The Complete Yoga Community

The Organic Caravan

“Sometimes in life your feet catapult you into an adventure and, like a game of dot-to-dot, the picture only emerges when the ink-dance is done”. “Each leap is thrilling, unknown and present,” says Bronwyn Sherman, whose recent trip to Europe onboard a self-sustaining organic caravan was a grand adventure in spirit and harmony among many other things…

The Organic Caravan is the story of my feet-set in a European summer. It was one of those experiences in life whose vision actually seeds and manifests and, this time, in the form of an artist and healer collective of 17 multi-national explorers and one beautiful baby, Silas.

Most of us were strangers, yet out of a spider-web network stretching across the globe, we poured our skills and intentions into this progressive project. Inspired by the focus on “organics, sustainability and creativity on the move”, we began our two-month journey as The Organic Caravan from a moonlit circle in South Germany one evening.

Talent brimmed – we were an organic chef, restaurateurs, set builders, organic fashion designers, a crystal jeweller, performing artists, a DJ, a journalist, photographer, film and documentary crew, healers, teachers and community coordinators. Nationalities included German, Dutch, French, American, Australian and South African. Our travels began…

The Stage and Set
Three popular culture festivals were on our itinerary – Fusion Festival (near Berlin), Sunsplash Festival (North-west Italy) and Das Festival (South-west Germany). We were a setup spanning 15 x 10 metres and, as our very own Caravan rolled up its silver shutters and spontaneously transformed itself into our bar, speakers winging either side, we were set for business. Over an impressive self-carpentered bar, organic coffees and teas, health shakes and slushes were on order and a blazing red carpet flamed put in-front warmly lured passersbysto enter our carnival-esque atmosphere of abundant drinks, food, dance and laughter.

Arching behind our eccentric bar was our organic kitchen, restaurant and chill-out tent. Low tables and hemp floor cushions created an earthy, nourishing atmosphere for our guests to enjoy plates overflowing with organic delights.

Both the bar and kitchen were stocked by our gracious sponsors which was part of our sustainability programme, whereby leading organic companies sponsored us with
ingredients and products and, in turn, we travelled Europe creating exposure for their goods. Our media crew also ensured that our sincere gratitude for jumping aboard our Caravan was constantly expressed.

Bigger, wider, deeper went our festival presence. The Caravan’s artist-collective banded together to create a gypsy bazaar selling hip organic clothing, natural handcrafted jewellery, paintings, prints, our musicians’ CDs, medicinal sacred herbs and the sustainable products of our sponsors. These sales were another aspect of our sustainability plan. To add to this, people could retreat into our healing space for quiet time, massage and energetic healing. Everything culminated from many angles as a vivid picture of life, nature and human character colourfully splashing together in a moving community.

Social Experiment 101 –The challenges
The Organic Caravan was a living social experiment and, as we moved, worked and lived together, we experienced incredible synergy and incredible discord. It wasn’t easy! We reflected different cultures, natures, intentions, needs and work ethics, but we lived one vision which embodied common passions.

We faced many of the challenges that communities face today. Put 17 adults together in highly demanding conditions day and night and inevitably resistance and conflict arise. Relationships within group dynamics are fascinating and without a very trong consciousness, relationships can eclipse the higher intention of the group and the toils of the ego can wreak havoc on free spirit. These seem to corrode group trust, positivity and motivation and the enormous challenge concerning our goals of being sustainable in a world where it’s still the exception and not the norm, added fuel to the fire. Lastly, organisation was a complex and mammoth task, not always easy to meet on the move.

A Learning Cohesion
We were extremely fortunate to have on our itinerary visits to thriving, sustainable and creative communities, family camps and individual famous artists. Our weaknesses were so poetically juxtaposed by these examples of success, integrity and refinement. Like rain water into thirsty soil, the lessons from our encounters were absorbed deeply, as synchronistic responses to the questions and difficulties we were processing.

In our first week we met a famous German musician – Thomas D. A much-appreciated hip-hop artist in popular culture, Thomas is respected for his conscious, progressive lyrics and message. He was The Caravan’s first port of call and gracious host for two enjoyable days. Our interview with Thomas conveyed an essential message for our young venture: projects and artists that are to sustain themselves require a strong balance between creativity and organisation. The challenge of balancing this duality was to be constantly revisited throughout our time together.

Towards sustainability
From Thomas D we travelled to Ufa Fabrik – an inspirational and sustainable community on the outskirts of Berlin. We had set out to discover where the artistic spirit meets sustainable, community living… and this was that very place! Thirty years ago, a social avant-garde swept across an unstable Berlin and a group of street performers with revolutionary social visions squatted on the humble piece of land facing much resistance. Today Ufa Fabrik and their ideals, eco-technologies and social
infrastructure form a thriving model for eco-communities and the land is now a conservation region in Berlin. The best part is that the founding members are still integral members of the community’s evolution.

Sustainable energy has been pursued with impressive and comprehensive success at Ufa. Thermo-regulation through grass roofing, energy waste conversion systems, rain water filtering and distribution, solar panels and windmills are just some of the ecoinfrastructure in place. And to complement all this, there’s a children’s school, performance and circus training centre, outdoor summer theatre, music studios, organic bakery, café, natural food store and guest house for artists to feel at home, (and we certainly did!).

With the three pillars of arts, ecology and social development, Ufa Fabrik had a lot to mirror for The Caravan. Our time spent was hearty with deep insights into the ways and practices of a mature community. The stories of its development and the management of decisions along the path to growth were educational and intriguing. One of the founding members told us, that for her The Organic Caravan expressed that “green is finally in”.

After some hard work at our festivals, the Caravan retreated into the orchardnestled home of Fritz Schlick on the edge of the Black Forest. Fritz was only a few months away from immigrating to the Auroville Community in India. A man of unconditional love, equanimity and quiet strength, Fritz welcomed us all into his character-filled wooden house and the teepee at the foot of his cascading garden. Fritz’s way transcended the independent dramas which were bubbling amongst the crew, and reminded us of the unity that nonjudgemental love creates. In his safe space we spent two weeks debriefing under the sky around a powerful fire, which he built with unfaltering generosity, every night.

A shared heart space
To end our incredible summer adventure, we crossed the border into France and joined a family camp, which has continued in an underground manner, for 10 years. Set alongside a refreshing lake, beneath beautiful mountains, this camp involved no money and yet lived and breathed abundance. Connections transcended age. Giving and participating with joy, freedom and responsibility was at the heart of this experience.

In our morning circle a huge paper would be used to jot down what was being volunteered for the day: “Yoga next to the teepee at 10! Childrens’ face painting and hair-wrapping next to the lake at 12! Womens’ circle in the Yurt at 3!” So much was offered every day and yet everyone was free to follow their own rhythms without guilt. There was even a group who made music for the food makers as they chopped for the community. Such was the cohesion of links in this living, thriving organism. What a beautiful message to end The Organic Caravan. True sustainability comes from the abundance of a shared heart space. Then even work is a joy or, at the least, is filled with good intent and vibration. For all its challenges and lessons, the caravan was dynamic and wondrous, and with new wisdom and future improvements, this could be a project to look out for!