Finding the land might take years or we might find it next week. Once we have it we will want to get moving. Over the last few months a number of people have mad contact with me expressing an interest or offering their skills. That has been a fantastic boost and has helped the vision take shape.

Now I want to start creating a number of lists of interested people with particular skills and experience as well as people who might be unskilled but keen to work on the project.

So, bearing in mind that this is just in case we do find land in the next few months, if you might be interested in helping and fit into one of the categories below please e-mail me with some details (facts and figures about yourself as well as contact details). I will then keep you in touch with developments by e-mail and you’ll at least have the option of getting practically involved if you so wish when the time comes. Please pass this request on to others in the Triratna Buddhist Order and Community that you think might be interested.

Architects

Landscape Architects

Designers

Structural Engineers

Land Managers

Building Trades

Alternative Energy Engineers

Sustainability Project Designers

Artists

Gardeners

Outdoor Event Managers

Self-funded able-bodied Workers

Able-bodied Workers

One of the finest aspects of Madhyamaloka is the beautiful garden masterfully created by Sanghadeva over many years. It is enjoyed by all who visit but particularly by Bhante as he takes his daily walks amongst the delightful flower gardens.

Now it occurs to me that if we do find land this year and if we hope to create a new abode for bhante and his support community next year we will also need to create his garden. (Or rather Sanghadeva hopefully will!) We will want to create a garden at least as big as the current Madhyamaloka garden so that Bhante will have a beautiful space to explore as he takes his exercise.

Plants cost money, especially well developed specimens, so here’s an idea. I want as many folk as possible to contribute plants for Bhante’s garden. Perhaps you could start growing plants now especially for him – as many as you like. Then when the time comes we’ll collect all the plants and have a grand time laying out the gardens and planting them up. We’ll need a lot of plants so no need to be cautious and we’ll be looking for big bushes and trees as well as small plants. We’ll hope for some plants that are particularly good for partially sighted folk given Bhante’s eyesight difficulties.

Perhaps you could let me know if you plan to contribute in some way so that when the time approaches I can let Sanghadeva have some idea of what plants he might be working with.

I might just dig up some of my favourite established plants rather than grow new ones but let’s see. Of course we don’t know what soil type we’ll be working with but we can assume it won’t be coastal or in the warmer southern part of the country.

Perhaps I should have called this entry ‘leading Bhante up the garden path’….

I had the great pleasure of meeting with Bhante today. We discussed how the vision of the land project was clarifying and  he was able to offer a few points of guidance where uncertainties and concerns had arisen.

I wanted to clarify what he himself wanted in terms of accommodation and explained that we were determined that his move would be a stress free and seamless as was humanly possible. In fact I thought we might recreate his exact current floor plan in the new location to make life easier for him. However he made it clear that this was not necessary. He asked for his rooms to be all on the ground floor and wondered whether he might have a kitchen space big enough to eat in rather than have to eat in his sitting room as at present.

But most interestingly he said that he did not want to take many of the things in the flat with him as he wants a simpler life. He wants to be free of the clutter and a move to a new abode will enable him to have a space free of clutter and a simpler environment. As he’s not writing now he doesn’t want most of his books around him and many of his Buddhist images can be rehoused in the ‘library’.

There are many reasons why we need the Sangharakshita Land Project but perhaps creating an abode for Bhante that really suits him for this phase of his life would be reason enough.