With all of the news and ongoing life changes for all of us that are covered and coming, it's important to look more to lifestyle choices for ways to reduce stress, enjoy life more fully, get exercise and nature connection, and live healthfully. Living a lifestyle that matches your understanding of what is important in the areas of lowering your carbon footprint, eating healthy foods and making your life habits and pastimes fit with your values for a more sustainable, and vital community can only be beneficial to your sense of wellbeing and setting an example for your family.
We haven't fully recovered from recent events such as the huge storm, Sandy, that recently hit the east coast and that we felt even here in the midwest.
To stay psychologically healthy ~ such sweeping & significant events affect our sense of security, either consciously or unconsciously, calling for clear action, and empowered responses to our sense of the interconnectedness of life on our planet and how our way of living has an impact. There is nothing more inspiring and spirited than enacting these new insights more fully in your own personal life and in empowered fashion!
Nowadays, we all hear about local foods, organic gardening and learning new skills for fun and enjoyment close to home. Many of us feel depressed, anxious and powerless at times in our work settings, or in hearing the news and taking action to integrate these new patterns in our lives gives a sense of empowerment and control, as well as giving you the benefits of new relationships in your neighborhood and nearby community as well as nature connection ~ such an important and often long neglected necessary ingredient to healthy living.
Here's a fun picture of the way we 'used to do it' ~ from 1895 a 'yarden' in Wisconsin ~ this is now the yard of the future, and what fun! Yes! If they could do it - we can do it! A garden like this provides exercise, healthy food rather than highly processed or gmo food from the store, unlimited outlets for your creativity as well as fun and opportunities for learning for your children; a good excuse to spend more time out of doors and to meet neighbors, slow down.
Now here in the Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and surrounding county we are most blessed to have great growing resources to help you in such an adventure with Project Grow, in Ann Arbor, Growing Hope in Ypsilanti, City Farm started in Ypsilanti, and Jesse Tack, of Abundant Michigan & Aurora Design Solutions who offers regular monthly classes and mentorship in Ypsilanti on city permaculture. Yes, these are all
relevant to your and my 'mental health' and being connected with the world and planet, very important facets of your 'growth edge' as you nurture your self growth personally today.
Here's just one example of resources available to you in the Ypsilanti/Ann Arbor area:
Sustainable Michigan sponsors:
Subject: You're invited to a Permaculture Site visit and analysis
You recently received a notice on a monthly Permaculture workshop ~ scheduled for the first Monday in December. Meanwhile, this month we have an experiential learning session at the home of a small urban farm family, the Yoder's of Pollywog urban farm in Ypsilanti.
Jesse, as a presenter/facilitator, is warm, funny and engaging, and has kept us laughing and learning. In addition to ourregular monthly event on first Monday of the month nights at Growing Hope, We will continue to work with site analysis of a few Homesteads as well as do occasional work/experience parties between monthly meetings - stay tuned!
You're welcome to
join us if this interests you - and so I'm forwarding Jesse Tack's note (below) about this event:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Good Day!
sector analysis, zone analysis, calculate rooftop rainwater collection, do observation and pathway
Please consider joining us at:
Pollywog Urban farm
303 Forest Ave.
Ypsilanti, MI at Grace Yoders and Briannon English's homestead in the heart of Ypsilanti.We will meet from 5-7, ending after at the nearby Corner Brewery to have some discussion of the site,mapping, sector analysis, etc.
Please share and join us if you are so inclined.
RSVP, or with questions ~
Best ~
--
Jesse D. Tack
MT-BC
Co-founder, Aurora Design Solutions Inc.