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SRF International Eco-Village
A group of Self Realization Fellowship devotees have come together to build an International Eco-Village promoting simple living, sustainable green architecture, organic farming, and mind-body-soul development in accordance with Paramahansa Yogananda's teachings for SRF members.
Located in Tepoztlan, Mexico, the SRF Eco-village will be an ideal place for people to get closer to nature and live in a close community of like minded people. A piece of land will soon be bought, upon which we will begin building small eco-homes to live in by December 2008.
ABOUT TEPOZTLAN, MEXICO
Tepoztlan, is located 1 hour south of Mexico City, in a mountainous region about 6,000 ft above sea level. Rich in spirit, natural beauty, and crafts; the town is full of artists, musicians, holistic healers, and shamans. With near perfect weather of about 70 degrees Farenheit year round, Tepoztlan offers a large variety of fresh exotic fruits and vegetables, all easily available at city markets.
JOIN US!
1) You can work with us. We are in the alternative energy, organic agriculture and sustainable architecture industry and we are currently hiring people to join us. An array of different positions are available immediately. Experience is desirable, but not necessary, as we provide full training. Most of us speak English, so the Spanish language barrier isn't a problem.
2) You can start your own business here and receive marketing, technical, and financial help from us to get started.
"The ideal of business should be to give the best service, to supply the real needs of man, and not to encourage his habits of luxury, which destroy his body, mind, and soul. The sharing of profits between capital and labor would make both the capitalists and the workers equally rich and happy." (P. Yogananda)
3) You can buy land and build your green house in the eco-village. Since we specialize in sustainable architecture, we can either build your house or help you build it at a low cost.
4) You can invest in a community project (buy land, provide cash to start building, etc). You would own the specific land/building and rent it to the eco-village tenants as a form of income for you. We accept all creative ideas.
5) We also take apprentices and/or shorter term volunteers who are willing to learn about and/or share knowledge on alternative energy, organic agriculture, and sustainable architecture. Volunteers will be provided with housing and meals at no cost in exchange for their contribution.
6) We also offer hands-on classes to students all over the world in alternative energy, organic agriculture, and sustainable architecture. You can participate either as a teacher, student, or sponsor.
7) You can even join us from a distance! If you can not travel or relocate but would like to be in touch with us to share ideas and experiences, or to support us in heart and spirit, please feel free to contact us!
People joining the SRF International Eco-Village can initially rent an apartment or house and become incorporatd into the community as we materialize it. You can also stay with a local family at a very low cost.
REAL ESTATE PLANNING
It is possible for foreigners to own property in Mexico as long as it is not on the border or the sea, for security reasons. The law changed several years ago. Before, foreigners would get 99-year leases, or the bank would own it for them, but now they can have full ownership and property can be passed on to heirs. It can grow in equity. Land has increased 8-fold in the last 10 years here, and it will keep going up.
A natural house starts with finding a good location which will allow for passive and active solar heating, cooling, and lighting, as well as the use of natural building materials found locally (adobe, rock, stone, cob, straw bale, and bamboo). Ideally we will be building small houses so we don't further tax mother nature. We will also implement the integration of rain water harvesting, grey water filtering, waste water natural treatment plants, dry toilets, green fences, etc.
We believe the first building constructed should be the chapel, and everything should be built around it. It will be a cooperative eco-village where we will have a shared farm with vegetable gardens, fruit trees, natural swimming pools, and a large earth pond for agriculture use and for stocking fish (for the non-vegetarians).
The cost of living is low in Mexico, and if we grow most or all of our food, it will be even cheaper. The idea is to help each other as much as we can. For example, we could have common kitchen and eating areas where we could pay someone to cook, or rotate the cooking between all of us. There could also be a child care center that would free a lot of parent's time. Ideally the space will be exclusively for SRF members and their families (who do not need to be SRF'ers).
If you are interested in joining us, the best thing would be to plan a trip and spend at least a few days with us so you can get a feel for the land, community, and location. From Mexico City, Tepoztlan is only a 1 hour bus ride away. |
CONTACT
Avenida Revolucion 49. Barrio Santo Domingo
Tepoztlan, Mexico
(739)395-7751
Ecosol10@gmail.com
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