.
It goes something like this…
I want to live in harmony with nature and be more INTIMATELY connected and provided for by the earth. I want to live in a community of tiny homes and work together to take care of our needs. I want to have a community area where meals are shared, and we DANCE and SING to our heart’s content. I want to unite with my brothers and sisters, expand our consciousness, and grow ourselves personally to ELEVATE the frequency of the entire planet.
I want to do things that I ENJOY. I want to play, run, JUMP for joy, laugh, cry, and be authentically ME in all of my glory. I want to help create solutions to challenges. I want to show the world another way of living that is luxuriant, fulfilling, and worthwhile. I want to be an EXAMPLE for others of what it looks like to live consciously, with compassion and unconditional love.
I want CLEAN water to drink, fresh air to breathe, and fresh, nutritious food to eat. I want to have my BARE feet on the earth every day and thank god every day for all the blessings in my life. I want to take the time to bless our food before we eat, and DIVE into our feelings as they arise.
Ultimately, I want FREEDOM to BE who I want to be and LIVE the way I want to live.
The Great Distraction
I recently had a REVELATION.
I’ve been shown a scenario that can be achieved in our society where I have freedom of time and money. Essentially, being free of financial concern and have all the time in the world to live my life.
Typically, it is achieved by creating PASSIVE income streams. One of the hiccups I see is that if the passive income streams are DEPENDENT on the current economy and modern society, there is very little INCENTIVE to create foundational changes to our society that BENEFIT everyone.
As you MAY know by now, it is my desire to disassociate with our current modern societal structure and create new systems based on consciousness, love, peace, and freedom.
The revelation I had was…DRUM roll please…that financial freedom within our current system is a DISTRACTION. It has its appeals, no doubt. But instead of creating fundamental changes that will improve our lives and the lives of others, we work towards making our life better within the current system. It keeps the game going, and keeps the MONSTER of consumerism FAT and happy.
A Sweet Alternative
Imagine life with NO financial worries, and PLENTY of free time to explore your PASSIONS and hobbies. Couple that with being in a community of FREE thinkers and intimately connected with the EARTH.
Imagine a life where all of your basic needs are met: food, water, air, health, safety, belonging, love, acceptance, purpose, fulfillment, and actualization. Now couple that with working in HARMONY with your community to fulfill those needs.
Life can be LUXURIOUS without a fancy new car every few years or UNLIMITED electricity to run your assortment of gadgets and gizmos. Is the hustle and bustle of modern-day life WORTH the outcomes? What value would you place on your inner peace? Please leave your answer in the comments below.
Have We Made Progress?
Some would CLAIM that we have made progress from our days of living in tribes and native communities. I would disagree. If I look at the world and see the lives of everyday people, and look beyond to the wars and suffering all over the world, it doesn’t SEEM like we’ve made much progress.
To me, PROGRESS means creating an overall net GAIN in quality of life. Would you consider our world and planet to have made net gains in outcomes? Yes, we have cars, roads, supercomputers that fit in our pocket, virtually unlimited access to information, the ability to travel to ANYWHERE in the world, and the ability to communicate with virtually ANYONE in the world, plus MANY other advantages.
Don’t get me wrong, those are some VALUABLE achievements. However, what has been the cost of those achievements? Look at what is happening to our air quality, our food quality, our water quality, and our general HEALTH and wellness as modern culture. It FEELS like the costs have OUTWEIGHED the benefits in my opinion.
What can we do to start making TRUE progress? Let’s start looking at our choices and the OUTCOMES they produce. Do we like the outcomes? If not, let’s start making DIFFERENT choices. Start talking with each other about what outcomes you would like to see and START making it HAPPEN in your communities.
You would be SURPRISED to see how many people feel the same way as you. You just have to start communicating with people and find your TRIBE
Life’s Purpose
I believe life's purpose is a PERSONAL choice. No one can tell you what your purpose is, only YOU can make that decision.
Based on what feels true to me, I’ve DECIDED my purpose is to aid in the GROWTH of all life. Life naturally grows on its own, but I want to help shepherd life in its process and make sure I’m doing all I can to ENHANCE growth instead of inhibiting growth.
My purpose is also to live my life based on my values and convictions and be an EXAMPLE to others so they may feel INSPIRED to do the same.
What’s your life purpose? Please share with me in the comments below.
We ALL have a choice. We can choose to continue living the way we have been, and where do you think that will take us? Are YOU directing your life, or is it being directed by SOMEONE else? There are a lot of POWERFUL influences in the world trying to keep us DISCONNECTED, complacent, and disillusioned. I pray that you will find CLARITY on what you want, on what is important to you, and that you will have the COURAGE to make new choices.
Great essay Kendall! Glad to see another person who values gardening at home! I have been hoping to move out of the city and into the country sometime soon. You have a lot of great ideas and are way ahead of me in so many areas in planning this move. Good job! I have a lot to learn from you. It will be great to collaborate on this as we move forward. As always, I pray for divine guidance to know when and how and where, etc. Thank you for sharing this important information!
Great article Kendall. Thanks for your example and inspiration