Earthship-Inspired Holistic Homes

Has anyone ever shared their dream with you, and suddenly it’s all you’ve ever wanted, as well? In a split second, your own hopes and dreams evolve as you are gifted someone else’s. It’s not that your life becomes theirs; it’s that you weren’t really living until that moment. The individual “someone” doesn’t really matter –in the grand scheme of things; they were simply a way for the Universe to show you the dream you had been searching for.

I met someone like this. Although he continues to have a profound impact on me and my life, to this day, I also know that he was a messenger –he brought one of the greatest gifts I could ever receive. He helped open my eyes to my biggest passion in life. He awakened an excitement for a dream I didn’t know I was longing for. It’s not something I can show you, or even truly describe –my dream and passion in life can only be understood when it is felt, not observed.

Nature.

My journey toward this elusive dream began with a need. It’s a need that we all have, and many stifle until their last breathe. I awoke one day, suddenly aware of what that need was… a Need for Nature.

Having already left the city, and living next to a massive lake, I was connecting to the Earth before I even realized it. I spent more time beneath trees than with people, and my feet were constantly longing to be back in the grass.

Even as I felt a new sense of calmness and fulfillment, a part of me knew that something was still missing. Walking amongst the trees after work was all and well, but I craved more. I wanted to live with the trees, not just visit them.

Connection.

As my journey continued, I felt a new sense of longing. I was craving the presence of others in a way I’d never known –having always sought time alone, rather than with others. I didn’t want to be with just anyone, though. I wanted friendships like I had with the trees, but with beings who could speak to me in a way I understood. I wanted to be understood, and to have real conversations, in place of mindless small-talk and gossip. I was craving something more; I just didn’t have the words for it yet.

Enter: The Messenger…

When I met him, I suddenly had the words. I had the words to express what I was longing for, and to express who I truly was. After a lifetime of confusion and stifling my deepest desires, I finally had the words to describe them. And I finally had the strength to act on them.

Community.

What I had been searching for was Community, and not in the form that I’d been taught. I was craving connection, support and understanding; balance, harmony and stillness. I was searching for a life that’s natural, yet I was told is impossible. I had been looking for something that he helped me see, and now it’s all I could ever hope for.

Listen to the man who changed my life by sharing his vision for a Revolutionary Community, for the first 5 minutes. And then watch the beautiful life we are building –my first taste of off-grid life, living at the Talking Trees Community Prototype Site in 2019.

I am home, but it’s not a particular place. I’ll always be home, as long as I’m on the Earth; and now I truly feel at home with this fact in my heart. I do need a physical space to live, however; and that’s part of the message he brought to me.

Home.

From the outside, it may seem like this life has consumed me; but in reality, I’ve consumed every bite that I can. If you have been fortunate enough to realize and act on your life’s purpose, you’ll understand when I say, It’s all I’ve ever wanted, and all I’ll ever need. Of course, I’m not blind to my other needs; like food, clothing and shelter.

I filmed every day of our first Holistic Homes Greenhouse build, and the experience showed me what the Community will truly feel like. Getting to witness the potential of these buildings –during construction & after completion– is an experience unlike any other.

Since realizing my life’s dream, my conception of shelter, housing and food, has been forever altered. I can’t look at conventional buildings the same anymore, and I am the biggest advocate for their alternative.

Earthship.

I no longer desire a home that requires life support to keep me comfortable; I want to live in a home that cares for me, as I care for it. I want to live in a home that is alive, and entirely self-sustaining. Did you know such a home exists?

When I first saw the documentary, Garbage Warrior, I instantly fell in love with a building design called the Earthship. This off-grid design was developed over 40 years ago in Taos, New Mexico, and the Earthship Biotecture Academy is still training others to carry on its beautiful concepts. Every Earthship must incorporate these 6 principles:

Built with natural & recycled materials;

Power production & storage;

Passive heating & cooling;

Water collection;

Sewage treatment;

Food production.

One of the many people to attend Earthship Bio is DTKT, the man who has acted as a messenger for me in this life. With an extensive background in carpentry and building contemporary mansions, he took to the Earthship design quickly and has continued to master those skills.

Holistic Home.

Since we live in Eastern Ontario (Canada), the Earthship design had to be modified to account for this Northern Climate. DTKT tested his hand at designing, and has developed his version of the Earthship, called Holistic Homes.

Holistic Homes follow the same six principles as the Earthship, with modifications in the architecture to keep us warm in the winter, and to increase food production. In the Fibonacci Series of Holistic Home designs, DTKT added a second row of glass to create two greenhouses on the south side of the building. With this new aspect incorporated into the design, we’re able to grow more food in each building, and maintain a more stable temperature in the living space. This design also allows the outer greenhouse to grow local foods all year round, as well as tropical foods in the middle greenhouse.

Read, “Reusing is the Goal” for more on Earthships and Holistic Homes.

My life has not been the same since these buildings entered my awareness, and I’m shocked at how little attention we pay to something so important. Even now, as 2021 rages on, I’m seeing new houses spring up by the hundreds; and they’re built so poorly, you’ll spend twice as much on repairs and maintenance before you can even move in.

Even those who are timid around the word Revolution, can agree that we’re long overdue for some changes in our society –and one such change is the housing industry.

Holistic Homes –Plural.

As my conception of what a home truly is –and what it could really provide– has completely shifted, so had my perception of the world as a whole. If I go off into the forest and build myself a Holistic Home, that’s great –for me and my family. But what about everyone else? The world is craving these buildings, even if they refuse to see or admit it.

There are those that love living in the city –they thrive in the concrete jungle of high rise buildings and fast-paced commutes. For those of you that skip down the sidewalk and smile on the subway... I’m happy for you. But there are plenty of others, seemingly stuck in the sea of stimulation, frantically searching for something they don’t know exists. So I am here to tell you that what you’re looking for does exist, and there are a plethora of people who will stand by your side as you walk the path.

We are bringing the revolution to the housing industry; and we’re doing it by simply walking away. My time and my energy are the most valuable things I possess, and I am choosing to spend them wisely. Holistic Homes deserve my support far more than the crumbling houses I was raised in; and advocating for these buildings means I am an advocate for life itself.

My other submissions for Vocal Media's Members-Only Challenge:

• Follow Your Highest Excitement (Part 1)
• Making a Life, Not Earning a Living (Part 2)
• Revolutionary Community Design (Part 3)
• Changing the World