Around 15 years ago I placed adverts in the local newspapers. Well what I refer to as adverts weren't really adverts: more like one liner sentences that I conjured up to elicit reaction.

One liners like: have you had thoughts of a village or a small community? Phone Emmanuel at tel number.

At the time what I found interesting was how many people phoned and shared with me how my one liner caused profound reaction in them.

Since that time I've not done it again.

However in June 2009 I launched this website and my book. Several people have shared with me since the launch and when I share with them how I want to create a center they in turn share how they also have such thoughts: Of creating a center.

And in most cases people were astounded at such similar thoughts.

I suspect the center and the small village or a small community has bearing on the other.

Here I'd like to share why I feel we have such thoughts. See, Just Prior to Conception: Our Intentions Are Surely That of a Spirit Being and One for more on the topic of our origins.

Let's delve into why people have such thoughts and what the correlations are and if there are indeed any connection to our origins. And whether these thoughts are related to the time prior to our conception.

Is it possible that we yearn for our origins: The source of our lives where we are at peace and where our ingredients are that of souls manifesting here on planet earth with the constraints that we've created and therefore not manifesting our essence; not manifesting our meaning; not manifesting our purpose; not living our optimal lives, and instead are manifesting our Factor-x as a survival mechanism? For more see, Factor-x and How It Comes About.

Hence we yearn for the simplicity and the ingredients in us that are so locked away that we're not aware of them. As an example. From time to time I ask people whether they consider themselves as part of nature: in most cases they immediate reaction is not. And then I ask them to stop for a moment to consider my question again and then as a second consideration they conclude they are, and consider themself different to nature.

Is this indeed the case or a perception? Are we part and parcel of nature? And when we realize this dynamic, and realize how differently we conduct our lives from the rest of nature, I suspect in the main because we have the added capability to make choices and to steer our lives the way we'd prefer to, then maybe we'd make the choice to free ourselves from our Factor-x and take the journey of our optimal life.

During many years I've pondered the question of people participating in the center. And where to start describing it and how to describe it and to describe it is to define it and to define it is to limit it and the center would be different and more than I'd ever be able to describe it or define it.

So rather than describe the center let me approach it from another stance. People participating in the center would have these experiences. They'd be doing the things they like doing. And it doesn't matter what they're doing. It would be things created from an underlying reason of what they've always wanted to do. Moment for moment there would be no restrictions placed on what they're doing.

Some for instances. Let's say you manufacture something, like children's clothing. Or say you like to make music and have never had the opportunity. Or let's say you want to compose music and do not know how. Or lets say you like the outdoors and want to have a garden or plant vegetables. Or maybe you like cooking. Or like an older man ask me once, he'd like to read to the children.

Each person has certain things they have a natural talent for. For instance, my talents are amongst other things, with writing, computer programming and marketing.

We'll bring our children to the center.

And there would be a place for us to eat where people who enjoy cooking and baking would cook and provide food and snacks for us. And when we feel like a break, maybe we'd pitch in with someone else and assist them.

And some of us would have skills which implicitly apply to assisting others with their activities.

The center would have a world wide presence via the Internet and thus the center would be a business and earn from making what we manufacture available over the Internet. And people who like that activity would apply themselves in such positions and bring of their flair to such activities.

And there would be people who would put up plays or music concerts and there'd be yet others who'd like to record such activities and we'd cut DVDs which can be sold over the Internet to customers all over the world.

Thus there is place for everyone and because we pool our talents with no one telling us how to do whatever we like doing we can do the things we like doing and make such skills available to other people in the center and visitors to the center. And such a center could evolve from humble beginnings to several such centers all over the world. And the theme of each center would be that participants would do in the center what they like doing with their lives. And off course each person in the center would have talents and skills which they'd make available to the other participants as part of what they like doing.

One proviso is off course that each participant in the center has a similar theme and that we strive to keep in line with the theme and that we somehow make the center a viable financial organization.

And where there are day to day chores participants would possibly take turns doing them.

Further to the center and the reason for establishing it is so people are aware of the center and those all over the planet as being a place where they are welcome and safe and where their dignity has a chance to flourish. And people hearing of the center would visit for the wares we offer. And one of the main wares we'd offer is our own value, that value which is part of our being and manifests naturally with the things we do.

Even street people would be welcome. They'd get a chance to uncover themselves. I'm 100% certain each one of them if they get a fair opportunity would show a side of themself that was always suffocated by the system. They'd somehow make some payment up front before given the make over treatment of cleaning, medication, clothing and nourishment. And they'd have limited chances to become part of the center. Thus the center would not be there for anyone's abuse or as a charity. To become part of it their dignity is the first thing at stake and they'd need to dig into that first as part of allowing them into the center. I'm certain it would not be difficult to find a mechanism to make it possible even for such destitute people.

I see these centers as a place where people on the outside have an opportunity to meet the people in the center through the activities that the center undertakes. Either our musical concerts or our plays or the schools where they can come and practice certain things, like learning to make clothes, learning to paint, where a school is merely a facility for them to experience things differently.

The centers would be an alternative meeting place. With a close knit community of participants and visitors will instinctively feel we're a bunch of people with different values and where we're comfortable to expose our meaning: and that it isn't a place where we look for meaning.

At some point the center would likely have teachers as participants who would want to start a school with a difference. Where children might be taught from a stance where the school becomes an institution of learning as opposed to one of teaching. Thus where the children decide what they would like to apply themselves to and the schools supplies such guidance. At the same time, possibly attached to the school we might want to have a day care center where our children are part of the community and where the parents do not have to drive around to drop off and collect their children.

What feeling would such a center constitute for you? What feeling does such a center elicit or awaken in you? Stop for a moment and do not read on. What is it that you feel from such a center?


Establishing the center

Establishing the first center would take a huge amount of courage and possibly more finances than what I'd likely be in a position to muster together. However, somehow the funds for such a center would be secondary to other things. That is participants who feel they want to be part of such a center and have specific desires and reasons for doing it. And for participants to align those reasons and desires in a way that the central theme, that of people doing the things they like doing is maintained, without intentionally or unintentionally wanting to deviate from such a theme.

As I see it, some finances are necessary. Then maybe a small group of industrious people are required who are aligned and like-minded and are people able to make things happen, make a plan and then work the plan and have the ability to navigate contingencies where the plan needs to be altered. People who can focus and refocus and expedite such plans.

And it goes without saying, there would be people interested who could play a role with the smaller individual tasks of setting up the center.


Little Worlds

Such a center and such similar centers elsewhere in the world would be little worlds in the bigger world. The idea is not to isolate ourselves from the rest of the world, and merely focus our efforts separately and to always stay part of the rest of the world.

Keeping in mind over time people who visit the center, maybe as a scholar of some of our courses or who had exposure to our DVD concerts or music would take their experience back into their world in whatever form.

Keeping in mind our message of living our meaning as opposed to looking for meaning would always be present in all that we do, not intentionally or with any effort, rather naturally, because that's how we'd be living our lives.

And eventually I see once, the togetherness centers are well established, we might even become part of main stream society in the sense that it is this different and mature culture which is well entrenched which could be taken to the outside world with enough reference to such a sustainable model. Even if this takes a million years.


Financial model

Such a center would also have a financial model. Initially some funds would need to be made available and when a center manages to become financially viable, the loan repaid: all profit might be ploughed back into the center for other projects. Each participant might earn their own income and provide some administration fee to be part of the center. Or all funds may be income to the center with a portion retained for projects and the rest divided amongst the participants, either equally or based on some ratio of earnings or investment. I do not have a definitive answer to the financial model.


Conclusion

Above is a broad strokes outline of a center I'd like to establish. Nothing is cast in stone. All that matters to me is that the center provides a basis for participants to do the things they like doing. That the center provides a place and the mechanisms to support people who want to uncover themselves and who want to then make a living from their talents in a conducive way and not in the way society dictates today how things should all be done for survival and for money at whatever cost to humankind.

If you have anything to add or to share or have questions, please contact me.

Attachment 58 Peacefulness via Togetherness Center