The Center is envisaged as a regenerative space, a voluntary community of all those interested in learning, dialogue and practices that embrace life-affirming values, such as:
- living in ways that are healthy for humans, other life-forms and the planet as a whole
- consumption that heeds human rights, value and dignity of labor, fair trade and living wage principles
- free learning and sharing of knowledge and resources
- cooperation – exploring alternatives to traditional power and authority structures, and allowing all voices to be heard.
MOTIVATIONS
We live in a time when ecological degradation, economic inequities, social injustice and pressure on natural resources are extreme. Many of us respond to these issues through movements for empowerment of the poor, human rights and justice, and conservation of nature. At the same time we believe that personal and spiritual growth of the individual, dialogue, questioning dominant paradigms of thought and an active practice of mindful living -- “being the change” are equally important. This is more so in the trend-setting and dominating urban context.
Is there an “environment” that is independent of us? Is there anything “out there” that needs to be saved or are there only things that we need to engage with? Are there any “ends” that we need to seek or are there only means? Are we victims or perpetrators of the structures that we seek to dismantle? What changes can we make to these structures without a deep understanding of who we are, our interrelationships and ways of organizing human activity?
Modernity promotes and is marked by increased distancing of people from nature and from the natural resources on which our life depends. We are losing the ability and appreciation for working with our hands and the mindfulness such work entails; we are in fact losing touch with time-honored values such as self-reliance. All goods, services and knowledge have become so commodified that it has led to decreased humaneness and empathy in all transactions. In an era of globalized economies we are physically distanced and insensitive to ecological and human degradation, and their connection to our own consumption practices.
Can we reconnect with nature and with our humanity by consciously changing the way we consume? Can we source our products as locally as possible, and as directly as possible from producers? Will wastes and by-products be managed more holistically in a localized economy? Can we minimize the impact of our consumption by working with our own hands to produce what we need? Will we value the work of others better if we regularly practice such work?
Learning is a natural human tendency, and is a lifelong process that is key to our individual growth – whether intellectual, emotional or spiritual. Yet our institutions – schools, colleges, corporations, and so on train us to act as “cogs in the wheel” of the dominant system. Education is geared towards certain types of careers, and compartmentalized skills training. At the other end of the spectrum it is an intellectual bookish pastime that disconnects us from a more holistic world-view.
Can learning be freed of economic goals? Can knowledge, even wisdom be freely shared and the teacher and taught see themselves as co-seekers?
We believe that change happens one with one with one (as opposed to 'one-by-one-by-one'). We do not wish to teach, convince or provide ready-made answers, but more to question, experiment and learn together.
Acknowledgements: Some of the ideas in this section are inspired by:
- THE UNPLANNED ORGANIZATION:
LEARNING FROM NATURE'S EMERGENT CREATIVITY
by Margaret Wheatley ©2007 - Articles on Activism by Manish Jain (Shikshantar: The Peoples’ Institute for Rethinking Education
and Development)
CURRENT STATUS & PLANS
Below are some of the tangible resources and activities that we plan at the Center. We are encouraged and happy that members of our community, both individuals and organizations, have already donated a collection of books and other material, for the purposes of such a Learning Center. A core group of individuals have also come forward volunteering their ideas, energy and time for the Center. With these as a base the Center can readily offer
RESOURCE LIBRARY
Books, films, CDs, posters on topics including: Development, Globalization, Education, History of Sc. & Tech., Philosophy, Political Thoughts, Agriculture, Literature, Gandhiana, Health, Ecology and Environment, Architecture, Energy, and People’s movements. Includes a rare collection of books, journals, reports and periodicals many of which are out-of-print or not available in India.
PROGRAMS
Talks, workshops, field visits and film screenings for initiating dialogue and creating opportunities for experiential learning. As an outcome of our discussions, members may also initiate and work on specific projects, possibly involving outreach to the community at large.
PRODUCTS
The center will make it possible for consumer coops to be formed among the members, for direct sourcing of: Organic food, Medicinal Herbs, Seeds and seedlings, Panchakavyam and other gardening inputs, Crafts made from sustainable material, and so on.
PRACTICES
The center will strive to be not only a space for intellectual discourse but also to foster a culture of working with one’s hands to make the things needed for everyday life, via spinning and weaving, pottery, craft, woodwork, processing grains, cooking gardening etc.
Activities of the Center will be limited only by the interest and energy of the volunteers, and by the physical space available.
OPERATIONS & FINANCES
As a community based organization we envisage the Center supporting itself in the medium term (i.e. 3 years+) entirely on funds raised from within its membership. In participatory spirit we will strive to have the Center supported not by pre-determined charges but by voluntary contributions based on valuation of the Center’s activities by its members. Types of income will include
- Contributions for individual programs and activities
- Annual member-contributions or subscriptions for use of the resources
- Contributions for services such as training programs, workshops, consultations etc. offered by the Center or its members for outside clients. Examples of such services would be programs on Gardening, Composting, Water conservation, Alternative Medicine and Herbs, Alternative Energy etc.
- Mark-ups on the products sold through the consumer-coop.
AN APPEAL FOR SUPPORT
We appeal to individuals, non-profit donor organizations and foundations for support towards the space for the Center. To optimally utilize the resources and services currently offered by community members a 1000 sq. ft. space, preferably a 1 or 2 bedroom apartment/house would be needed. It would include a resource library and video viewing area, space for storing some products, discussion area, areas for hands-on work and a kitchenette.
We envisage that the subsidized/donated space will be required for the short term (immediate to 3-years) while the Center grows its membership base and gets established. We believe that such a Resource and Learning Center would be of great value to the development of a progressive and sustainable future society, and is worthy of support from the community at large.
Forms of support that we are currently seeking include:
- donated space
- furniture for seating and shelving
- subsidized rent, waiver of or reduced advance payment, or financial grant towards rent and utilities
- volunteerism and passion!
