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DUP in Malaysia: A Conversation with AnnJil Chong

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The inaugural DUP retreat, titled “Rhythm of Unity,” was held on November 4-5 at the picturesque Songyan Resort in Pahang, Malaysia. Photo credit: The DUP Malaysia Team

From November 2-5, Malaysia hosted its very first series of Dances of Universal Peace (DUP) events. Participants were led through a transformative two-evening practice session and a two-day retreat by Arjun Calero, a DUP facilitator. We heard a lot of positive feedback from the participants sharing how they went home with a deep sense of gratitude for being a part of such remarkable journey. The following is a conversation with AnnJil, one of the event organizers:

GENOA: What was the experience of organizing the event?

AnnJil:

Collaborating with Winnie has been a truly memorable experience. Her leadership was pivotal in ensuring the success of this event.

While organizing our first retreat, we encountered numerous challenges along the way. These challenges included juggling a full-time job while coordinating the event, conducting extensive venue searches in different states such as Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Johor, and Pahang, securing enough participants, and financing the expenses in advance, to name just a few.

Our communication, both internally and externally, was excellent. We approached any challenges with patience and empathy, resulting in effective solutions. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to work with Winnie.

From right to left: AnnJil, Jessie, Arjun, and Winnie. In December 2022, AnnJil and Winnie had the opportunity to discover the beauty of DUP Gaia Ashram in Thailand. Photo credit: The DUP Malaysia Team

GENOA: What was your most memorable moment during the DUP sessions?

AnnJil:

During the DUP sessions, the atmosphere was truly captivating. It can be best described as filled with a strong sense of unity and harmony, creating an enchanting experience for all participants involved.

The most memorable moment for me was when the last dance was performed to the beautiful song, “May All Beings.” For the very last time, we gathered in a circle on a floating platform, creating an intimate experience of connection. With hands held and eyes locked, we gracefully moved to the rhythm and melody of the music, embodying the profound essence of the poem. Singing with heartfelt passion, we showered each other with love and peace. Thus, our Sangha was born.

GENOA: What was your biggest takeaway from this event?

AnnJil:

The event left a strong impression on me, particularly in terms of its continuation. Last year, Winnie and I were fortunate enough to experience the beauty of DUP. Our hope is to introduce DUP practices to Malaysia as well. Since then, this little seed has been planted in our hearts, and we have nurtured it. Also, we have been well taken care of by our farmers, Arjun and Jessie. With the right conditions, the small seed has evolved into a lovely flower. The flower definitely has the potential to grow into bushes or even a forest when the time comes.

The DUP Malaysian Team celebrated the continuation of DUP with participants who have birthdays in November and December. They hope that this little flower will continue to grow. Photo credit: The DUP Malaysia Team

We’d like to congratulate the team in Malaysia: Winnie and AnnJil along with Arjun and Jessie for organizing and holding space for a beautiful and transformative retreat. May this community of peace, unity, and wisdom continue to grow in Malaysia.

AnnJil Chong. Malaysia

Combining the power of words with a deep reverence for nature, AnnJil is an environmental journalist and activist on a mission to raise awareness and inspire positive change. She embarks on a journey exploring the intersection of spirituality and sustainability, igniting a collective awakening for a greener future.

Attending the Asian Ecoversities Gathering 2023

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The Second Asian Regional Gathering of the Ecoversities Alliance took place at Triem Tay Garden in Hoi An, Vietnam at the start of November 2023. 

Over 40 participants, primarily from Asian countries, attended this 4-day gathering in an unConference format. Spaces were intentionally made with an aspiration but without a set agenda. Different sessions included experiencing local culture through music, food, and stories from Vietnam’s history; co-mentoring each other to reveal the wisdom we can each provide; field trips to meet local projects in Da Nang and Hoi An; open market space to share projects and discuss topics as well as plenty of free time to continue conversations together.

I understand that the purpose of Ecoversities is to gather together people and projects that are focused on expanding thinking around learning. Together we are demonstrating we can learn in any environment, we are all teachers, and we are all students.

Everyone I spoke to felt so energized to recognize that they were part of a wider community. In our everyday local lives perhaps we do not come across many people who share our interests. By contrast, the friends we make in Ecoversities are scattered across the region but it is our passions that bring us together. I believe we all need community, both to be supported by and contribute to. It is this sense of wider belonging that Ecoversities brings and with it more possibilities for us to explore for ourselves and our projects. 

I feel wonderfully nourished by the time spent with so many amazing people, and inspired by our collective dedication to work on so many different topics but all for the benefit of all life. Ecoversities provide a fertile space and actively seeds connections across our region – I’m excited to water these seeds and watch them grow into friendships and collaborations that help us create the world we wish to live in.

Natalie Limwatana (Na), Thailand

Na is a regenerative designer, mud builder, artist and teacher dedicated to nurturing the human potential to regenerate our world. She spends her time helping individuals, organizations and communities to create life enhancing systems. You can find her consulting, designing, coordinating, facilitating, project managing and getting her hands very dirty. Na is blessed to be able to contribute to local, regional and global projects working across varied sectors including art, ecosystem restoration, regenerative business, women’s empowerment and education initiatives. In GENOA, she volunteers keeping accounts as a bookkeeper.

Singing and Dancing for World Peace and Spirit: Dances of Universal Peace in Thailand

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I first got to know about the Dances of Universal Peace, or DUP, when I had the opportunity to help organize an event by Muchimore. At that time, I participated because it was an activity involving singing and dancing, although I didn’t know much about it.

I remember feeling really good during the activity, and when I heard about a camp event, I found it interesting as it turned out to also be a closing activity for Friends & Forest. I knew I needed to take myself there.

The Dances of Universal Peace is a spiritual practice involving circle dancing and chanting songs related to “sacred phrases” in various religions. It aims to promote peace amidst religious and belief differences.

DUP was first organized in 1968, about 55 years ago, and has since grown into a network spanning over 28 countries. In Thailand, there is a community called DUP Thailand that organizes DUP activities regularly and on special occasions. For this event, our Thai organizing team didn’t just bring in casual participants. Instead, we had a “mentor” from Colombia, Malika Salazar, who has organized activities globally. Malika led the process intensively. This time, it wasn’t just “singing and dancing” like before; it was an opportunity to feel more acquainted and connected with DUP, gaining a deeper understanding.

Singing, dancing, and connecting

These are the main activities of the Dances of Universal Peace (DUP). The central focus of DUP is learning songs related to “sacred phrases” from various cultures and beliefs. Each song reflects the connection between words, cultures, and intentions. Before delving into the “dance movements,” I realized that it’s not just about “choreography” as I initially understood. It involves an attempt to connect with different worldviews and various practices.

The lyrics are diverse, featuring English, Hebrew, Hindi, and words from major religions or indigenous traditions. It’s also fun to learn about the origins of songs, including stories from the past and legends related to the songs.

After learning the origins and lyrics, we enter the phase of “singing and dancing” to the song. The majority of the time involves dancing in a circle together, pairing up, rotating partners, and the most intense cultural shock for me initially was the practice of “touching.” It goes beyond hand-holding or putting your arms around the others’ shoulders; it feels like letting my heart connect with the others while dancing.

The first time I participated, I felt quite insecure in this aspect. I have always felt that my energy was not the kind that I should share with others, not something I should pass on to anyone. The activity even involved moments of making eye contact to exchange energy which was too much for me. There were times when I tried to make eye contact with the others and they avoided it, my mind just kept asking “What’s happening, what’s happening”

If asked whether I believe in the exchange of any form of energy, it would still be hard to answer personally. However, what I observed since the first time I participated in the circle were tears. People were “genuinely” hugging each other while I was still struggling to find the reason why one would hug that way. Why would someone just come out of nowhere and give me such a genuine hug? It was an entirely new experience and I didn’t know how I should feel about it.

But it was fortunate that I had joined the circle before, so I roughly knew the atmosphere of the event before coming to the camp. This time, I tried to be open, and calm, and try to observe the people in front of me with a relaxed mind. I experienced the phenomenon of the “warm feeling” that permeates the dancing circle. One aspect I really liked about events that lean towards awareness and spirituality, is that everyone comes not to conflict, not to compete so the atmosphere is filled with friendly people. When we held hands, and looked into each other’s eyes, at the very least, I didn’t feel that the other party harbored any ill intentions towards me. It felt warm somehow.

And this time, I feel that I did much better than before.

Words of Power

Why use “sacred phrases” from religions? It’s because these words have been carrying the “power” to communicate with deities or gods. They have been a part of chants or prayers to communicate intimately with the divine since ancient times so these words kind of have the power that listeners can receive in a similar way.

Malika explained in the voice workshop session about the “power of voice,” which was fascinating. She discussed “voice” as a power that has been with us since birth. However, when we were growing up, we often got “blocked” from using the “voice” due to societal conditioning that discourages the expression of emotions, feelings, or needs. This blocking is akin to blocking our power and our self-awareness of our power.

I personally had the opportunity to take singing courses, but there was never a time when I felt so connected. Vocalization should be both fun and naturally understood. When discussing the correct use of voice, there should not be any specific part of the body intentionally tense. The body should support and promote itself without us having to try. The example about blowing up balloons was impressive for me because as a child, I was always curious why some friends couldn’t blow up balloons at all. I also don’t know why I was able to do it.

One interpretation is that if we can use our voice well, and use the force within us flowingly, it means our body is working in the most natural way possible. Hearing this made me appreciate singing much more, and it felt like the lid on my past singing experiences had been lifted.

And “words” do have real “power” because every time we enter the singing and dancing phase, many people feel overwhelmed, and some even come out with faces soaked with tears almost entirely. Especially when within a community where judgment or criticism is set aside, it becomes an opportunity for everyone to express their feelings fully. This is considered one of the most beautiful aspects of this event.

Many may be familiar with hugging at the end of an activity which is somewhat common. Still, it must be admitted that there has never been a time when hugging someone gave this feeling before. In that moment, it felt like our hearts were truly connected.


Pleng, who is the host of the DUP Thailand community, shared that participating in DUP feels like doing an enjoyable form of meditation. When I was in the circle, I personally felt in a similar way.

Anyone who knows me would probably agree that I am not inclined towards spirituality (if anything, quite the opposite). However, the most impressive aspect is that every time we start singing and dancing, my mind feels remarkably clear. I usually have many thoughts going on in my head, but during the activity itself, I feel calmer and more meditative than ever. In a way, I saw something within myself that I’d never seen in any other activity.

Furthermore, the atmosphere during the dance, with mistakes in the movement or the singing part, provides a constant sense of “authenticity.” We feel the essence of “being alive” through recognizing mistakes. Singing a verse wrong this time, we try again.  Dancing wrong the next, we try again. Everyone embraces the mistakes with laughter that is more than just covering them up. When we collectively laugh at our mistakes, it feels like a grape stomping ritual, realizing the pure and beautiful joy.

For those interested, you can join the DUP Thailand community to participate in weekly activities or occasional events. Seriously, even if you think you won’t like it, it’s an experience worth trying at least once anyway.

One of the things that has been a great inspiration for me from participating in DUP activities is realizing the importance of the heart and soul. Observing and connecting with others with the heart is the initial awareness towards recognizing people as “human”.

This should be one of the first things we discuss when we work related to various aspects of humanity.

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This article is written by Plaster for Muse. See the original article in Thai here.

Translated by: Note & Pleng

Ecovillage Construction Workshop in QiFengShan Ecovillage

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In response to global climate change and the challenges posed by economic downturns, Qifengshan Natural Farming Ecovillage in Wuchang City, Heilongjiang, China, partnered with Qiandao Lake Natural Agro-Ecovillage to jointly organize the inaugural China Ecovillage Construction Workshop from August 1st to August 7th, 2023 (with an additional day added due to heavy rain blocking the road). Despite facing extreme climate conditions, such as floods that disrupted networks, water supply, electricity, and transportation, over 20 participants from across the country immersed themselves in a 7-day study within the metaphorical Noah’s Ark, gaining a deep appreciation for the historical mission of ecovillages.

The workshop welcomed Professor Qiu Yiru, a renowned Permaculture Certified Teacher from Tzu Chi University in Taiwan, to share his expertise. Additionally, Mr. He Jianzeng from Gengdu University addressed key issues in the implementation of ecovillage construction. By integrating the wisdom of Chinese ancestors, including the ideas of natural harmony and the unity of heaven and man found in Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching, along with practical experiences from domestic and international ecovillages, the aim was to create ecovillages that embody distinct Chinese characteristics and wisdom.

The workshop sought to redefine Chinese ecovillages by systematically constructing ecovillage life communities across four dimensions: culture, community, ecology, and economy. This endeavor aimed to contribute to rural revitalization by harnessing the wisdom of our ancestors and creating international ecovillages that harmoniously coexist with all living beings, resembling paradises in each village. Moreover, the workshop aimed to align with international ecovillage standards and serve as a model of sustainable development for ecovillages and communities.

An ecovillage is not necessarily a traditional “village,” but it is definitely a “community” that embodies a complete sense of shared destiny. Simply put, an ecovillage (community) is like a vibrant organism where people live together as equals, respecting and embracing one another, and making decisions collectively. Everyone is a steward of the village, contributing their unique talents while working towards common goals. The guiding principles of unity with nature and following natural laws shape the pursuit of sustainable development, meeting the basic needs of life in an ecologically harmonious manner. Challenges and imperfections may still arise, but people collaborate to face them and co-create a better home.

Course Content:

1. How to plan and layout an ecovillage to achieve comprehensive integration of landscapes, forests, farmland, roads, and housing, while prioritizing energy conservation and carbon reduction?

2. How does an ecovillage operate economically in a sustainable manner?

3. Effective methods for treating and recycling ecological toilets, domestic wastewater, and waste from livestock and poultry farming.

4. Soil improvement techniques that reduce non-point source pollution from pesticides and fertilizers.

5. Making the most of local resources to transform green landscapes into prosperous economic assets.

6. Harmonizing natural architecture with human needs to create sustainable and livable habitats suitable for local ecosystems.

Let’s Map and Weave Local Safety Nets Ahead of Disasters

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Before the pandemic started in 2020, we had to run a Permaculture Design Course for grassroots leaders in disasters that we knew we could not help out during the Taal volcano relief. Thus, we gathered together different changemakers working for community kitchens, breast milk donations, mental health support, and humanitarian coordination to rapidly prototype scalable collaborations. Before we could implement them, a global pandemic started. Thankfully, the people of Taal were finally able to go home after alert levels were reduced. This experience made us realize our niche and identify, we are neither informal aid nor formal aid since we aim to go beyond aid by designing for resilience and regeneration. We are also not a humanitarian organization, but we are ecosystem enablers and weavers to support collaborations for impact through awareness-based systems change. 

In the last two years, we thought about how we could scale this experience for future disasters in the Philippines, where we face intensifying severe weather and even a rise in sea levels 3x faster than the global average due to climate emergencies. 

We are now giving birth to a mapping and matchmaking platform that weaves needs and offers across informal or mutual aid actors to bridge the gap that formal aid providers can’t meet. After repeated cycles and intensifying levels of response needed over the years, we aim to uplift the spirit of Bayanihan in the Philippines that fosters community-led and inclusive efforts to respond to emergencies. 

RELEAF.COMMUNITY is an online ecosystem that maps and weaves regenerative initiatives and communities fostering mutual aid collaborations as local safety nets in times of disruption. It is an online Mapping and Matchmaking Platform that weaves needs and offers across mutual (informal) aid actors to bridge the gap that formal aid providers can’t meet. It is a Design Lab for Resilience and Regeneration that brings together formal and informal humanitarian innovators addressing regenerative aid solutions as disaster response and preparedness to scale for systemic impact. It is an Ecosystem for Regeneration in the absence of emergencies, we wish to map regenerative efforts across the country to localize solutions and promote the shift from sustainable to regenerative development. Aside from serving as a database, it is a community of practice for regeneration in the country.

Here’s how you can collaborate:

If you have a NEED for assistance and support for communities affected. 

We request that you:

  1. 1. Are an SEC/CDA- Registered organization (or with business permits for social enterprises) in the Philippines
  2. 2. Have a landing page for direct donations to be channeled to your registered bank accounts or donation channels
  3. 3. Have partners or initiatives doing mutual aid on the ground 
  4. 4. Can receive and deliver donations on their behalf
  5. 5. Can report donations made within the next 3-6 months. 
  6. 6. Help us promote the platform through your network. 
  7. 7. Work with our team of volunteers who will be your support system to help map and match

Green Releaf Initiative, The Philippines

Green Releaf Initiative’s mission is to transform the narrative of disaster risk reduction (DRR) by “designing for resilience and regeneration”. We promote place-based learning by developing learning sites for ecosystem restoration using regenerative design. We weave ecosystems of collaborations across sectors and stakeholders in a landscape to lead together in designing and implementing their regeneration goals. We strive to restore and regenerate natural and human habitats through nature-based solutions that heal our relationship with the earth. We at Green Releaf believe that a whole-systems approach can bring about healing and transformation on the personal, collective, and planetary levels.

Cover picture credit: Jilson Tiu

Living in Anthropocene: Ethnographical Study of an Eco-Community in Rural Hong Kong

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Kootyin Chow lives in Nam Chung community, an eco-community in the northeastern part of Hong Kong. For her master’s studies, she did an ethnographic study in her community exploring the notion of sustainability using a multi-species perspective including villagers, plants, and animals.

Aerial view of Nam Chung Community

In the excerpt below, drawn from Kootyin’s recently finished thesis on the eco-community project, Kootyin writes about her encounter with a wild boar who accidentally broke into the territories of house-kept dogs in the village and got killed in this pig-dogging incident, and how this allowed her to reflect on her relationship with the animals, plants and other more-than-human beings in the neighborhood.

Loud roaring noises from my neighbour’s pack of twenty-five dogs woke me up on a late summer morning in Nam Chung. I scurried downstairs and went outdoors to see what was happening. On a grassy pitch outside my neighbours’ house, a small female wild boar was caught in a scuffle with four dogs; they launched themselves at the boar and bit its hind legs, whilst the rest of the dogs barked incessantly with excitement. The boar – not much bigger than an ordinary mongrel dog – was already badly hurt with open cuts all over its body and bleeding heavily when I got to the scene. This intruder had left the forests to find food around the village and was desperately caught in the fight. Gasping, whining, charging in all directions in an attempt to escape, the boar couldn’t outcompete the dogs. It was completely at the dogs’ mercy.

Wild boars around Nam Chung

As this happened, Al –who worked for my neighbour’s family – rushed out with a pickaxe. Surrounded by dogs, the boar could only run around in circles. Al grabbed every chance he could to approach the boar and struck heavy blows on its head with the pickaxe. With each blow, the boar whimpered; its squeals provoked the dogs to strike and attack even more. The boar collapsed finally with one last hit on the head; Al pressed his pickaxe against the boar’s head as it lay on the ground panting. Catching his breath, Al did not spare a moment and skilfully tied up the boar’s hoofs. It was then dragged across the grass pitch and the concrete floor of the front yard then tied down and settled on the kennel floor at the back of the house. The dogs followed, leaping enthusiastically, taking advantage of the now badly injured boar, still trying to attack it. Al shouted and the dogs backed off.

The boar was a young female barely one-year-old, Al said to me while deftly tying the ropes. ‘It is really unfortunate, yet it benefits the whole family, including the dogs!’ Upon saying this, Al went away; I continued to stand there and stare at the pig. I reached out to stroke its legs; its bristles were sharp and rough. There were more grunts from the boar: it was still alive, but it had stopped struggling. I knew the boar would soon become food for the family.

Thesis Abstract

Living in this Anthropocene, deepening ecological crises and associated political, social, cultural and economic problems are manifest across the globe. In the face of a doomed world, various forms of community-based, bottom-up social-ecological experiments emerge as a response to present-time environmental challenges. One of these attempts is the building of ecovillages (or eco-communities) as experimental sites for environmental regeneration and sustainable transitions.

Through an ethnographic study of an emerging eco-community in Hong Kong’s north-eastern New Territories, this thesis explores what sustainability entails within the context of this community and its many implications. Based on participant observation, in-depth interviews and oral history, I explore the perspectives of different co-inhabitants – including indigenous and non-indigenous villagers, as well as plants and animals – and seek to understand how they interact and coalesce to inform us of a complex understanding of sustainability. For members of this eco-community, sustainability is situated in their everyday practices – it continuously comes into being through their engagement with the environment and their entanglements with other humans and the more-than-human.

This study provides a glimpse into the process of creation of an ecovillage in the Hong Kong context, albeit it is still in its incipient stage. More importantly, I hope that these multispecies stories will remind us of the inherent responsibility of humans for the continued survival of the Earth and provide us with an alternative paradigm of how we can live with/in/beyond these Anthropocene times.

If you’d like to know more about this eco-community project in Hong Kong or read more of her writing, please contact Kootyin at kootyinchow@gmail.com.

Kootyin Chow. Nam Chung Community, Hong Kong

Kootyin Chow lives and works in an eco-community in Nam Chung, a small Hakka village located in Hong Kong’s far northeast New Territories neighbouring Shenzhen, China. Kootyin is involved in the PEACE (Partnership for Eco-Agriculture and Conservation of Earth) project in Nam Chung, Hong Kong. She’s currently a Mphil student in the Chinese University of Hong Kong anthropology department. She does gardening, cooking, stream walking, wild swimming and spotting insects all the time.

Planting Seeds of Hope in Qiandao Ecovillage

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From August 1st to August 15th 2022, a permaculture design certification course took place at Qiandao Lake Ecovillage which is located in the southwest of the Thousand Island (Qiandao) Lake Zhejiang Province, China. 44 Participants from different areas of China spent 15 days together learning permaculture principles. We worked in groups to design group projects and gained hands-on experiences making compost piles, natural buildings, and gardens. 

2022 PDC Participants at Qiandao Ecovillage

Qiandao Lake Ecovillage was founded in April 2014. In September 2013, Venerable Master Konghai was invited by the local county magistrate to serve as the consultant for a government-led project which intended to establish a learning center for traditional Chinese Culture. Master Konghai held deep care for the planet and asked the magistrate to consider making an ecovillage on Qiandao Lake. The local government responded swiftly in a few days and provided convenience for him to visit several possible locations. After evaluating all the places, Master Konghai decided to set a piece of land in a valley. The place was beautiful and quite secluded. 20 years ago, local villagers migrated out of nearby villages to cooperate with the government’s plan for building the Xin’anjiang Reservoir. Therefore, land here had been returned to nature for 20 years before a group of 20 young people came as pioneers for an ecovillage.

At first, there was no architecture except for a thatched shed which later became the ecovillage’s tool hut. 20 young ecovillagers lived in the shed which leaked rain on rainy days. They started growing food and created initial infrastructures for an ecovillage. The local government played a vital role in making electricity accessible, followed by an 800,000 yuan (approximately 112,000 USD) investment helping to build the road connecting the ecovillage to its nearby village.

“When you have a truly selfless intention to benefit the whole world, benevolent forces will synchronize together to support you”

Master Konghai
Dining hall structure with banana circle in front

Nowadays, around 25 regular residents dwell at Qiandao Lake Ecovillage. They carry out courses and workshops for making ecovillages, learning principles about the Tao, and practicing a lifestyle that is centered on spiritual growth. The place had been transforming its residents and visitors, incubating Earth Seeds that create eco projects all over the country. Core courses that took central place for residents and visitors included Mysteries of Dao De Jing Revealed, No Boundary: Eastern and Western Approaches to Personal Growth, and Theory and Practices for Building Ecovillages. Such shared learnings brought all villagers together and provided them with resources for solving disagreements in their community.

Ecologically, Qiandao village had been practicing natural farming since its beginning. Experienced teachers of natural farming and permaculture were invited periodically to give courses. The village has also been storing rainwater, practicing a zero-waste lifestyle, using a banana circle to process grey water, and maintaining their composting toilets. In recent years, natural buildings have also become a key feature and strength. Several small self-circulating systems which consist of natural buildings, rainwater collectors, gardens, and animals had been created by residents near the ecovillage’s center region. The team is now planning an outdoor classroom for children’s education.

Qiandao Ecovillage plants seeds of hope by making itself an example of living in harmony with nature, which is the teaching of both permaculture and the Tao. We wish it to keep flourishing and transform more visitors who are nourished by this land. There’s no time like now that the planet urges us to observe its laws and come into alignment with the principles of Heaven and the Earth.

About the Author

Yuting Yin, University of California Davis

Yuting is a Ph.D. student of anthropology at the University of California Davis. She is an ecovillage researcher and focuses on studying ecovillages in China. She has studied mental health and organized support groups for people who struggle with eating disorders. Her interest in mind-body well-being leads her to explore ecovillages since 2016. After two years of living in a cooperative living community in Davis, California. Currently, her research journey is taking her to deepen her roots in her native cultural tradition and tap into the power of practicing what is learned along the way.

Joining the Dances of Universal Peace International Camp in Yalova, Turkey

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A few weeks ago, I had the wonderful chance to participate in the Dances of Universal Peace International Camp that was held in Yalova, Turkey. It was a 5-day camp where we did a lot of rounds of sacred dances, meditation, and workshops with participants coming from all over the world. And I’m thrilled to share that the dance is coming to Asia in the coming months.

All of the dance leaders, musicians and participants of the camp

The Dances of Universal Peace is a practice developed by Sufi teacher and Zen master Samuel L. Lewis. It is a transformational practice that invokes an embodied sense of unity, presence and compassion and touches the spiritual essence within ourselves through reciting sacred phrases, music and dance from various wisdom traditions of the world. This practice can be done by a group of people anywhere from five to hundreds, even thousands of people creating powerful resonance and harmonic vibration. You can learn more about the dances at dancesofuniversalpeace.org. 

The whole experience of participating in the dances has been really heart-opening for me. In the beginning, we didn’t really know each other, we simply shared our presence without much connection. In a session, we did a number of dances one after another. And by the end of the first session, it felt to me that all of these people (there were a little more than a hundred of us) that I don’t know before are my brothers and sisters. We all come from different cultures and backgrounds (there were 27 countries represented from South America, North America, Europe, Central Asia, Middle East, and Asia), yet it was so easy for us to feel connected, and develop care and love with each other. As a result, talking and getting to know each other at a deep level during meals and between sessions became a very effortless process.

We were lucky to have very experienced dance leaders that have been doing this for decades – some even for 50 years! They guided us on how to utter sacred words (mantras or dzikrs), sing the melodies, and also the dance movements. After five to ten minutes of instructions, suddenly one hundred people are all dancing and chanting together in beautiful harmony. It is magical to see how I can move in rhythm and sing very firmly despite not having much experience dancing and singing. I think everyone regardless of their dancing or singing skills can easily in these dances.

Listening to the instructions from the dance leader

The focal point of the dances is participation rather than performance. It is totally okay to make mistakes and forget the sequence from time to time as the most important aspect of it is how much involvement and devotion we give when chanting and dancing. I tried to give my utmost involvement during the dances and invoke as much devotion as I can within myself. As the sessions go by, I felt that my heart opened up like the petals of a flower in the morning. Opening up to receive as much light from the sun and fully express the beauty within, not being worried about anything that’s coming – the breeze of the wind or the rain. Living in contemporary modern society, I feel the need to shut myself and numb myself from the pain that arises from witnessing all the things that don’t feel right like people taking advantage of others, wasting resources, violence, slaughtering of animals, deforestation, pollution, etc. I’m grateful that through practice that is done collectively in a safe atmosphere, I learned how to open up my heart and put aside the protection when I feel it’s safe to do so. It is an inner skill that I think will be vital for my growth as a person.

The Dances are coming to Asia!

Having experienced the effect of the dances myself, I am really thrilled that GENOA is collaborating with DUP International to hold several workshops in Asia and have more connections with the dances. It is a beautiful and powerful collective tool to build connection, community, and awareness. Something that perhaps the ecovillage movement in Asia could really find fitting. I also think that this can be something easy to overlook as from the outside it looks like we’re just a group of people dancing, not doing anything tangible for the world. But I believe the transformation that is happening within each person through the dances will find diverse and beautiful ways to tangibly manifest in the future. I can already feel this possibility within myself. 

We invite you to experience this wonderful tool of unity with us. Please feel free to extend this invitation to your friends and family that might be interested to come along. You can see the dates below. More info will be announced soon, so please stay tuned to our social media channels.

See the Event Page and Fill out the Interest Form

Remember, anyone regardless of age, gender, race, religion, belief, dance, and singing skills can participate in this practice. Let’s build connections and recharge each other with energies of compassion, unity, and harmony. See you all there!

We came together beaconing unity, love, peace, and harmony

About the Author

Luvian Iskandar, Communications Coordinator at GENOA

Luvian has just completed his studies when he joined GENOA as communications coordinator. As he became aware of the social and environmental degradation in the world, he resonated with the holistic approach within the ecovillage movement in regenerating social and environmental systems. He chose to study the early development stage of ecovillages for his master’s program, thinking that he might be involved in such a project in his home country, Indonesia, in the future. He feels that building bridges across divides is one of the most relevant works today as we need an understanding of unity to overcome the global issues we are facing as humanity. He hopes to contribute to such a cause through his role in GENOA.

Story of the TUI Community Being – An Invitation for Resilience

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This article was written by Robina McCurdy from TUI Community, Aotearoa – New Zealand

Tui is a 35-resident community in the Golden Bay bioregion of the South Island of Aotearoa/New Zealand.  It is situated in a relatively remote rural area, adjoining the Abel Tasman National Park.  The land is owned by a Charitable Trust, administered by the Trustees who have gone through the steps of becoming a resident, then Prospective Member, then a full member of the Trust.  This is a caretaking stewardship role of the land, its resources, and people the who occupy it. Trustees do not own land or shares but have the ‘Right to Occupy’ in perpetuity.  Members design, build and own their own houses.  Tui Community is the main project of the Trust.  The first of eight objectives of our Trust Deed, states:

‘To promote education within New Zealand on the role and function of sustainable communities, by establishing a living, working example of an intentional community that combines the essential principles of spiritual awareness, earthcare, connection with nature and appropriate lifestyle, where residents and visitors can participate in a variety of educational and spiritual practices’.

trust deed of tui trust

Our community’s broad mission statement is:  ‘As a community, we are seeking wholeness in relationship with ourselves, each other, and the planet.’  In many ways, Tui is a social experiment.  We are dedicated to personal growth and supporting the wellbeing of others, and we have a learned lot of tools to do this, the most current being ‘Possibility Management’.  We create our culture from ancient, contemporary and original practices, trying out ways that feel right and endorse ‘earth-based spirituality’.  We review and change our systems as they no longer seem to serve us.  We all contribute our labour voluntarily to an ‘energy input system’ as well as working bees, that run the practicalities of the place.  We have a successful community business that employs more than half of the community.  Tui features a community house, craft workshop, farm machinery sheds, members’ houses, communal orchard, vegetable gardens, farm, Tui Balms co-operative business, and the Outdoor Events Field (hired to the public as well as Tui members, as a venue for educational and cultural events). 

Tui Annual Apple Harvest

At Tui we have four kinds of meetings:  Trust Board meeting, Heartshare (both monthly), Community meeting (fortnightly), and a Tuki (stands for Tui Community Integration), which happens 3 – 4 times per year over a weekend. 

The Tuki is essential to our community’s wellbeing. It’s a retreat when we gather together to address a vital theme that has been emerging through our meetings, which is either too contentious, ongoingly emotionally charged and philosophically deep. A Tuki typically facilitates a paradigm shift within the community, with a resultant change in policy and/or operating systems. Dates are scheduled around a year in advance so that everyone can prioritise attending, and we hire an external cook and childcare person to enable all residents to be fully present.  

The main part of our Tuki format and process is modeled on the Heartshare culture of all indigenous peoples. This is deep listening to each other, giving full attention to the one holding the talking stick/stone/object, who is speaking from his/her heart space and belly feelings in relation to the theme’s issues and aspirations. In this way, underlying unspoken emotions and feelings can be expressed, and spaciousness for accessing spiritual wisdom opens up. Through this, a clear collective forward direction emerges. Our Tuki generally has two parts:  the first day being various exercises building connection with each other, with a Heartshare for most of the day. The second day is in the style of stocktaking, analysis, and strategic planning arising out of the Heartshare, so that we complete the Tuki with tangible action held by small groups.

‘Creating a Structure’ Activity at Tuki

‘Growing Resilience from Where We Are’ was the theme of our last Tuki – addressing resilience physically, socially, economically, and environmentally. Early in Day 2, we did a ‘Fishbowl’ process to draw out the informational facts and statistics our residents knew about the state of the world, so we could build up a collective knowledge pool and bring urgency into the room. Then in pairs, we shared these questions:  What do you see?  What do you feel?  What do you hope for?  What do you want to do?

Following this, we brainstormed the vulnerability of our community in the context of global events, trends, and crises (eg climate catastrophe, unreliability and scarcity of supplies, financial collapse) and how we could buffer ourselves to the best of our abilities.  We looked at the proneness of our land areas close to sea level, the slips of some hilly areas, flooding potential, earthquake impact, geographical remoteness, and the challenges to growing sufficient food. We did an inventory of resources and people skills so we collectively knew what we had to draw on as well as what the gaps were. We divided into ‘hubs’ to come up with mitigating strategies, forward planning, and accountable action steps. 

We punctuated these serious topics with a fun outdoor activity that engendered cooperation as well as challenging teams to use minimal resources to create something functional and aesthetic within a minimal timeframe. Each of the randomly selected three groups was given the same equipment – 12 long bamboo pieces, a bucket, a rope, some decorations, etc. Then there was a ‘show and tell’ with lots of laughter, and we voted on which was the most interesting and the most functional and why. At Tui, we find it most beneficial when a diversity of captivating processes are used to engage and sustain group energy, especially when dealing with serious topics needing resolve. 

Co-creating the “Tui Being”

On the first day of this Tuki we used a new creative process devised by Aralyn and Inna, to look deeply into our group characteristics and psyche, making visible our brilliance, blocks, and functionality. This was entitled: ‘Where we are Now – Mapping of the Tui Being’. It took the form of brainstorming, onto a huge paper in the center of the room, on which was drawn the outline of a person, with their body parts, including their internal organs. Each person had several little papers to write what qualities were represented by the parts of the anatomy they chose, then stood up to verbally name that, sticking down their paper on that place. The question was: “What are the vital parts of our Tui being? What is collectively alive?” 

Next came the topic: ‘Myself in the Now & beyond’ as part of/in relation to the Tui Being.’ This was facilitated in the form of contemplative questions, shared together in pairs  Each person needed to consider these questions: Where do I put my energy – emotionally, mentally, energetically, physically? Consciously and unconsciously? How do I feel in Tui? What am I angry about? Scared about? Sad about? Glad about? What energizes me at Tui when I involve myself?  Given the state of the world, how might I want to evolve my place in Tui from here? Where do I want to put my energy consciously? 

This primed everyone for a deep heartsharing as a whole group, on the topic: ‘Myself in the Now & Growing Resilience beyond’.  Each individual picked up three stones and placed them on the qualities that had been identified, based on what they could relate to most strongly.  As they placed each of their stones down, people spoke to this, with the group listening attentively.   

We know that sharing feelings in an open transparent provides a connected foundation for daily living together, managing the land, undertaking new projects, and braving the crises our world is facing and will face even more severely in the future. 

About the Author and Community

Robina McCurdy, Aotearoa – New Zealand

Robina is co founder/resident/trustee of Tui Land Trust and its 37 year old Tui Community, founder of the Institute for Earthcare Education Aotearoa, and SEED (Schools Environmental Education & Development). She is also a graduate of GEN’s ‘Training of Trainers’ course, and an ongoing keen participant in GENOA’s on-line education and networking platforms. Globally, for the past 30 years, she has been engaged in permaculture education and community development in various forms – including social permaculture, mentoring new ecovillage initiatives, squatter settlement re-development and strengthening community culture within existing organizations. She has produced a range of community resilience resources focusing on participatory processes for decision-making and collective action Her strongest passion is the application of Permaculture at the Bioregional scale, which she has trained hundreds of community leaders in, through Earthcare’s ‘Localising Food Project’.

Tui Community, Aotearoa – New Zealand

Tui Community is located in Wainui Bay, Golden Bay, in the North-West of the South Island of Aotearoa. Original members established Tui in 1984 after purchasing 50 hectares of farmland on the edge of the Abel Tasman National Park. Their aim was to create an intentional community. Over the years, our community, people, and processes have evolved – and we are open to you finding out more about us by visiting our website.

Two Women’s Journey to Intentional Community

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Hi from Scilla and Sharyn. We are deep friends.  We are also members of Narara Ecovillage in New South Wales, Australia. Our ecovillage website, https://nararaecovillage.com is a mine of information – so go dig! We met 7 years ago when the ecovillage site had been purchased but no building of new homes had begun. Scilla and her partner were in transit towards a shared life, leaving their separate homes in Tasmania and Sydney while Sharyn was in the process of selling her beautiful home of 25 years in order to live at Narara.

Both energetic, socially committed and somewhat rebellious ‘Maga’ women in our rich Autumn stage of life, we found much in common, despite birth places literally ‘poles apart’: Scilla was born in Edinburgh, Scotland and Sharyn grew up in the heart of Sydney. We both chose paths quite early in life that deviated from the norms expected by our families, we both lived in an ‘intentional community’ with our young children and we both found our greatest personal and professional satisfaction in the spheres of inner growth, conflict resolution, and therapeutic support.   

Sharyn was one of the ‘pioneer’ members of Narara. Inspired by the determination of Lyndall Parris, Narara Ecovillage founder, she joined around 20 other visionary contributors pooling resources to buy this glorious valley property. Narara Ecovillage Cooperative is now the steward of 170 acres nestled between the deep peace of Strickland State Forest and the suburb of Narara. Intercity rail links give us easy access to both Sydney and Newcastle.

Narara Ecovillage was legally constituted as a trading Cooperative with all memberships holding an equal shareholding. Membership is a prerequisite to buying a plot of land and building a house at the ecovillage. The commitment and courage of the early members to the vision of building an inspiring, sustainable ‘demonstration’ ecovillage was remarkable and Sharyn was a critical catalyst in the manifestation of this dream. 

Sharyn designed and built her ‘hippy’ home of 17 years living in a community in the northern New South Wales rainforest. After many years of more suburban life, Narara gave her the opportunity to revel in the design and construction of her beautiful natural build home.  Drawing on her talents as a painter, aspiring glass artist, budding sculptor, and accomplished clothing creator she offered specialist builders and artisans the scope to demonstrate their skilled craftsmanship in working with natural and recycled materials of all kinds.

Laying down the ‘social foundations of community is arguably more important than the physical infrastructure and Sharyn stepped early on into the role of community catalyst by setting up the Wellbeing Circle and facilitating monthly Members Meeting for many years. She enriched early policies and procedures with insight from her decades of training and practice in mediation, conflict resolution, and crisis counseling as well as her own inner work. When talking to prospective members of the ecovillage, she cheerfully affirms that ‘living in community is the toughest personal development course you’ll ever take’! She knows this from personal experience!

Scilla came across ‘intentional communities’ while studying in California in the ’70s on a scholarship from her Scottish university. The trauma of war veterans she met in classes, the courage of social changemakers, and the commitment of environmental activists defending our fragile planet Earth as well as disillusionment with the economic and social consequences of actions by the dominant Global North helped to plant seeds for her life of ‘active pacifism’. Her areas of work included practice and policy in child protection and juvenile justice, teaching, disability support, journalism, and an ongoing reverence for the healing power in the space between people and horses.

While Sharyn’s earlier ‘community’ (and her mothering) experiences were set in the remote rainforest of Eastern Australia, Scilla found herself the parent of two small boys living in a large shared property with a volatile group of young people living as long-term WWOOFers in a 19th century English country house under renovation. This was a fascinating and tough introduction to stepping outside the norm of Western family homes and taught her a great deal about what was wonderful as well as what does not work in a community. In particular, the unilateral power held by a founder/leader can spell disaster when the going gets tough.

Having encountered Quaker communities in her earlier overseas exchange experience, a year of traveling with 2 small children a decade later connected her with the worldwide intentional peace-building community’ of Servas https://www.servas.org.au.  This strengthened Scilla’s commitment to conscious ethics-based community building and moving to live in Tasmania in the late 1980s presented the opportunity to explore place-based intentional community once again.

She became involved in at least eight aspiring or emergent ecovillage projects in that time … most failed to materialize due to legal, planning, or finance impediments or did not meet her needs and expectations at the time. Factors that deterred her included insufficient clarity around a shared vision, remote physical location, lack of inclusive decision-making, damaging inequity in resources, or incompatibility of personalities in key leadership roles.

However, this time in Tasmania also introduced Scilla to inspiring organizations and catalysts to creating healthy sustainable communities – be they for purpose or place-based. These included GEN, Pachamama Alliance, Nonviolent Communication (NVC), Conflict Resolution Network (CRN), Alternatives to Violence (AVP), and Permaculture, including a focus on Social Permaculture.  A powerful and enduring sense of community formed around her rural property where she offered equine-assisted growth and learning experiences.

Meeting one another, with tapestries of life weaving in so many similar threads, felt like a ’knitting together’ at a soul level.  We laugh a lot and cried a fair bit too!  While occasionally treasuring silence – especially in forest walks, we have shared many rowdy dinners and countless discussions as co-leaders of our Community Circle.  We enthusiastically deepen our practice of Sociocracy and are currently exploring the application of the Prosocial ‘lens’ to strengthen collaboration in our community and honestly accompany people interested in considering membership on their ‘Journey to Joining’ Narara Ecovillage.  

We feel blessed to be here and grateful for our capacity to continue to grow and learn. Above all, we are enlivened by the opportunity offered by this ecovillage – and the international movement it is part of – to contribute to shaping a peaceable world for our grandchildren’s grandchildren and all Life. 

You can find more information about Narara Ecovillage on their website here.

About the Authors

Sharyn Wilson. Narara Ecovillage, Australia

Sharyn is a pioneer member of Narara Ecovillage. Born in Sydney, she has led an adventurous and creative life. She built her home in the rainforest of northern New South Wales, raised her son, and lived with self-sufficiency and personal growth as her intentions. She has pursued a lifelong journey of learning and practicing conflict resolution, mediation, and personal development as well as art, travel, and a commitment to the community. Returning to the North Shore area of Sydney she found and later re-designed her beautiful Avalon home while continuing to help others through crisis counseling work. Drawn back to the quest for a more intentional community, she attended a gathering at the critical decision-making point in the purchase of Narara and said YES in no uncertain terms by joining the early investors. She has been at the heart of the Community Circle, is a member of the ecovillage Steering Circle, and facilitated the monthly Members’ Meetings throughout the early years, and is deeply committed to the practice of Sociocracy (and now the introduction of Prosocial) at Narara Ecovillage. 

Scilla Sayer. Narara Ecovillage, Australia

Scilla was born in Scotland and grew up with a deep sense of commitment to place-based community.  She discovered ‘intentional community’ while on an overseas scholarship year at the University of California in the early 1970’s. Scilla found work as an editor and art correspondent in London before moving to join a small community in Norfolk. Life circumstances and a need to escape Thatcherism in the UK led to a radical life shift in the 1980s.  She and her husband traveled for a year with 2 small children and moved to Tasmania. Her lifelong connection with horses and deep appreciation for the transformative power of the relationship between them and humans led her to explore equine-assisted therapy. She trained in New Zealand, the USA, UK, and Australia, establishing ‘Chiron Horse Programs’ in Tasmania. This flourished for nearly 20 years. All this time she was involved with a number of ecovillage development projects before she felt the draw to Narara Ecovillage. Now living there full-time and deeply involved with supporting social sustainability, she balances this intensity with meeting a growing interest from ecovillagers and others who wish to explore the magic and the learning that exists ‘in the space between people and horses’. You can reach her at scilla.sayer@gmail.com.