Too intrusive…

However, it is a tool that has taken on a significant role in our society, to the point that often, what happens on the phone seems more important than what is happening in the immediate vicinity.

It has become commonplace, when friends get together, to see five or six phones placed in the center of the circle, and also for one or more members of the group to answer a call—or make one—in the middle of a conversation, or spend their time checking their messages and notifications.

A tool to be used wisely

At Flores de Vida, we prioritize “real” relationships with the people in front of us or by our side.

Your phone should therefore be in airplane mode and remain in your bag. You can of course take it out to take a photo, then put it back in your bag. If you need to make a call, you can step away from the group and make your call without disturbing others.

L’article Cell phones est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

Simply sitting

Most of the world’s population simply sits on the ground, either directly on the floor or on a mat. In the West, we have complicated things (for a very long time) and need tables and chairs to sit on.

This way of sitting, in addition to requiring much more equipment, is very detrimental to the health and flexibility of the body.

So, there are no tables and chairs at Flores de Vida, which allows us to get a little exercise every time we sit down and stand up.

Being in contact with the earth

What’s more, sitting on the ground allows you to be in closer contact with the earth in an “organic” way (not just in your mind). It may seem obvious, but it’s clear that the part of humanity that is destroying the planet is the part that sits on chairs.

Of course, when you’re used to sitting in a chair (slumped, in fact), sitting on the ground may take some getting used to, but the benefits will far outweigh the effort involved. And if you’re a little rusty, it’s time to get serious about yoga… and soften your outlook on life.

PS: At first, a cushion, zafu, or shoggi can help you gradually adapt (and become more flexible).

PS2: Yes, it’s completely crazy and totally out of the ordinary, we agree… just like the whole Flores de Vida project is completely crazy and totally out of the ordinary.

L’article Chairs and tables est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

Flores de Vida’s key words: Consciousness et Regeneration

To bring consciousness into our life
* what I experience (joy, anger, peace…)
* what I generate around me (conflicts, tensions, harmony…)
* the waste that I produce… or not (am I a polluter?)
* what I put in my body and on my body (with what do I feed and take care of my body?)

To take the path of Regeneration
* to give our body the right food, corresponding to its physiological needs.
* to move, dance, sing, laugh… and make each day a springboard towards real well-being.
* to take care of our environment and thus participate in its regeneration as much as in ours.
* to link the external Ecology and the internal Ecology, and to take the path of wholeness… on the way towards Global Ecology and the Regeneration of the Human Being in all its aspects. …

… and that induces 2 other key words: Peace (inside) and Joy (without reason).

To take care of the land means understanding that everything is connected and understanding that the life and health of the soil, of trees, of animals and of humans are interdependent.   Wonderful tools and techniques are at our disposal: natural agriculture and permaculture, solar and wind energy (active and passive), dry toilets and phyto-purification, eco-construction and recycling…
At Flores de Vida we choose to respect the land in all its aspects.

To take care of people means taking care of yourself and others, and taking care of your body.
* It means giving your body exercise, rest, sun, simple and healthy food…
* It means learning to communicate, listen and speak.
* It means kindly watching over our little brothers the animals… and not eating them!
At Flores de Vida we choose to embark on the path of deep communication with ourselves and with others, and to use communication tools made available to us: Non-Violent Communication (NVC), Benevolent Communication…
We choose to simply eat the fruits and vegetables that nature so generously offers us, without drugs of any kind or animal products.
We choose to take care of our body.

To take care of space means creating a place that is beautiful, clean and orderly, flowery and artistic, a place where energy flows freely, a living place.
* It means taking care of collective spaces as well as individual spaces.
* It means ensuring that living spaces, work sites and activity areas are pleasant, clean and tidy places, where you want to spend time.
At Flores de Vida we choose art and beauty as environment, and respect for individual and collective spaces.

To take care of time means living with cosmic cycles – Winter / Summer, day / night, solar and lunar cycles…
* It means balancing activity and rest, meditation and time for sharing.
* It means being active when necessary, while preciously preserving the joy that gives all its value to the work accomplished, and to sit down when it is right.
* It means keeping time for yourself, and time for the group and group activities.
At Flores de Vida we choose to turn time into a work of art and use the time we have to create an increasingly beautiful and radiant world.
« Time is art »

Coming to Flores de Vida, whether for 1 day, 1 month, 1 year or more,  means committing to doing your best in all these areas, and to participate in the creation of this place of peace, of open consciousness and beauty.
Each person is invited to participate at their own level in the collective work, according to their abilities. The place and the activities are managed jointly – each person has the possibility of participating in decisions according to their involvement in the project.

Everything is connected
At Flores de Vida, the proposition is to progress towards understanding and perceiving the wholeness of life, the evidence that everything is found in everything. The body, the mind, the emotions, our daily life and our environment are inextricably linked, they are reflections of each other, so that each element can be both a diagnostic tool and a healing tool. If I have a problem at the physical level, for example, it also indicates a problem at the psycho-emotional level, and if I have a relationship problem, it indicates that there is a dysfunction at the bodily level as well. The good news is that I can progress towards healing from any of these aspects, always taking into account the wholeness of who I am, what I think, and what I do.

And be Life Beautiful and Joyful

++++

Download the Declaration

L’article Flores de Vida * The Declaration est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

Flores de Vida is coming out of hibernation… and so am I.

The beginning of the year was a time of tidying up and reorganization, inside and outside. I’ve taken advantage of the winter calm to clear up spaces…and it feels good!

In 2021, we were going to be 2 permanent residents, but then it didn’t happen. So I quietly continue to be the caretaker of the place… ineradicable!!!

While waiting for a group oriented on full regeneration and Global Ecology to take place one day, the trees will continue to grow, indifferent to human and governmental craziness. The harvests are getting more and more abundant each year, and in 2022 I expect them to be magnificent!

You can already note the dates of the Fiesta Cruda, it’s August 25th-26th-27th, 2022

Registrations are not yet open, but you can already book the dates… you absolutely have to be there this year

Nat’ * Keeper of the place

We meet in August?

Next Fiesta Cruda, the 25-26-27 of August.
https://www.floresdevida.org/events/fiesta-cruda/

Séjours Remise en Forme avec Nat’ El Zéar

Ou bien… une semaine de remise en Forme (vraiment!) à Flores de Vida?
https://www.etre-en-forme-vraiment.com/sejours-remise-en-forme/

Together towards Global Ecology

L’article Échos de Flores de Vida n° 8 * Printemps 2022 est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

Ce printemps a été un temps de “clarification de l’espace”:
* petits aménagements,
* réparations diverses,
* rangement des espaces intérieurs et extérieurs,
* et bien sûr, plantation d’arbres et soin au potager.

Quelques personnes sont passées donner un coup de main ce printemps, dont Serge (Français) qui est resté 2 mois et demi et a été d’une aide précieuse.

La régénération du sol en bonne voie!

Remise en état de plusieurs treilles

La treille ronde (celle qui est du côté du studio): l’ancienne treille (en bois) était en train de s’écrouler (on la voit encore sur les 4 premières photos), et nous l’avons remplacée par une treille en métal… beaucoup plus durable:
* mise en place des tubes métallique (photo 1),
* mise en place des barres supérieures (fer à béton * photo 4),
* et puis on enlève l’ancienne treille.
Nous avons procédé ainsi car il y avait déjà de la vigne et un rosier. Nous en avons profité pour planter 12 pieds de vigne supplémentaire (photo 5).
Chantier réalisé par Serge et Nat’, avec l’aide de Victor (de Barcelone).

Et une autre treille, au-dessous de la casita

Habillage d’une caravane

Tout d’abord nous lui avons mis un toit (Serge, Amandine et Nat’), sur le même principe que la caravane de Nat’: structure bois + tôles + cannes (à la fois pour la chaleur, et aussi pour l’intégration au paysage). Ensuite nous avons habillé un premier côté… le reste va suivre (Serge, Amandine et Nat’, puis Myriam et Anne-Marie).

Remise en état d’une yourte

Du 23 au 30 ami, nous avons passé la semaine, avec Myriam et François, à remettre en état la yourte qui est à côté des caravanes. Ce fût une semaine merveilleuse!
* enlever les différents plastiques qui avaient été rajoutés pour tenter étanchéifier la yourte, la toile d’origine étant devenue perméable,
* tout trier à l’intérieur et éliminer l’inutile et/ou souillé/grignoté par les souris (elles, c’est pas mes copines!),
* rafistoler la structure du mieux possible (perches cassées, structure vrillée…), de manière à ce que ça tienne encore quelques année,
* mise en place d’une bâche PVC, qui devrait tenir jusqu’à ce que nous puissions nous passer de la yourte, qui est vraiment une solution très temporaire (j’en reparlerai),
* grand ménage et réaménagement.

Fouilles archéologiques à Flores de Vida!

Nous avons dégagé une petite ruine ronde, envahie de broussailles et à moitié ensevelie. Cela va faire un bel espace énergétique, car en son centre se croisent plusieurs réseaux telluriques très puissants… coïncidence?

Quelques plantations…

Nous avons plantés quelques arbres: érables, grenadiers, figuiers (variétés qui n’étaient pas encore représentées à FdV), frênes, pacaniers, asiminiers (une sorte de manguier qui résiste au froid), paulownias (aux fleurs magnifiques), cactus (aux fruits excellents, j’en reparlerai)… environ une cinquantaine d’arbre.

Les fruits et légumes du moment

Une partie de l’isolation de la yourte (voir plus haut), grignotée et souillée par les souris, devient un mulch de luxe pour les allées du potager… un mulch en laine de chanvre, c’est pas beau, ça?

Un mini-drainage

Aménagement du potager de la Casita

Et la pompe du forage fonctionne parfaitement !

C’est vraiment super d’avoir de l’eau de bonne qualité! Encore un grand MERCI à toutes celles et ceux qui ont participé à l’achat de la nouvelle pompe!

Rendez-vous au mois d’août?

Et si nous nous retrouvions tous à la prochaine Fiesta Cruda, les 7-8-9 août prochains?
… ça serait chouette, qu’en penses-tu ?
https://www.floresdevida.org/events/fiesta-cruda/

Séjours Remise en Forme avec Nat’ El Zéar

Ou bien… une semaine de remise en Forme (vraiment!) à Flores de Vida?
https://www.etre-en-forme-vraiment.com/sejours-remise-en-forme/

Ensemble en  route vers l’Écologie Globale

Être en Forme et Bien dans sa Vie est un long chemin et nécessite de prendre en compte de multiples aspects. Elles sont résumées en 4 points :
Prendre soin de la Terre, et prendre soin des Gens,
Prendre soin de l’Espace, et prendre soin du Temps

Ce sont ces 4 points que nous tentons de réunir à Flores de Vida, et que nous expérimentons au quotidien … et c’est un long chemin.  Nous espérons que notre exemple va motiver beaucoup de projets similaires.

L’article Échos de Flores de Vida n° 7 * Printemps 2021 est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

2020, an intense year

2020 has been an intense and stirring year, not only at the level of society, but also for Flores de Vida, both at the place itself and online.

Lots of meetings, exchanges, sharing and encounters… an absolutely tremendous profusion of riches.

The pump has been installed, and works !!!

Excellent news: the crowdfunding campaign, which was a great adventure, made it possible to finance the new pump… it has been installed and everything is working.

In total 88 people contributed, for a total amount of 4,272 euros.

We did not quite hit the target, but some friends offered to top up the missing 1000 euros… it’s great to have friends, and life is beautiful!

Flores de Vida in hibernation

Winter has come to create a space for (well-deserved) rest after all the agitation.

It is therefore a time of internalizing for Flores de Vida… and for Nat’, who has finally found time to settle down (he was close to burnout).

The field team has come back to absolute simplicity: Nat’ is the only permanent resident for the moment, and guardian of the place.

The online team is also in hibernation.
Myriam ensures that the adventure goes on, while immersing herself in organic governance and communication. We will have the opportunity to talk about this later on.

The snow has come to bring even more serenity and tranquility. It was magnificent: 50 cm of snow in Flores de Vida… never before seen!

Snow is good for your health !!!

Besides being a feast for the eyes and the heart, snow is good for being in (really!) good shape.

And the medlar trees are in bloom !

Stoical, the medlar trees quietly continue to bloom. What is extraordinary, however, is that the Japanese medlar blossoms in December/January, whereas the fruits only ripen in June… we can say that it takes its time.

And the medlars in Flores de Vida… that’s something !!!

Communicate, communicate, communicate…

This past year has enabled us to measure how much communication is at the center of human relationships, and therefore of any project. It is particularly true when the goal of a project is the evolution of consciousness.

Whereas we have been used for millennia to communicate through our masks, it is not easy to communicate in real life… (see my New Year’s greetings of January 2021)

Connect the right people
with… the right people

An integration process is slowly maturing (along with the medlars) in the form of videos and small quizzes and questionnaires.

Its objective is to help put in contact
the right people
with the right place/project

Going from the age of Pisces to that of Aquarius requires some adjustments…

Therefore a time for reflection,
a time to get back to basics,
a time of gestation…

See you in August ?

Shall we all meet at the next Fiesta Cruda, in August 2021?
… that would be neat, what do you think?

Together towards Global Ecology !!!

L’article Echoes from Flores de Vida n° 6 * Winter 2020/21 est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

Flores de Vida en campagne

Nous lançons le vendredi 9 octobre 2020 notre 1ère campagne de financement participatif (crowdfunding) pour Flores de Vida… et c’est super si tu peux nous aider à provoquer l’effet “resto plein”.

“Nous”, c’est l’équipe de Flores de Vida, l’écolieu qui nous tient tellement à cœur. C’est un lieu d’écologie et de permaculture mais aussi d’alimentation vivante et de développement personnel… un lieu ressource, en chemin vers l’autonomie.

Cette campagne va nous permettre de financer une nouvelle pompe pour le forage de Flores de Vida… voire plus.

C’est magique !

Il a été constaté, pour d’autres campagnes, que les gens vont être plus enclins à participer si:
* la somme récoltée est déjà importante
* il y a déjà un nombre important de donateurs

Donc plus il y a de donateurs… plus il va y en avoir, et ainsi de suite !

L’effet “resto plein”

Je suppose qu’il t’est déjà arrivé d’aller au restaurant (ça m’est arrivé aussi… il y a longtemps), et d’éviter d’entrer dans un resto vide… “S’il n’y a personne, c’est que ce ne doit pas être génial”.

Par contre, si le restaurant est plein: “Allons-là, il y a plein de monde, ça doit être super”.

Et cela fonctionne (inconsciemment) pour beaucoup de choses.

C’est le cas également pour une campagne de financement participatif…

Coup double !

Créons ensemble l’effet “resto plein”.

Ta participation va donc avoir une double action :

* ton apport financier va être bien entendu très appréciable (et très apprécié)

* même si ton apport financier est minime, voire symbolique (mais les symboles, c’est important), il va permettre d’augmenter le nombre de donateurs, et ça c’est super important pour les personnes qui arriveront ensuite sur la page.

Note toutefois qu’il y a des contreparties qui sont prévues en remerciement des dons, et que tu en trouveras certainement qui vont t’intéresser.

Tu peux aussi apporter ton aide en diffusant la campagne et/ou le lien vers le projet auprès de tes amis, connaissances, réseaux… et ça c’est également un super coup de pouce.

Les petits ruisseaux…font les grandes rivières

Surtout ne te dis pas : « Je n’ai pas de sous en ce moment, et si je ne peux apporter que quelques euros, ça ne vaut pas la peine  »… non, même 5€ c’est super, ça fera déjà 5€ dans la cagnotte, ce qui est déjà quelque chose (100 personnes qui donnent 5€, ça fait 500€… et ce n’est pas rien)

La campagne est terminée, mais tu peux tout de même
soutenir financièrement le projet: www.floresdevida.org/soutenir/

La page Facebook (à diffuser)
Flores de Vida Espagne    https://www.facebook.com/Flores-de-Vida-Espagne-110610240777249/

L’article Échos de Flores de Vida * N° Spécial est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

September 2020

What Are We Eating?

There are more figs than we can possibly eat or dry. The grapes are a little sick this year but there are still enough of them to snack on. We have finished the delicious vineyard peaches, now we’re waiting for the yellow peaches to ripen. Some apple trees produce tasty apples.

What’s more, we have an abundance of almonds, with the ones we collect from the trees as well as those harvested during the past years.

We also made a trip to Francine’s to fill up on carobs and to pick some prickly pears.

Vegetablewise, we keep eating zucchinis, cucumbers, tomatoes, and other produce that we collect at Javier’s, the organic farmer based in Caspe. Lactofermented olives from past years complete our meals.

In the Orchard We carry on with the harvesting and drying of figs and peaches. Almonds have been harvested, shelled, and stored. We’re renewing the mulch around all fruit trees. We’re going to plant new trees (pomegranate, fig, cherimoya, avocado, pecan trees…) and repot others (pitanga, maracuja, African plum tree…)

A Community in an Ecoplace

Two permanent residents have settled down: Maria and Juliette. The experience lived along with Nat’ since their arrival is moving the project towards the idea of a community rather than an eco-village where individual habitats would occupy more space. In this perspective, Nat’ has bought himself a trailer and is preparing to move in. Casita will then become a collective space: room for music practice, office, library, a place to get together…

Opening Up to the Territory

The site will thus function as a community where each member will have a personal space of around ten square meters, but where most of the activities take place in collective spaces. By the way, this small community has opened up to its environment by joining a group that reflects on the current world situation. Nat’ and Maria thus met up with five other people in front of the Caspe townhall. All these people shared the idea that we create our reality, and that change must begin with ourselves. Very interested in Flores de Vida, our Spanish friends joined a WhatsApp group to keep exchanging. To be continued!

L’article Echoes from Flores de Vida * N° 5 est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

 From 10th to 12th August 2020

Around twenty people alternated with each other and crossed paths at Flores de Vida during the three days of Fiesta Cruda, forming sometimes groups of up to ten people in front of the participants taking up the role of activity leaders. Hatha yoga, intuitive dance, improvisation theatre, cooperative painting with natural pigments, Kinomichi, Qi Gong, strength training with body weight, improvised concerts, quantum scans… the relaxed festival-goers had the opportunity to discover all sorts of physical and artistic practices in the mindset of goodwill and joyful sharing that won everybody’s heart, from the youngest of 15 months to the oldest!

Hatha Yoga with Elie

Elie offered a beautiful session of Hatha yoga, which he defines as a yoga of balance between feminine and masculine. Gently and masterfully, ending with a relaxation that he accompanied with a flute, Elie initiated a group all too happy for the opportunity to recenter themselves.

Intuitive Dance

Sarah, a dance teacher in Toulouse, guided a lovely moment of intuitive dance with a drum. Associating movement to natural elements in an approach that she describes as body ecology, she invited people to dance, at first in interaction with a tree, then with a human partner. This disconcerting and very enriching opening greatly inspired the improvised dancers, as can be seen in the picture above.

Kinomichi

Jean-Paul, a teacher in Belgium, came in the middle of the festival to introduce Kinomichi to the group. This discipline was developed from the Japanese martial art aikido by Masamichi Noro. It borrows basic movements from aikido with the purpose of finding harmony with a partner. Ki means “energy”, no means “of” and michi “way”.

Qi Gong

Francine allowed the group to take on Qi Gong with a playful approach using a cane stick. This initiated the participants into becoming aware of the energy circulating in the body. The slow movements facilitate the dynamisation of vital energy, Qi.

Muscular Strengthening with Body Weight

Yannick motivated people early in the morning for sessions of muscular strengthening and coordination training. The method is based on the repetition of series of movements and it is largely inspired by animal postures and characteristics. It is oftentimes used to warm up in combat sports. This kind of training harmoniously maintains flexibility and strength.​​

Marina Gave a Natural Painting Workshop

Marina, who teaches fine arts in Spain, invited us to share a moment of cooperative painting with hues obtained from natural pigments: turmeric, coffee, red pepper, cumin… The canvas had been cut in squares so that each participant could dedicate themselves into painting one particular square before sketching all kinds of bridges from one square to another to eventually form a collective painting.

Scan of Your State of Health

Karine scanned the state of health of many of the festival attendees with a special quantum device. In the beginning of September, each of them will receive the digital version of their assessment and Karine, who will return next year – promised! – will be able to make a comparison from one year to the next.

Myriam, a Dietary Coach

Myriam, a nutrition coach in Toulouse area, lead a workshop on living foods and difficulties during dietary transition. While eating raw is easy-peasy at Flores de Vida where produce of excellent quality is abundant and where the energy of the place is highly supportive, staying on track once you’re back home is another story.

Massage on demand!

Annie and Sarah offered the participants massages that were hugely appreciated. Given in the respect of sanitary rules, they demonstrated the talents of these two experts: Sarah for Californian massage and Annie for the face massage “Kobido”. Big thanks to both!

Improvisation Theatre with Samuel

Samuel involved a small team of festival attendees in an improvisation theatre workshop. “It’s an awesome practice to bring a group together, to meet and exchange, he explains. It makes you work on comprehending, listening, and watching each other, and on interacting to play with others. It’s perfectly suitable for the building of relationships in an eco-place because it’s about seeing how everybody has their role to play in the group.” The warm-up games and little sketches convinced the participants and an idea came up of a one-week improvisation theatre workshop at Flores de Vida! To be continued…

Native American Chant

Thanks to Sarah who made us discover this Native North American song.

Lyrics:
He yama yo wana hene yo
He yama yo wana hene yo 
Wahee yayana
Hey hey hey ho wahee
Hey hey hey hey hey ho wahee
(“We’re here in the now and everywhere we are one and all”)

Interpretation of the song by the band Curawaka

Eating Raw, When You’re Hungry

At Flores de Vida, food is entirely raw and vegan. Everyone helps themselves when they’re hungry in the nevera where there was, this summer: tomatoes, zucchinis, cucumbers, red bell peppers, but also watermelons and green melons. Without taking into account the few plums, nectarines, peaches and figs a little ahead of the season collected on the site. In the crudine, our raw kitchen space, dried or lacto-fermented olives and almonds were waiting to help fill some bellies, especially in the end of the day. Some like to gather at that moment to talk, others prefer to eat in silence and full awareness. Thus, there are no mealtimes. But there are plenty of other happy moments to get together and share!

Talking circles, a common practice at Flores de Vida, helped many beautiful exchanges emerge during Fiesta Cruda. The circles also allowed to very rapidly create a feeling of proximity and affection between the people, who for the most part didn’t know each other two days before.

To finish this special edition, we’ll let Nat’ have the last word, expressed the last night of the festival:

 ” I love the circles, I love to listen to you. Every person is a different world and every word is a world that reveals itself. I find it magnificent! And expressing it allows our consciousness to evolve. The circles help me grow and know myself better… I feel like I’ve prepared the place for twelve years, that we enriched the soil with the online team this winter and now, we just sowed. It’s particularly powerful as I’ve been waiting for this moment for twelve years!”

The Slow-Motion Race

A little video was taken of the Slow-Motion Race organised by Samuel during his improvisation theatre workshop. Here it is, preceded by a few beautiful pictures of Marina’s workshop!

Flores de Vida team, hola@floresdevida.org

L’article Echoes from Fiesta Cruda 2020 est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

July-August 2020

Full Sunshine

At Flores de Vida, the sky is blue, surprisingly so when you come from the city where it is always more or less veiled by pollution. The sun beats down hard, making it vital to take a break in the beginning of afternoon. Various strategies are necessary because of the heat. Strolling around with as little clothing as possible is one of them, as clothes don’t allow the skin to breathe, thus making the heat unbearable. Another one is seeking refuge under an old olive tree, or better yet, in the fresh shadow of a fig tree. Finally, there’s the possibility of building a shelter: in the picture above, the gazebo has been extended by a canopy made of cane stalks, supported by three ropes stretched from one olive tree to another and by an old tree trunk transformed into a central pole. The August team took great pleasure putting it up with the means available for our Fiesta Cruda buddies!

Preparation and conditioning of produce

Olives

If the harvest of olives is a big project in December, the follow-up of different procedures of conservation keeps one busy during the other periods of the year as well. One option is drying them (in the dryer-pickup) for three to four weeks. Another option is to put them in jars so that a lacto-fermentation process takes place with no need to add salt. This phase has to last for at least one year, and it happens in big glass jars. The olives, inedible at the moment of picking, become supple and savoury. Delicious. This summer Nat’, Annie and Sylvie put in bags of 300 g olives that had been fermenting since 2016! At first, they had to be “degassed” by laying them in the dryer for 24 hours, then conditioned before going through the vacuum packing machine, lend to us by David, a friend of Nat’s. These bags are then put on sale.

Almonds

Charlotte and Sylvie have prepared around twenty bags of 500 g of almonds picked last year. The bags are ready to serve as rewards during the crowdfunding campaign.

Zucchinis

Annie, Charlotte and Sylvie prepared zucchini chips with the produce harvested at Javier’s (see the section “What Are We Eating?”). They sliced the zucchinis with a mandolin and spread them on dryer grids (picture below). The slices are left for at least two or three days in the dryer so that they become nice and crispy. They are then conserved in big glass jars in the cellar.

The new pump is being installed

The new pump has been installed and will be functional in a few days once the start-up of the system of technical control has been finalized. There will then be only one tap to close and another one to open for all water inlets of the higher part of Flores de Vida (taps, showers, irrigation taps) to be supplied by the borehole from now on. It remains to be financed however, which is the principal motivation for the crowdfunding campaign that is in the works.

In the Vegetable Garden

The garden requires daily work that Nat’ cannot carry out when he’s alone on the site. Which has been the case quite frequently thus far. For this reason, the garden hasn’t yet produced anything this summer.

In the Orchard

All the trees have been abundantly watered during summer and many are about to deliver their production: nectarines, peaches, plums, but above all figs and grapes.

Online Team Gets Together!

The month of August will be rich in visits thanks to Fiesta Cruda and “Séjour de Ressourcement” (Revitalization Experience) and it has already allowed most of the online team members to meet “for real”. Joëlle, Pascale, Patricia, Christelle and Greg have been terribly missed.

It’s quite moving, when you have actively participated in online meetings and in the elaboration of communication tools in distance, to suddenly find yourself on the ground, in the middle of olive and fig trees, under the blazing sun! It’s quite moving as well to meet in person the people you’ve so far seen only in video conferences. The beginning of August was thus highly charged with very positive emotions!

The body gets little by little accustomed to the intense heat and the team also gets used to living together and to learning to cooperate in the real life. The land and the installations require a multitude of maintaining activities: making sure the irrigation system for trees is functioning, improving the supply system of the shower, or putting up little installations like the canopy or a protection for the trampoline, conditioning the produce or checking that water filters are filled, toilet buckets emptied, and all toilets equipped with toilet paper! Several people will be arriving during August and there needs to be a good organization in place for the work to be distributed smoothly.

Beautiful challenges of community life coming up and a passage to reality that will highlight the different issues of living together. With joy and an unshakable good will!

Javier, an Organic Farmer

For the moment, the land provides little to eat apart from some bunches of grapes and the few already ripe apples and figs, and Nat’ buys the essential from one of the rare organic farmers in the region, Javier. His farm is located on the outskirts of Caspe. On Friday 7^th August, the team went there to collect zucchinis, cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and above all, a good pile of melons Piel de Sapo and magnificent watermelons. A little something to fill the bellies of the participants at Fiesta Cruda!

Night Walk

Picture taken from the plateau where the team meets regularly in the evening and which overlooks the site.

Flores de Vida team, hola@floresdevida.org

L’article Echoes from Flores de Vida n°4 est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

 As if you were there…

A mini document from Nat’ ‘immerses us in the atmosphere of this spring in Flores:

In the orchard

Land of plenty!

• Melons and zucchini make their first flowers.
• The corn is starting to look pretty.
• Nat made a few more tomato plantations.

Of course we had to weed a little bit and some maintenance work was required.

Appels, figs, peaches are beginning to take shape. The orchard also benefited from weeding and maintenance work.

Even if you wanted to, you couldn’t hang around in Flores de Vida. Food autonomy dictates!

What are we eating this month in Flores?

On Mother Nature’s menu:

• a second batch of broad beans, sown in March, comes just at the right moment: from the first batch, sown with foresight in October, nothing is left.
• the end of grass peas, the beginning of lamb’s-quarters, sprouted seeds, olives of course as well as almonds make up delicious and super nutritious salads.

And to the joy of these greens is added the infinite pleasure of the fruits picked from the trees:

• Apricots in abundance for ten days, depending on the varieties, the first
  peaches, the last mulberries, loganberries (half-blackberries and half-raspberries) and strawberries.
• The first plums have been harvested and more will ripen over the month of June.
• We enjoyed a few very sweet and delicious little pears at the beginning of the month.
• 
• And with delight we can see the full season of medlars coming.
  

During this time…

We’re working hard on the pump

The second source of water supply in Flores is still missing. Who is guilty? The pump of the drilling system.

This water is essential for securing the drinking water supply of the place. The replacement of the defective part requires the intervention of an external company (crane). The cost has been estimated at 5,000 euros (ouch!)

As the nest egg of Flores was not enough to cover the cost, it was decided to call for donations via a crowdfunding campaign. A subgroup of the team has been working on the subject for a few weeks: which platform, which pitch, which design aid, etc

Of course you will be kept informed of the launch of the campaign. If however you decide in the meantime to make a donation to Flores de Vida, know that it is always possible!

Support Flores de Vida

The eco-places of the planet made the headlines of the web

The Summit of the Oases took place this month. In all twenty-two online conferences were broadcast for 10 days. There were dealing with a wide range of subjects related to the development of an eco-place.

During these 10 extraordinary days the speakers discussed agriculture and permaculture as well as ethical, economic, legal, financial and spiritual aspects. 18,000 people in search for another way of leaving and thinking followed the event with great interest.

Nat’, as the founder of Flores de Vida, intervened to share his vision of what should bring such a project: fear or love ?

Some Q&A videos and the closing party are in permanent access on the Summit Facebook page (Page title : « Sommet des Oasis, réussir votre projet d’éco-lieu »).

    (re)see the Q&A video with Nat’                                     summit facebook page

Flores de Vida Team – hola@floresdevida.org

L’article Echoes from Flores de Vida n° 3 est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

Pluies exceptionnelles en mai

Il a beaucoup, beaucoup plu en mai sur Flores de Vida. Sur une semaine, il est tombé exceptionnellement plus de 100 litres au m². Et la terre se régénérant d’année en année, elle est plus apte à stocker l’eau : elle devient comme une éponge.

Le départ de Simon  

Après avoir beaucoup aidé Nat’ pendant trois mois, Simon est reparti en Belgique à la fin du mois de mai. Il a participé aux travaux agricoles mais aussi au désherbage et au nettoyage des fondations des futurs bâtiments. ainsi qu’aux aventures relatives à la pompe à eau. Il envisage de revenir !

Les treilles renforcées

Les treilles supportent des vignes pour la plupart. 

Nat’ et Simon les ont renforcées.

Au potager 

 Les jeunes plants de melon,
courgette et ail préparent la relève
des fèves et des fraisiers.  

Au verger

 Les oliviers ont été taillés,   
et les petits arbres soignés.
Les pluies de mai vont permettre
de ne pas arroser les arbres avant juillet ou plus.​​​​​​​

L’équipe s’étoffe et s’organise

Six nouvelles personnes s’investissent dans le projet et se sont intégrées à la mesure de leur disponibilité aux différentes équipes récemment constituées : Equipe S.C.I. / Equipe Coeur / Equipe outils numériques.

Quatre nouvelles personnes ont ainsi rallié l’équipe de travail : Pascale, Patricia, Jean-Paul et Charlotte. Elles se sont groupées pour s’atteler au statut juridique du projet : sans doute une S.C.I. (Société Civile Immobilière) à adapter. Cette équipe s’appelle donc pour l’instant “Equipe S.C.I.”

Dans le même temps, Séverine nous a rejoint pour des interventions ponctuelles. Elle est artiste et a créé un dessin superbe pour lequel nous avons tous eu un coup de cœur. Il se trouve à côté du titre de cette newsletter ! Elle va travailler avec Stephan, graphiste de métier, à la réalisation d’un ou plusieurs visuels, dont une affiche, avec ce dessin pour support.

Equipe Cœur

Ils vont compléter le travail fourni par l’équipe initiale qui se voit nommée “Equipe Cœur“. Promotion du site dans des revues, classement et partage de l’importante collection de photos du site, sont autant de chantiers qui s’ajoutent à ceux déjà en cours pour la rénovation du site et la newsletter “Echos de Flores de Vida“. A noter que sa traduction en espagnol a été assurée par Barbara – Ecos de Flores de Vida“- et celle en anglais – Echoes from Flores de Vida – par Annabelle !

S’affranchir des mastodontes du web

Un autre groupe va voir le jour pour réfléchir aux outils numériques utilisés par Flores de Vida afin de communiquer et collaborer à distance. L’idée est de s’affranchir des produits des mastodontes du web pour, chaque fois que cela sera possible, privilégier les offres du numérique “libre”. Ainsi, les rendez-vous sont-ils désormais programmés grâce à l’outil Framadate plutôt que sur doodle. L’autonomie passe aussi par là. C’est l'”Equipe Outils numériques“.

L’équipe coeur a créé un groupe WhatsApp dédié, à côté duquel existe le groupe WhatsApp “Grande équipe” qui rassemble tout le monde – ayant WhatsApp ! -pour les informations concernant … tout le monde. Ce second groupe permet également d’être tous ensemble, au moins virtuellement, et d’apprendre à se connaître.

Gouvernance organique et CNV

Cette structuration s’accompagne d’une importante réflexion sur le mode de gouvernance. Travailler ensemble, a fortiori à distance, ne peut être simple. Initiée et conduite  par Myriam, qui a présenté au groupe les grands principes de la gouvernance organique, cette réflexion se poursuit par un cycle de trois visio-ateliers animés par Fafadji GNOFAME sur la CNV  – Communication Non Violente. 

Pendant que l’Equipe de Terrain s’occupe de l’écologie extérieure, et se décarcasse avec les caprices de la pompe à eau, les équipe à distance planchent donc déjà sur les  enjeux de l’écologie intérieure !

Qu’est-ce qu’on mange ?

Premières fraises

Elles arrivent à maturité et viennent
compléter les récoltes de cerises et
de mûres (issues de l’arbre !) qui
se font au verger.​​​​​​​

Le vert à croquer

On peut encore profiter des dernières asperges et des dernières jeunes pousses de gesse dont on mangera ensuite les pois. On peut également consommer les fleurs aussi bien que les feuilles de la consoude.​​​​​​ A Flores de Vida, elle est cultivée au potager.

C’est aussi la pleine saison des fèves que viennent compléter les premiers pois de gesse, autrement appelés “pois carrés”.

En raison des mesures liées au déplacement des personnes, il est à ce jour impossible de présenter l’agenda habituel des sessions et stages. Vous pouvez vous orienter vers l’offre de formation en ligne du site Etre en forme vraiment

Nat’ nous fait découvrir, dans cette courte vidéo, la vue haute du site de Flores de Vida et  ​​​​​nous présente le superbe profil du “Gardien” des lieux. 

Équipe de Flores de Vida, hola@floresdevida.org

L’article Échos de Flores de Vida n° 2 est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

L’article Echoes from Flores de Vida * N° 1 est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

Une équipe s’est mise en place en début d’année, et ça prend une super allure. Nous nous retrouvons 2 fois par semaine pour des réunions en ligne, impulsées et organisées par Myriam,  et nous sommes en train de redéfinir les fondements du projet, la communication, le site internet, le fonctionnement de l’association… bref, c’est le grand démarrage du collectif qui est en train de se faire.

Avril 2020

Naissance de la newsletter mensuelle, réalisée par Sylvie.

L’article 2020 est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

Flores de Vida est à la veille d’une étape majeure dans son évolution.

En effet, une bonne base matérielle a été mise en place au cours de ces 11 dernières années, et il est temps à présent de passer à la phase suivante.

La première phase
La première phase a consisté à mettre en place des éléments de vie :
* plus de 1000 arbres ont été plantés, fournissant à présent fruits en abondance une bonne partie de l’année, mais aussi ombrage et fleurs.
* Un bel espace potager a été créé, les vers de terre ont commencé à revenir, et il est prêt à fournir des légumes toute l’année… pour peu que l’on prenne la peine de s’en occuper.
* Pour permettre tout cela, c’est un magnifique système d’irrigation qui a été mis en place, totalement fonctionnel.
* Une base de vie a été créée, et même si cela reste rudimentaire, elle permet déjà de fonctionner :
– la casita de Nat’
– la cave pour la conservation des fruits et légumes
– deux yourtes et trois caravanes pour l’accueil des visiteurs et volontaires
– une cabane pour les outils du jardin, et un espace de stockage pour le matériel
– un atelier bricolage, petit mais fonctionnel
– deux serres pour les semis d’arbres et de légumes
– trois toilettes sèches deux douches
– autonomie électrique par panneaux solaires
– connexion Internet par satellite
– une activité économique a commencé à se mettre en place autour des olives, de l’huile et des productions diverses du lieu.
… bref, il est possible de vivre toute l’année à Flores de Vida, et d’accueillir 10 à 20 personnes.

Une Ecole de Vie Ecologique
Pour mémoire, le projet est de créer un lieu de régénération globale, incluant tous les aspects de la vie humaine,  en lien avec la nature, un lieu dans lequel toutes les opportunités sont offertes de se reconnecter à soi-même, aux autres et à la Nature, et de prendre le chemin du Bien-Être véritable.

Ce sera (et a déjà commencé à être) un lieu sans alcool, ni tabac, ni café, ni drogues diverses, un lieu dédié à une alimentation saine, végétale et vivante, et aussi à la communication bienveillante, la méditation et les pratiques corporelles de santé, la danse,  la musique…

Pour laisser toute la place aux animaux sauvages, et aussi pour la tranquillité du lieu, sera un espace sans chien ni chats… et bien entendu un lieu dédié à l’écologie, la permaculture et l’éco construction, sans produits chimiques, avec des toilettes sèches et des bâtiments en matériaux naturels (bois, terre, paille…), et aussi un lieu avec une très faible pollution électromagnétique (une zone pas totalement blanche, mais tout de même gris très clair).

La seconde phase
Il est temps à présent d’initier la seconde phase : la mise en vie du lieu et la création du collectif qui animera et gérera le projet.

Il s’agit donc tout d’abord de créer une équipe qui va animer et gérer le projet. Jusqu’ici il y a eu beaucoup de personnes qui ont participé et sont venue aider  ponctuellement, mais  jusqu’à présent c’est moi (Nat) qui ai été le fil conducteur et le gestionnaire du projet, tant sur les aspects matériels que l’organisation et la diffusion.

Cette seconde phase pourrait également voir la naissance d’une SCI (ou autre), et ainsi entrer de plain-pied dans le connectif et l’intégration de nouveaux habitants permanents. Tout ceci étant bien entendu à étudier et mettre en place ensemble.

La salle d’activités
Le point central de la seconde phase : la construction d’une salle d’activité et d’hébergement, qui va fournir  un bel espace pour les pratiques corporelles, permettant d’organiser des activités toute l’année. Par exemple : des conférences, ateliers ou masterclass dans différents domaines : écologie, artistiques, sportif et scientifique en lien direct avec la Nature et le Bien-Etre.

Nous pouvons d’ores et déjà construire ce premier bâtiment, dont nous avons déjà le permis.

Un permis est en cours pour la construction d’un espace plus grand, et spécifiquement dédié à l’hébergement. Cette phase se fera dans un second temps. Avec les 200m² de la salle d’activité, nous avons déjà bien de quoi faire, et nous aurons déjà un magnifique espace. Une partie de cet espace pourra être aménagé en dortoir (en attendant d’avoir le bâtiment dédié à l’hébergement).

Pour construire tout cela, il est utile d’avoir… des sous !
Et cela nous amène au point suivant : la campagne de financement participatif.

Le point de ralliement : la campagne de financement participatif
Il va y avoir au mois de mars 2020 une campagne de financement participatif ou crowdfunding, en Anglais.
C’est en même temps une bonne occasion pour :
* créer un équipe
* faire connaître le projet

L’idée est que ce temps fort permette la mise en place d’une équipe qui pourrait continuer à gérer et animer le projet, même après que la campagne de crowdfunding soit terminée. Il peut y avoir des personnes qui participent ponctuellement pour cet événement, et des personnes qui s’investissent à plus long terme dans l’association.

L’article 2019 est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

The major project 2018 is the deposit of the permit for the construction of the reception building and the activity room.

The study of the project was long overdue (5 years!!!), but the result (the drawing, for now…) is really nice. The architect, Cristian Poblador (de Caspe) took his time, but did a great job… and he became a friend.

It was a local architect who had been detained, for reasons of communication and local relations, but had no experience in eco-construction. He however took the project to heart and has really documented on the construction of clay, straw, wood and on the techniques of water recycling (among others), which explains the duration of the study.

Anyway, the project was tabled in the Town Hall of Maella in mid-September, and we should have news within 2-3 months.

This is a great moment in the history of Flores de Vida, because this permit will on the one hand allow the reception of visitors, volunteers and trainees throughout the year and in good conditions, and on the other hand, will officially validate the project, and anchor it in the social reality.
The School of Ecological Life takes shape.

Spring fittings

The main development, this spring, was the replacement of the trellis in the vegetable garden. The wood was starting to be in bad shape and the structure was threatening to collapse. We replaced them during the May session with metal tubes which are much more resistant over time. The vine can grow!!!

The sale of olives, almonds and oil

Another great breakthrough since last winter is the diffusion of Flores de Vida products, which have received a magnificent welcome. In addition to financial inflows, this gives meaning to the project, connecting it to the social reality through the diffusion of products of exceptional quality.

L’article 2018 est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

The small house in Maella, which is no longer useful, has been sold, as have three hectares of land that were on the other side of the path and therefore somewhat separated from Flores de Vida.

The big house that was being renovated is for sale: Flores de Vida is enough work!

The garden is beautiful and productive, and the orchard (more than 500 trees now) is taking shape and beginning to bear fruit. Traces of the fire have almost disappeared.

We’re planning on getting Flores de Vida officially approved as a camping place, which will involve a bit of reorganisation and the installation of a few necessary facilities.

An architect from Caspe is helping us with the project.

L’article 2013 est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

April: A fire caused by the sparks of an electrical tool burned the workshop, a little storage place, a yurt, and some trees in the hills. Cleaning and reorganizing.

L’article 2012 est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

More and more people were coming, good energies, and the vegetable garden was already producing 80% of the food.

L’article 2010 est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

Fall: The garden has grown, other trees were planted and the first basin was completed. Birds and dragonflies will greatly appreciate this … and so will we. Four solar panels feed electricity into the yurt. Luxury awaits us.

And then there was the roof renovation of the old house in Maella: 30m² roof completely renovated and insulated with earth and straw. It was fun.

L’article 2009 est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

We acquired a small house in Maella in September. After some work the library and office were operational in October.

Acquisition, also of a big house to renovate, in Maella, with the idea to create a meeting place in the village.

The most important work on the land for that winter has been the planting and sowing of about 400 trees, both fruit and forestry, and mulching.

There was also the removing of the dead wood from the trees and an early vegetable garden. And then lots of small jobs.

L’article 2008 est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

Therefore:
* Summers are relatively hot and dry (between 95°F and 104°F in July/August)
* relatively cool winters, but very sunny and bright. There can be 8 to 10 days of night frosts (especially from late December to late February), which can drop to -2°C/-3°C (rarely -4°C/-5°C), and afternoons that easily reach +10°C/+15°C.
* Occasional periods of fairly strong northwesterly winds (the Cierzo)
* Fairly low rainfall (300 to 400 mm/year, on average)

Today

The current weather situation on Monday 15 June 2026 at 03:57 o’clock, 50 seconds ago: It is 19.6 °C. The sky is covered by 24 % with clouds and there was 0.0 mm rain in the last three hours. The wind blows with 8 km/h from Southeast. The air contains 96 ppb Carbon monoxide.

L’article The weather est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

Once a year we organize a festival on the land, the Fiesta Cruda.
An occasion to meet and celebrate the Life !

No Fiesta Cruda
this year 2025… sorry.

[eme_events limit=”1″ category=”3″ template_id=”26″]

It is also an opportunity for all those who like to get to know the place, the project and the actors. We want to use the season of figs and grapes to enjoy the life together and have fun. To exchange with each other, to get to know each other (better) and to learn from each other.

Three days of meetings around life, global health and permaculture.
* 3 days of meetings to celebrate life
* 3 days to experience a lively and simple diet: fruit picked from the tree, raw vegetables
* 3 days to sing, dance, laugh, etc.
* 3 days of workshops: yoga, chi-kong, acro-yoga, massage, etc.
* 3 days of talks and sharing
* 3 self-created days

Activities

* If you want to share a technique or knowledge that you master, feel free to propose a workshop.
* If you play a musical instrument, bring it too.

Each participant may, if he/she wishes, propose one (or more) workshops, conferences, concerts, etc. For each proposed activity, a form must be completed beforehand, so that we can set up the program.

The participation

The current price for participation on all three days can be found on the registration page. The first half is payable on registration, the second half on arrival, but is waived if you give a workshop. The earlier you register, the cheaper the participation fee. It includes:
* Access to all activities that take place during these three days
* Access to the camping area
* Access to showers and dry toilets
* Food (raw fruits and vegetables)

For now we decided to limit the number of participants to 50 what is already a lot for the existing infrastructure of the place. And as we propose to create the Fiesta together it’s best if you can be there from the beginning… otherwise you do as you can.

The project actresses and actors are invited free of charge to the Fiesta Cruda. If you consider yourself being one of those and have not received an invitation, do not hesitate to contact us. It is necessary to register – even if you are invited – to participate in the Fiesta Cruda. 

Practical details

• Accommodation : free camping
  Each participant must be completely autonomous in sleeping mode. You are invited to come with what you need to sleep.  There is a camping area for tents, caravans and motorhomes.

  • Food: there will be figs and grapes at will, and also other fruits and vegetables, depending on the availability of the moment. If you have the opportunity to bring organic fruits and vegetables they will be welcome. The same goes for water (if we are a lot, we may be not have enough).
    Feel free to bring other food if you need it, as long as it remains entirely vegan and raw.

• Carpooling: share the car is more fun and more ecological. After your registration for the event you can get in contact with the other participants also to arrange your travel together.

Please, come without:

Alcohol, tobacco, various drugs, meat and animal products, and also without dogs and cats.

When?

[eme_events limit=”1″ category=”3″ template_id=”26″]

L’article Fiesta Cruda est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

• Maintenance of the place, care of the trees and vegetable garden.
• Continue to develop the place and make it more and more pleasant to live in and more and more beautiful.
• Install more drippers at a part of the olive trees to ensure a good harvests each year.
• Almond and olive crops and fig drying in autumn.

The project École de Vie Écologique is on track and should be completed during the year, with major works planned for next year. The architect is in the final touches. We will add information when the permit is filed.

The activities take place over the days, over time, rain and wind. If you want to participate, you are welcome, whatever your technical level and age. There’s always a way to make yourself useful!

L’article Plans and projects for 2018 est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

Nat’ is still the only real permanent but more and more Hermanitos and friends come back regularly and spend more and more time at the place. Some of them come to spend 3 or 4 months every year (and even up to 6 months), providing real support to the project.

The trees grow and the harvests are beginning to be abundant… soon autonomy!
There are right now more than 1000 trees that have been planted and soan. Most of them are grown directly from seeds and not grafted but that doesn’t stop them from giving excellent fruits.

We started to sell the surplus of the olive and almond production and also olive oil. That works fairly well. All the info is to find on the page: The products of Flores de Vida.

The camping project is transforming to a School of Ecological Life project and is still not finished. The architect takes his time… The essential part of the project is done but he never stops to working out the details. In any case it will be awesome and there will be news very soon for sure.

Nat’ lives now in a splendid cottage made of wood/earth/straw. You’ll find the construction details at Ecologie-Globale.com (in French). After spending 6 years in yurt and caravan he appreciates a lot this new habitat, especially since the design of the cottage (very successfully) makes it a super pleasant place to live, winter as summer.

The idea is to construct little by little cottages for the permanents, as arrivals occur, the project remains to be a small group of 15 to 20 people. In the logic of globality which is that of Flores de Vida, it is essential that the people who will come to learn at the School of Ecological Life are welcomed by a group who is living this ecological life daily.

We are currently reviewing the entire operation and organization of the project, both in terms of activities on the site and the presentation of the site on the internet including the features of the website… more news coming soon.

L’article 2017 est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

Those who have actively supported the project for at least two weeks or provided financial support of at least €50 will be named as Actresses and Actors and given free access to the next Fiesta Cruda as a thank you.

The following lists are in constant growing. As we implement this idea only now, eight years after the start of the project, these lists are missing a lot of characters. If you see yourself belonging to one of the groups below and want to be mentioned, [hide for=”logged”]register respectively log in and [/hide]tell us your connection and relation to Flores de Vida in [hide for=”!logged”][/hide]your user profile[hide for=”!logged”][/hide].

Founder and permanents

Beside the founder Nat’, you will find here the people who decide to settle down too at Flores de Vida: [userlist role=”permanent”]

Hermanitas and Hermanitos

These are in general people who came for a session in the first place but stayed longer or returned afterwards. They feel connected and responsible for the place and project by giving their energy and mood and love beyond the agreed exchange and haven taken care in an impressive way. They are part of the Flores de Vida family but not living at the place permanently.Show the Hermanitas and Hermanitos

Participants of sessions, seminars or workshops and donators

The people who have given their manpower by taken part in at least one session or participated in a seminar or workshop and/or donate money or other stuff to support Flores de Vida. Show these people

Friends, acquaintances, neighbours, local farmers

And we thank all the people that are connected or associated in other ways with the concept and project. There are a lot of people who support the Flores de Vida way of life in many different ways, for example the ones living near by and allow us to benefit from their abundance of fruits.

Technical support

This web site is made with WordPress, a free content management system that allows everybody to set up a online presence like this one. WordPress is not a direct contributor to Flores de Vida but we use it to spread and share our ideas and information easily and without further costs. And the concept that people from all over the world contribute voluntary to a project that is free available to the whole world and intends to help everybody to express yourself fits to our way. At the same occasion we want to thank the developers of the additional plugins that allow to extend the functionality and usability of our web page, especially Events Made Easy.

We although are very thankful for the free service of DeepL.com that makes the translation work much easier.

L’article Actresses and Actors est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

2026
This year, we are undergoing renovations, so there are no organized activities, trips, or events.
However, you are welcome to come and lend a hand if you feel like it.
* come and lend a hand > contact us

L’article Agenda est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

Nat’ Spirit sur YouTube: Antipodes
Antipodes: listen/download

Permaculture/natural farming

Brin de Paille (association) : asso.permaculture.fr
El portal de permacultura en lengua española : Permacultura ES

Natural Hygiene and health

Désiré Merien : http://www.desiremerien.fr

Non Violent Communication

THE CENTER FOR NONVIOLENT COMMUNICATION
Nonviolent Communication (Wikipedia)
All books by Marshall Rosenberg, creator of NVC

Exchange’s networks

Espana : http://ruralvolunteers.org/WHOSTS/
International : http://www.wwoofinternational.org/
HelpX : http://www.helpx.net

Water management

Joseph Országh (scientifique) www.eautarcie.com,
“Eau vivante” (association) http://eauvivante31.free.fr

Ecolieux

Oasis Bellecombe (Alps, France) http://www.oasisbellecombe.com/

Others links

Town hall (ayuntamiento) of Maella http://www.maella.es/

L’article Some Links est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

Permaculture/natural farming

« Permaculture », tomes 1 et 2. Bill Mollison and David Holmgren
« Permaculture : a designer’s manuel », Bill Mollison
« Abrégé d’agriculture naturelle », Olivier Barbié
« L’art de faire travailler le naturel au jardin » J-L Sacquet (http://www.jardinsderrand.com/)
« Graines de permaculture », Patrick Whitefield (www.passerelleco.info)
Masanobu Fukuoka : « La Révolution d’un seul brin de paille », « L’Agriculture naturelle », « La voie du retour à la Nature, art du non-faire »

Natural Hygiene and health

H. M. Shelton. : important litterature
A. Mosséri : http://www.hygienisme.org
Désiré Merien
« Les 5 Tibétains » Peter Kelder.
“The 80/10/10 diet” Dr Douglas N. Graham

Gardening and nature

« Anastasia » Vladimir Mégré
« Le peuple animal », Daniel Meurois et Anne Givaudan
« The man who planted trees » (DVD) text from Jean Giono, a moviefrom Frédérick Bach
« Les 4 saisons du jardin bio » (magazine) http://www.terrevivante.org/ )

Green building

« La maison écologique » (magazine) (http://www.la-maison-ecologique.com/ )

L’article Bibliography est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago..
The other best time is today.”

(African word)

• Permaculture, natural farming … work with nature, observe, reflect before acting …
  And trees, trees and more trees …
  A forest is always fertile and does not need time to rest.
  Its soil is naturally rich and does not require fertilizer or amendments. It is never plowed, always covered, and falling leaves provide a steady supply of compost. There are tall trees, medium-size trees, small shrubs, grasses and vines, and everything is in perfect harmony and cooperation. Some organisms benefit from elements produced or processed by others and vice versa.
  Some principles emerge from this observation:
• No labour
• Permanent ground cover
• No fertilizer, neither chemical nor biological
• Association of plants and trees, both horizontally and vertically
• Pruning reduced to a minimum, or none at all.

And amidst all this, a human being who observes, who loves, trying to understand the mysteries of nature, trying to understand why sometimes it works and sometimes it does not …
Of course, permaculture goes much further than the care of trees and garden … but we will talk later. More information is also available on wikipedia.

“What matters here is not farming techniques, but the human being including the science”

(according to Vladimir Megre, in Anastasia).

L’article Permaculture and natural farming est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

However, I will try to be brief and give you an overview of our vision of healthy, and above all physiological, nutrition, i.e., nutrition that is adapted to the real needs of our bodies… and not to our emotional compensations, habits, or social conventions.

NB: if you are interested in this topic, I offer an online program to help you eat healthily:
Se Nourrir Sainement (Eating Healthily, so far only available in French).

Living in harmony with nature

At Flores de Vida, we offer a way of living and eating that is in harmony with nature and attuned to the real needs of our bodies.

The simpler, the better

Digestion requires a lot of energy, and the more we eat, the more tired we become. Just look at how we feel after what our society considers a good meal. In fact, it is simply a cataclysmic meal.

In short, we eat too much, too richly, too complicatedly…

We don’t move enough, breathe little, are too sedentary…

Our bodies are not adapted to meat, fish, dairy products, or industrial food, which is full of additives and pesticides.

We are not carnivores

• We don’t have carnivorous teeth.
  If you don’t believe me, try tearing a piece of raw meat.
• We don’t have carnivorous intestines.
  In order to digest meat, our intestines would need to be much shorter to prevent putrefaction… corpses decompose very quickly.
• We do not have the liver of a carnivore.
  Our livers would need to be much larger to handle the enormous amount of toxins generated by meat.

Dairy products and eggs… not much better

Fish, dairy products, and eggs acidify the body, creating conditions conducive to disease.

Acidity… a major problem in our society.

Unfortunately, it’s not just animal products that acidify the body, but also:
* cooked grains (bread, rice, pasta, cookies, etc.)
* sugar extracted from its natural context (fruit)
* chemical additives (coloring, pesticides, herbicides, preservatives, etc.)
* stress
* a sedentary lifestyle and lack of oxygenation
* constant exposure to all kinds of waves (Wi-Fi, 4G, 5G, Bluetooth, microwave ovens, etc.

But then… nothing left?

Yes, there’s still plenty left, and certainly lots of foods you don’t know about: all fruits, most vegetables, sprouted seeds, nuts, olives, and various oilseeds… that’s a lot of happiness every day.

All grains and legumes can be eaten sprouted: wheat, lentils, beans, oats, buckwheat, barley, etc.

Some plants are not very interesting if they are not cooked (potatoes), or are even completely inedible (chard stems) or toxic (yams), but there are so many others that this is not a problem.

All cabbages are excellent raw, as are zucchini, squash, pumpkin, spinach, turnips, parsnips, beets, all types of lettuce, etc.

And there are certainly many fruits that you don’t know about…

Rediscovering the meaning of life

Our bodies need simple, easily digestible food; they need movement, fresh air, pure water, sunshine… quite simply, they need to live.

We need to communicate, laugh, dance… and then quietly savor fresh, organic fruits and vegetables.

Eating… an encounter with oneself

A meal is a special time to refocus, disconnect… it is a time to reconnect with oneself.

It is a time of awareness.

“Performing alchemy with your teeth,” as Rabelais said.

But why have we turned a simple, personal act into a social event? Why do we feel the need to gather around food?

We can easily get together to talk, sing, dance… without it being around food.
Ah, the myth of conviviality…

Chew well

A moment of awareness, then… and chewing.

If we don’t chew properly, food becomes difficult to digest (or even indigestible) because the stomach has more difficulty breaking down the pieces.

It’s good to remember here that the stomach has no teeth and that it’s our job to do the chewing for it (hihi).

Sugar and salt

A little note about salt, which is not generally considered a drug, but which is in fact a stimulant made indispensable by the use of sugar. This is the famous yin/yang balance at work here. An excess of yin (sugar) requires an excess of yang (salt), and vice versa. I’m not talking here about the sugar found naturally in fruit, but artificially concentrated sugar, whether white, brown, and whether it comes from beet, sugar cane, cereals, or even fruit. It is the concentration that is harmful.

As for salt, it hardens tissues and blood vessels and distorts the taste of food. When we eliminate it, we gradually rediscover the true flavor of food.

We do need minerals, which we find in fruits and vegetables, and not just sodium chloride…

And a final word

And finally, let’s not forget that our bodies know when it’s the right time to eat.

Our bodies know how to tell us… but unfortunately, most of us don’t know how to listen.
That signal is hunger… let’s learn to listen to it.
Let’s learn to eat when we’re hungry and to stop eating when we’re no longer hungry.

Yes, it’s a learning process, a way of life.
True health and joy await us.

Nat’

L’article Eating naturally est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

What is inside is projected outside, and what we experience on a psychological level materializes (sooner or later) in our bodies.

Similarly, what we experience inside ourselves, in our bodies and our psyche, is reflected in our environment and our daily lives.

This can be seen at all levels:
* mental stress… tense and tired body
* conflictual relationships with others… conflictual relationship with ourselves
* rigid body… rigid mind
* etc.

Embodying the change

In this vein, if we want to participate in changing the world… we must begin by changing ourselves.

This means nothing less than transforming ourselves completely, cleansing our emotions, healing our bodies, and healing our relationship with the world and with others.

This may seem like wishful thinking, but we have an extraordinary tool at our disposal: food.

We are what we eat

* If we feed our bodies denatured and devitalized foods, we denature and devitalize ourselves.
* If we give our bodies the right fuel, they will naturally take the path to true health.
* If we eliminate drugs, stimulants, and various toxins, the resulting mental clarity will allow us to begin to see ourselves more clearly.
* If we add to this healthy physical practices and healthy relationship practices… we have set foot on the path.

Yes, it is a long road…

The dream

The Dream is that one day we will be a small team at Flores de Vida, sharing the same dream and journeying together towards greater awareness.
And then there will be people coming for stays of varying lengths, seminars, courses, and workshops, to share with us this journey towards greater awareness.

The Flores de Vida Declaration

L’article Our Philosophy est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

If you feel concerned by the values that Flores de Vida promotes, then come and share with us the daily life of the project, both in terms of the work and maintenance of the place, as well as the sharing of everything that makes life in Flores de Vida (yoga, singing, dancing, music, meditation, etc.).

There are different ways to participate. If you want to participate even more actively in the adventure, welcome to you. If you have skills that you want to value, there’s room for you to express yourself. If no other options are indicated, contact us via our form if necessary. You can participate…

• on the land, by coming for an activity session.
• remotely, from home (translations, website management, etc.).
• through financial support.
• by spreading the project around you and on social networks.
• by ordering Flores de Vida products.
• by coming to live in Flores de Vida to build the project on a daily basis.

Participate on the land

Skills that are very useful on the land: * eco-construction * permaculture * agricultural work (pruning, maintenance, etc.) * vegetable garden management * mechanics/electricity/plumbing/handiwork * irrigation system management * photo/video
There is always a way to make yourself useful, even without special skills.

If you have never been here before, the best way to discover Flores de Vida is to participate in a two week activity session. It is unlikely that it will be possible to welcome you outside the organized activities, but you can always take your chances and see the information at the bottom of this page.

NB: if you have already come, you are at home in Flores de Vida and you can come outside the organised activities, but you must first make sure that it is possible to welcome you at a given time.

A great adventure

A short or long stay in Flores de Vida can be a great adventure and your habits may well be challenged. It is an invitation to a simple life, close to nature, a place to really find yourself. Have you visited the page Life in Flores de Vida?

Participate remotely, from home

Skills that are very useful on the administrative side: * administrative management * association management * accounting * maintenance/design of the website * French/Spanish or French/English translations.

Provide financial support for the project

You can support the project either by a one-time donation, a monthly transfer, a major donation or a small donation, it is according to your possibilities.

Any participation is welcome, regardless of the amount. Small streams make big rivers.

Every year we organise a big celebration, the Fiesta Cruda, so that all the actors of the project can meet, share, exchange. All the actors will be invited for free.

NB: the actors of the project are as much the people who participate financially as those who come to lend a hand on the field and participate in the workcamps (where you are of course welcome).

Of course, we have plenty of gifts planned to thank you for your participation. Feel free to spread the link around you and on social networks and talk about Flores de Vida.

Spread the project around you

Talking about Flores de Vida and EVE around you is already a great help. The more the project is known, the more support it will receive. And it is the snowball that grows and grows.

Talk to your friends and family, publish posts, articles and videos on social networks, to your contacts… everything is good for the family to grow.

Order Flores de Vida products

Consuming Flores de Vida products is an excellent way to support the project and to do you good at the same time, because they are really products of the highest quality, more organic than Bio.

Olives, almonds, olive oil and other 100% natural products.

Become permanent

If you want to be 100% involved in the project, it is possible too. There is room for several people to live on the land and we could be 10 or 15 permanents (this is an integral part of the project). My dream is that the place will be managed and animated by a joyful and dynamic team, composed of people on the path to regeneration. You can imagine the impact for people who will come for an internship (or a longer or shorter stay) of being welcomed by an entire team already on the way and who can testify by example.

For the moment, there is a 28 m² yurt available (even 2 yurts) and several caravans. In general everything is possible. Over time we will be able to build small houses so that each inhabitant has a pleasant space to live in.

If the idea of living in Flores de Vida (and participating in the evolution of the project) thrills you, don’t hesitate to contact us and we will see together what is possible.

Coming outside the organized activities

If you have never been to Flores de Vida before, it is rarely possible to come and help out outside the organized periods, but you can try your luck (you’ll never know). There are times when you need more hands and your request can be really welcome if it comes at that time.

NB: Receiving new people requires availability, because there are many details to know in order to live on a daily basis (the organization of the place and the food, the tasks to be accomplished, where to find the tools, etc.) and it takes a certain amount of time to get your bearings and be autonomous.

Do you want to discover Flores de Vida?

See all the possibilities to discover Flores de Vida.

And to know a little more about it, see:
* Ongoing projects
* The testimonies
* The actors of the project

L’article XXXXX Participate in the project est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

Coming to Maella

To reach Maella (OSM, Google) isn’t that difficult. Depending on your way of travelling we hope the following information will help you.

Airplane

The next international airport is in Barcelona about 180 km away. There is a daily bus connection from BCN AEROPUERTO T-1 to Maella offered by HIFE. To be sure you better visit their website to get the latest data. If they will not change their online system this link should bring you to the needed timetable. As at April 2018 depending on the day of the week you can choose one of two connections taking each 3:45 hours and costs 20,35 €. The situation is similar for the way back.
The bus stop in Barcelona is in the Calle de Numancia 149, the ticket shop in the Calle Anglesola 33.
In Maella there is only one bus stop.
HIFE is also offering contact via E-Mail hife@hife.es and phone +34 902 119 814.

Railroad

If you intend to come by train, you can visit the Renfe website to find a connection from Barcelona to Caspe. Caspe is 20 km from Maella. There is a bus route by HIFE between them.

By car

If you come by car from Perpignan/France you can take the toll road Autopista del Mediterráneo AP-7 via Barcelona direction Tarragona. Leave this highway after Tarragona at the exit 34 (Tarragona/Reus E/Aeroport/Aeropuerto). Head over in direction Alcaniz first via T-11 then on N-420. After passing the town of Gandesa you change on C-221 direction Batea/Maella to finally come to Maella (ORS, Google). Think about using car pooling. With your registration for one of our events we give you the possibility to get in contact with our participants. So you can try to travel together.

Coming to the land

The way from Maella to Flores de Vida can be done by feet and might take between 60 and 90 minutes. See also the details about the mobility. [hide for=”invites”]You will get the details how to get to Flores de Vida itself after we confirm your request for any kind of visit.[/hide][hide for=”all” exclude=”administrator,hermanito,invites”]The detailed information to reach the place itself is on this page, also linked in your user menu.[/hide]

L’article How to come to Flores de Vida est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

The session

Our aim is not to provide you with the comfort you are used to and to meet all your requirements, so that you can complete your working hours according to our specifications, but to bring you closer to the living in Flores de Vida. Even if we spend only a short time together with the two weeks, community building will play a large part. The fact that we invite newcomers to participate in the sessions not only has the advantage for us of concentrating the effort of explaining and introducing, but also creates the necessary group size and diversity for the community aspect.

Even if we as organizers have certain ideas about which tasks we would like to complete in the time and often also have the specific experience in which way this works well, we start to plan the process together and are also open for all kinds of suggestions. What are the interests and wishes of the group, what are their preferences, what knowledge and skills are there? We agree together when and with what we start the day; usually a sporting activity such as yoga. We plan who will do what work and when. We organise time together for music-making or other leisure activities and we arrange a daily meeting for exchange. A circle in which we can share our mood and feelings confidentially, simply tell about ourselves, but also ask for advice. An environment in which we also gain the feeling to express ourselves freely, openly and honestly and to address conflicts and problems with courage and confidence.

All this with the freedom to always decide for yourself to participate in the group activity or to take time for yourself.

We also suggest an awareness for small, everyday or recurring tasks. To keep an eye on what needs to be done and to take action without being asked. Contribute and approach ideas and suggestions yourself.

L’article Give a hand est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

A beautiful, wild and preserved place

6 hectares of olive trees, almond trees and fig trees – so generous – in the middle of nature, surrounded by more than 20 hectares of wild hills with scents of pine and rosemary… assured tranquility. No electrical wires, streetlights, fences, or any noise or visual pollution. Beautiful rocks seem to be watching over the site. Nature is there, immense and inviting.

Equipments and Facilities

Water and Electricity
• Connection to an agricultural water network for irrigation.
• A borehole for drinking water.
• Electricity via solar panels.
• Internet connection.

Sanitary facilities
• Dry toilets.
• Showers with solar hot water.

Accommodation areas
• 2 caravans (a third is awaiting renovation)
• Camping areas
• La Casita de Nat’
• La Maison Joyeuse de ChristAile

Vegetable garden and orchard
• A huge orchard with over 1,000 trees, which is beginning to offer abundant harvests of all types of fruit (from temperate regions… no mango or banana trees)
• A beautiful vegetable garden, which grows year after year
• A mini greenhouse for seedlings and fragile plants (in winter)
• A natural swimming pool (occupied by frogs), which also serves as a water reserve.

Outbuildings and various spaces
• La Crudine, made of straw and earth, as a small common room.
• A semi-underground cellar for storing fruit, vegetables, and other items.
• A solar dryer
• Two tool sheds in the vegetable garden (with lots of tools)
• A nice little workshop and storage areas
• Various small shaded areas for meeting and relaxing
• A parking lot that can accommodate around fifteen vehicles

Currently under construction
• A 30m² cellar, completely underground, which will therefore be cooler than the existing cellar.
• A large 100m² greenhouse to house the orange grove (the climate here is a little too harsh for growing orange trees in open fields).
• A 30m² glass/aluminum greenhouse for the vegetable garden, which will make it easier to grow vegetables all year round.

Planned
• A drinking water storage tank of at least 30m²
• An apiary (mainly for pollination)
• Improvements to the camping areas (water/electricity)

Some pictures

take a look at our photo gallery

Where is Flores de Vida?

Coming to Flores de Vida in Aragon, near Maella

What is the weather like?

Flores de Vida is located at an altitude of approximately 280 m and has a semi-continental climate. We are separated from the coastal climate by the small mountain range “Els Ports,” which rises to 1,000 m (high enough to keep us from having a Mediterranean climate).

Learn more about climate

L’article The place est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

Priority to wild animals

We want to have friendly relations with wild animals and let them live. Dogs and cats can easily disrupt the balance of an ecosystem that is already fragile (in general) due to agricultural chemicals, plowing, roads, etc.
At Flores de Vida, we support the ecosystem’s regeneration and try to avoid anything that could disrupt it.

• Cats are formidable predators for birds, lizards, snakes, etc.
• Dogs have an unfortunate tendency to scratch around in flower beds and leave their droppings everywhere, preferably near homes. Barking is also a nuisance that we want to avoid, as well as aggression (always a possibility) between dogs and also towards humans.
• Dogs and cats like to mark their territory by urinating on the doors of houses and tent canvases (yes, yes, it’s true).
• As they are carnivores, we have to:
  * either feed them meat… and we don’t want carcasses brought onto the premises,
  * or feed them kibble… which is no better in terms of energy,
  * or let them hunt… and we don’t want that.
  So… there’s no room here for dogs and cats… sorry.

The return of birds and wildlife

With the development of Flores de Vida, the planting of trees, the addition of mulch, and the absence of plowing, more and more wildlife has settled in and formed a new ecosystem.

Since we started mulching the trees and vegetable garden, the birds have returned and are now very present on the land. They peck at the fruit from time to time, but they contribute to the overall balance. In the spring, it feels like being in an aviary, with birds singing everywhere.

There are also lots of lizards, frogs, and toads (which hang out in the vegetable garden pond), and snakes (mostly grass snakes, which are beautiful and harmless).
In the evenings during summer, it’s a bat party…

Occasionally, wild boars, mountain goats, hares, foxes, and badgers come to visit us, and I even saw a genet one evening in the headlights of the car (Nat is writing these lines).

Most of these animals are shy and nervous and hide when we are around. The calmer and more attentive you are in the field, the more wonderful encounters you will have.

In this environment, there is no place for dogs and cats at Flores de Vida.

L’article Dogs and cats est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

Of course it can still happen to eat at the same place at the same time. But then please pay attention to the needs of others and make sure they agree to a conversation if you feel like it. Contrary to social habits, the mealtime in Flores de Vida is not a time for conversation; we create other opportunities for it.

We invite you to eat and chew carefully and consciously, to devote yourself to the process of eating with the necessary peace and to enjoy it with all your senses. That is why we also propose to prepare, process, mix and spice as little as possible.
The principle of simplicity also applies to meals. Discover the particularities of the individual foods, how they affect your body and whether you may perceive changes in taste and sensation with increasing amounts.

Another suggestion is to start the day with just a few sips of water and wait with the first food intake until the body has completed its morning cleansing process and the feeling of hunger becomes really strong and clear.

L’article The meals est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

Our goal is to achieve the effects of drugs in other ways. These include techniques such as yoga and meditation, but also the conscious examination of one’s own problems, worries and fears, alone or in a group.

L’article The drugs est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.

The available food is always determinated by what is currently growing and maturing in Flores de Vida or the environment. In addition to our own fruit trees, gardens and other edible plants, we often also have the products of neighbours, friends and farmers as well as the yields of abandoned trees in the surrounding area at our disposal. Depending on the size of the last harvest and whether the respective fruits can be stored well or preserved (dried, fermented), the food supply can be expanded with it.

Here a small insight into the food supply 2018.
At the beginning of May are available:

• Stock of apples from Flores de Vida
• Stock of oranges and mandarins bought from a friend
• Stock of dried fruits from summer 2017: figs, grapes, plums, peaches, all from Flores de Vida
• Stock of almonds from Flores de Vida
• Stock of fermented and dried olives from Flores de Vida

L’article The food est apparu en premier sur Eco-logical Life Center.