Sh'mal Ellenberg's Page

BUILDING MY CABIN
New Mexico was sort of our training ground for getting us into the frame of mind for what we wanted to do in Arkansas. In New Mexico the hippies had adobe models for building their homes, but in Nogo, like I said, we were freer in building our houses. I had never built anything before, hence some of what I built was pretty primitive and basic, but worked. At least when I, with some help from Eloise and Lance, built my cabin, no one could tell me it didn’t meet community standar… Continue

Dear Friend,

Somehow a top official from CropLife -- the powerful chemical industry
trade group that went after Michelle Obama's organic garden -- has been
nominated to serve as America's chief agricultural negotiator for
international trade. If confirmed by the Senate, Isi Siddiqui, who has
spent the last several years of his career fighting various restrictions
and bans on environmentally hazardous pesticides, would bring that
inappropriately aggressive stance on broadening pesticide use to t… Continue

The Teachings of the Sufi Masters

There must be an acceleration of a shift in consciousness so humans have a greater understanding of each of their roles on this planet. On the material plane there are so many areas of concern that each of us must be aware of. They all can be dealt with if the shift in consciousness takes place along with each of us doing our share in spreading the material plane work along with the cosmic work.
Acknowledging that our breath is a universal breath, connected wit… Continue

NEW MEXICO
A NEW BEGINNING
In the winter of 1970 a group of strangers migrated from cities to the Santa Fe Community School in Santa Fe, New Mexico where this odyssey began. If there can be a beginning for anything that happens in life, since now I know: Life is a smooth if sometimes irregular and uncertain ongoing creation story, from the big bang to this moment. We each brought with something with us that became a part of the whole.
Like a spark of spirit.
A simple spark inside that was being… Continue

THE AUSTIN WOMEN
Then “The Women” came. Some of us knew them from Austin. Not me, they weren’t my friends, but they were coming.
A collective of lesbians,
Came in pairs,
Small groups,
Left, came again.
We helped them look for their own land,
Bottom land, down by a river, beautiful place,
With very difficult access. They bought it ─ I think,
Who can remember?
But never lived there.
In the meantime they were there,
With us,
But on their own.
Really there, living in the “monks cabin.”
An old log ca… Continue