I wrote a story about our experience on Dec. 14, 2010, when a crew of four showed up to film some of us who live here at Lotus Lodge Community & Learning Center(see story below and ad to left). What I'd like to tell you here is about some of the followup since then.
Here's the web address which I hope will link you:
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7358240n&tag=cbsnewsVideoArea.0
First, the response to the 3.5 min segment on the CBS Early Morning show (which finally aired on Wednesday, March 2, 2011) has been amazing. Women from around the country have emailed or called, singing praises for living this kind of lifestyle - of unrelated women (actually, we're not all women here even tho CBS interviewed just 4 of us women for this "Golden Girls" piece) living under one roof.
One woman who called was very passionate saying such things as, "I never knew such a possibility was even possible! My husband died two years ago and I thought I had to live alone, and I've been so isolated! You all look so happy. You've GOT to go around the country and teach other women how to live this way! This is your purpose, a destiny of yours!"
So I am seriously considering that and am writing a book project which will be much more than being about shared housing. You'll get a hint of what it is about by reading the article below.
I'd love your feedback - especially if you are interested in receiving more information about how to do this. It would help me to know whether there really is a need for such services.
There's much more than meets the eye - various interpersonal agreements, formal leases, governance and harmonious decision-making structures, ways, what, and how much to share - and making it legal, house or building and organizing space recommendations, ownership options, existing community options, lots on membership selection, also the importance of creating a vision or organizing principle, the possibility of having a business, etc. etc. and I've been studying it AND doing it for many years now.
Plus, we have three rooms here at Lotus Lodge that we rent to visitors by the night, week or month (and actually have an opening for a long-term member right now. See the Lotus Lodge ad to the left for plenty of information about us). One possibility is to offer some kind of training here.
Unfortunately, we had to disable the "Comments" on this site (due to spammers), but I'd love to receive an email from you. Send to gerlandson dot phd at gmail and please put "Lotus Lodge" in the subject bar so I am sure to see it. It would be good also to call my google voice phone where you can leave a detailed message - if I don't answer directly: 828-581-9036.
So, it seems that this year really is a turning point for many of us on the planet, and I believe that the more we share and collaborate together, the better for all. I look forward to hearing from you!
Warm regards, Gaya
(Yes, after going by the name Gayatri for many years, I am going back to my birth name of Gaya, pronounced the same as "Gaia.")
