Heart 2 Heart Farms

We commit to living in deep connection and consideration with our fellow humans. What this means to us is we choose to share authentically and vulnerably with each other in as many of the 14 areas of intimacy as we feel able, prioritizing emotional, intellectual, recreational, and physical (nonsexual) connection with the goal of seeing each other completely and increasing our overall interconnectedness. We prioritize care for the water, the soil, the air, and all who share this space with the knowledge that it’s our responsibility to our ancestors and future generations. How we communicate is of immaculate importance, and we lean on nonviolent communication as our preferred methodology. We use the four agreements of the Toltek as our foundations: Be Impeccable with Your Word, Don’t Take Anything Personally, Don’t Make Assumptions, and Always Do Your Best, and use the following Community Living Agreements to guide our daily practice. Community Living Agreements Cooperation: Working together is one of the most important elements of community. While we each need time alone, sharing duties like cooking, cleaning, harvesting, preserving, and building/beautifying bonds us and gives each individual opportunity for self-expression and ownership. In Practice: I am committed to involving myself with the projects going on around me whenever possible. I participate in shared duties, and I contribute to the sustainability of the community on a daily basis. I will observe my environment and take initiative to involve others and improve quality of life overall. Independence/Self-Reliance: Managing personal responsibilities, space, and time are critical to the success of the group. We commit to caring for tools and equipment to ensure they last (always putting them away), leaving spaces better than we find them, and managing our time, hygiene, and energy levels in ways that add to the beauty of the space and community. In practice: I realize the importance of keeping my body and space clean, managing my time, and cleaning up all spaces I use/we share together, and I am committed to radical self-sufficiency/self-reliance. I set aside time daily for this practice. Balance & Self-Care: It is impossible to pour into others when we are not good to ourselves. This community is faster-paced than most, largely due to our desire to be of service to those in need, which means this place is not a fit for everyone. Balancing our personal health and needs, both physical and emotional, and communicating those needs to the group is critical to a thriving community. In practice: I welcome a fast-pace life of service, and recognize awareness of and communication around my personal needs is critical to my long-term success in any relationship and community. I commit to daily reflection, evaluation, and communication of my needs. Vulnerable Communication: We recognize direct, clear, calm communication of feelings as the cornerstone to healthy interaction. We embrace the practice of NVC both as a group and as individuals, and understand the destructive power of triangulation, labels, judgement, and negativity. We choose to speak “I statements” with emphasis on feelings. In practice: I commit to communicating my feelings directly with people, speaking to my emotions and needs, and applying the principles of NVC (as well as re-reading/studying this method of communication as often as needed with the goal of communication mastery). Intimate Connection: We are committed to deep interaction, authentic listening, and we embrace the healing and beauty made possible through sharing our trauma, healing, and other experiences with others. In practice: I am committed to listening to others with a goal of deep understanding (without agenda). I am open to sharing my hurts, revealing my pains and traumas, and allowing my personal work, as appropriate, to unite us and inspire others to heal. Tranquil Environment: We exercise consideration in all our actions, taking into account each human’s difference in capacity for sound and energy, with the goal of maximizing harmony. In practice: I use mindfulness before creating noise or shifts in energy when others are present. I ask others before exposing them to news, video games, or even music noises, and use sensitivity with my vocal tone, word choice, and volume. Aligned Environmental Values: We are committed as a community to environmental and energetic sustainability and physical health. Our goal is to raise, grow, and harvest 90% of our sustenance, and what we do purchase is done so with the environment and the global population (and pollution) in mind. In practice: I will purchase mindfully with careful consideration to minimize packaging and in support of a standard of ethics that creates the kind of future we want for our children. I will put energy into recycling all things with a goal of eliminating landfill contributions. Privacy: In community, a sense of solitude and consideration for personal space, belongings, and beliefs is critical. We respect the rights and needs of others when sharing, participating, or social engagement is not in their capacity, and honor their needs for seclusion. In practice: I will be mindful and considerate of the belongings, dwellings, and personal spaces of others. Safety: While we are all imperfect humans, we recognize collectively that growing and nurturing a deep love for all humans is how we choose to live our lives. Acceptance and tolerance of others, especially when their choices and values conflict with ours, is the beginning, for it is only through embracing what we do not understand that we know real love and heal the planet In practice: I am committed to releasing judgment, replacing violent words and labels (“good/bad,” “right/wrong,” “better/worse,” “smart/stupid,” etc.) with personal feelings and loving, compassionate language. Important Books for Long-Term Residents: (These books not only hold the framework from which we live and manage the way we walk in our lives, but provide thorough instruction on most of the tools we use daily in community. We read, reference, and re-read them again and again, and believe they are critical to anyone interested in long-term community.) The Four Agreements – Don Miguel Ruiz Mastery of Self – Don Miguel Ruiz I Hear You – Sorenson Living Nonviolent Communication – Rosenberg Say What You Mean – Sofer The Cooperative Culture Handbook – Ludwig/Gimnig Bliss – Cushnir Bliss Brain – Church Wherever You Go There You Are – Kabat-Zinn Hold Me Tight – Johnson