Hello Rainmakers

Why do we choose Portugal?

Portugal holds a special place in our hearts as a country that straddles the line between desert and paradise. Its future depends on the direction we, as humans, choose to move. Here are some compelling reasons why Portugal resonates with our vision:

• Land in Need of Care: Since the end of the dictatorship, there are vast stretches of land in Portugal that are in need of nurturing and restoration. By choosing Portugal, we have an opportunity to make a meaningful impact and contribute to the regeneration of these lands.
• Affordable Land: Portugal offers the advantage of being a place where, just seven years ago, it was possible to purchase land at reasonable prices. This accessibility provides us with the chance to acquire the necessary resources for our project without exorbitant financial burdens.
• Cultural Receptivity: Portugal has a cultural  heritage that has always been open and receptive to influences from other cultures. Its history as a land of different colonies and as a maritime hub has fostered a spirit of openness, making it an ideal environment for our purpose-driven network.
• Like-Minded Community: Portugal attracts a diverse community of like-minded individuals who are passionate about sustainable living, regeneration, and fostering positive change. The presence of such a community creates a supportive and collaborative environment for our endeavors.
• Proximity to the Ocean: Portugal’s location near the ocean adds to its allure. The vast expanses of the Atlantic Ocean inspire a deep connection with nature and provide opportunities for exploration, water-based activities, and a sense of tranquility.

By choosing Portugal as the backdrop for our purpose-driven network. We recognize the opportunity to contribute to its transformation, to heal the land, and to collaborate with a community of like-minded individuals who share our vision for a more sustainable and regenerative future.  possibilities it offers.

Infrastructure:

• The property offers a range of comfortable accommodations, including a spacious 200m2 guest house, a cozy 50m2 apartment, and unique amenities such as a treehouse, sauna, and dome structure.
• Additional infrastructure includes a workshop space spanning 50m2 and an impressive event circus tent measuring over 200m2.
• The land is divided into half forested areas, providing a peaceful environment, and half living areas and plantations.
• There is also potential for further development with legal structures, offering an additional 300m2 of space, as well as 140m2 designated for storage and shelters.

Ecological Development:

• The land spans a total of 20 hectares and boasts a carefully developed water landscape, featuring two lakes and several small ponds that efficiently collect 99% of the rainwater.
• There are two perennial water sources on the property, ensuring a continuous water supply throughout the year.
• A hectare of the land is dedicated to an ecological biointensive garden, meticulously maintained by our skilled food producer, Jeremy.
• Another hectare is home to a flourishing syntropic agroforestry system with approximately 1500 trees planted last year, creating a thriving forested area around the lakes.

Future Projects:

• Currently in progress is the development of a campsite, featuring compost toilets and a larger kitchen, to enhance our capacity for hosting a greater number of events and gatherings.
• We are committed to ongoing improvements and sustainable growth, ensuring the land and infrastructure continue to support the evolving needs of our community.
• Future projects may involve expanding the range of amenities and facilities, exploring innovative sustainable practices, and fostering a vibrant and inclusive community atmosphere.

Self-reliance

The core of our project’s governance lies in embracing self-reliance as our guiding principle. This demands complete ownership and responsibility for governing our inner world—our thoughts, feelings, and emotions. We firmly believe in our power to choose how we respond and interpret our experiences, regardless of life’s circumstances. Moreover, we are committed to effectively translating and sharing our experiences to foster meaningful connections and interdependency. To accomplish this, we prioritise active listening and honouring the wisdom of our bodies. Self reliance is the ability to ground ourselves in the present and be willing and resourced in facing the past, when memories and potential trauma resurface.

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” Victor Franco

Leadership is true relating

We recognise that true integrity and collective growth flourish when the extent of our influence aligns with the authenticity of our role within the ecosystem. It is crucial to avoid the pitfalls of excessive or limited commitment and access to power, as they can disrupt our well-being and interactions. The manifestation of an inferiority or superiority complex often reflects our quest for genuine self-expression and leadership. When we are not in alignment, we may unintentionally misuse our power through excessive dominance or passive compliance, resorting to manipulation.

In our pursuit, humility and courage become our guiding principles. We acknowledge the importance of seeking support, feedback, and cooperation as discover our rightful place within the ecosystem. This is not a static place but rather the ideal starting point from witch we explore and develop our potential.

Interdependency 

In the realm of community, tribes, and groups, the use of the word “we” often signifies a collective identity. However, upon closer examination, we discover that the notion of “we” alone does not carry inherent responsibility. It is within the realm of interdependency that true accountability emerges, akin to a threshold or liminal space where we have the potential to transcend our sense of separation and find genuine belonging.

This threshold encompasses not only the collective traumas and illusions of separation among humans but also extends to all ecosystems. By acknowledging and embracing our interdependency, we unlock the pathway to authentic connection. It becomes our response-ability, a conscious and active engagement, to foster unity, connection, resilience, and ultimately, to pave the way for freedom and peace.

Drawing inspiration from various sources, it becomes evident that the interconnectedness of all life forms lies at the heart of this understanding. Just as each cell in our body relies on the harmonious functioning of others, so too does humanity and the planet rely on the delicate balance and collaboration between its members. In recognising this interdependence, we begin to realise the profound implications of our actions and choices.

Hosting Facilities

Currently, our land can accommodate 10 to 15 individuals in various hosting facilities, providing revenue and opportunities for educational programs and co-living experiences. Our diverse hosting facilities, including the guest house, small apartment, treehouse, and event circus tent, offer unique and comfortable spaces for guests to engage with the land. Welcoming guests fosters a vibrant community, bringing new energy, ideas, and perspectives, enhancing the overall atmosphere and facilitating diverse interactions and shared experiences.

Educational Programs

• Our hosting facilities serve as platforms for educational programs and workshops.
• We believe in the power of knowledge sharing and experiential learning, inspiring individuals to embrace sustainable practices, ecological stewardship, and regenerative lifestyles.

Co-living Experiences

• We are shaping during the year times where we offer cyclical co-living experiences. This is the experimental space for integrating over the length of 3 (months) cycles practices and rituals for fostering community, celebrate individuality and co-creation
• During this time we love to integrate new knowledge and bring balance in how we deal with time, action and being.

Financial Transition and Ownership Structure

• We are on the pathway of moving the land into a landtrust and have a COOP as organisation for the internal and external flow of resources.
• We explore innovative concepts like blockchain models for a sustainable ownership structure and the possibility to integrate a larger network of people in it.
• Investors can actively support the landtrust to be established or sub-projects, such as tree nurseries, additional hosting infrastructures, and micro-businesses like food production and educational offerings.

Holistic Vision and Integration

• We envision an economy within the cooperative based on microsolidarity, where different domains of the project support each other.
• A basic income for it’s members
• Regenerative gatherings and festivals to bring the people and resources together to co-create our future

We strongly believe that each person is constantly immersed in one or multiple communities. This realization prompts us to contemplate important questions: Which community do I desire to be a part of? To what extent can I actively shape it? What principles and agreements contribute to making my community an ideal place for personal growth, service, and the nurturing of future generations? How does our community handle power dynamics, resource allocation, and financial matters? How do we approach conflicts and address the consequences when boundaries are crossed or misalignments occur? What is my relationship with the environment, and how do I contribute to the betterment of my local community and the collective as a whole?

Creating and nurturing a community is a transformative journey that empowers us to become self-reliant and accountable citizens. It necessitates deliberate decision-making and active participation in shaping our culture, rather than passively accepting the status quo. Living within an intentional community expands our horizons beyond individual self-discovery; it grants us the opportunity to shape the very fabric of our shared experiences.

Friendship and purpose

In a world often driven by financial gain and the maintenance and expansion of privileges, purpose-driven networks shine as rare gems. These networks are built upon the mutual intent to integrate in our life aspects of our experince and ourself that are either unconscious or fragmented. By witnessing each other’s in service, perseverance, and humbleness when facing advertises, we build a very special kind of trust in one an other. Is a similar trust that special friends develop . The capacity to be there for one an other in consensual and confrontative supportive ways and be co-workers in shaping culture together.

Using technologies to shape power structure in save and transparent ways:

A DAO, or Decentralised Autonomous Organisation, is a digital organisation that operates based on smart contracts and blockchain technology. It is designed to be autonomous and decentralized, with decision-making processes and governance mechanisms implemented through code rather than centralized authorities. DAOs are typically open to participation from anyone who holds the organization’s native tokens, allowing for decentralized decision-making and ownership. They aim to create transparent, trustless, and democratic systems where stakeholders collectively determine the direction and management of the organisation.

A Vision for a Thriving Transpersonal Network

Our aspiration goes beyond the efforts of a few individuals. We aim to create a transpersonal network that thrives through established collaborations. This network is dedicated to manifesting the resources needed to acquire a land base—an oasis for gathering, regeneration, and collective co-creation.

Land Stewards and Cross-Pollinators

Within our community, we explore the concept of two distinct groups. The first group comprises land stewards—permanent residents who focus on daily care and project development. Their dedication lies in creating and maintaining the essential aspects of the land.

The second group consists of cross-pollinators or nomads who bring fresh perspectives and diverse experiences to serve the wider community. These individuals seek a place for retreat and gathering, where they can contribute their unique skills and talents. Our vision involves dedicating one of our lands for this larger network to connect, create, and celebrate together.

Trust and a transpersonal community:

How can we create trust within a network where we do not know everybody? And is a community or a group where i do know everybody more safe and inspiring for me or do i wish to be part fo something bigger? What are agreements and protocols that ensures my safety within a group?

To realise our vision, we strive to establish a network that operates on intimate connections. We actively work on defining these principles, with a focus on fostering a decentralised structure that promotes deep belonging and mutual reliance among all members.

Exponential decentralised trust:

We envision a network were each individual has:

• to be invited from a person of trust
• to invite then two more people witch you have a mutual trust and a commitment to be there for each-others when needed.

We envision a cascate of invitations between trusted people and a digital interface to visualise it and manage decisions and agreements that are legally binding.

• 1 loop: 1 person
• 2 loops: 1 + 3 = 4 people
• 3 loops: 1 + 3 + (3^2) = 13 people
• 4 loops: 1 + 3 + (3^2) + (3^3) = 40 people
• 5 loops: 1 + 3 + (3^2) + (3^3) + (3^4) = 121 people