This letter was recorded at New Eden in December 2023. It captures the questions I was asking then about community, family and the future of the work.
Learning to steward a place
At Christmas that year, I felt grateful for the friends and community gathered at New Eden. The years since taking responsibility for the place had brought challenges as well as a growing connection to the land.
In the early days of owning and stewarding New Eden, the challenges felt overwhelming. Financial pressures and the immense responsibility weighed heavily on me. By that Christmas, I felt that some of those burdens had lifted, and the space feels lighter, more joyful, and inspiring. Each passing year deepens my connection to this land, and I am grateful for the opportunity to be its steward.
New Eden had become a busy retreat centre. Alongside hosting visiting groups, I was beginning to ask what longer periods of living and practising together might make possible.
Staying long enough to practise
One question that weighs heavily on my mind is, can we create an experience that invites people to stay for weeks or even months, to truly embody and live this work? Another question is about training facilitators in the Heart iQ modality over an extended period, like a multi-year apprenticeship, to develop new leaders.
I was imagining longer stays and a small village of homes around New Eden. Those ideas were part of an emerging vision, rather than an established programme.
A third question I've been pondering is, what could New Eden be known for if we opened its doors for our own programs instead of renting it out to third parties? What essence, frequency, or upgrade could people experience when they come here?
A vision shaped by earlier work
Years earlier, during my chiropractic training, I had imagined a multidisciplinary wellness centre. I wanted a place where people could explore ways of living they had not yet experienced, alongside receiving help with immediate difficulties.
I began to see New Eden as somewhere to explore that question through the combination of a physical place and a practice of heart intelligence.
At the time of this letter, I imagined the next decade might involve developing that kind of community and supporting others who wanted to explore similar possibilities.
Preparing for family life
I also felt a personal longing to settle down and create a stable environment where I can raise children in a trauma-informed, well-regulated tribe. That vision was reorienting my focus and purpose, aligning with the idea that if I want to be a father, I should prepare for it now.
Sumir and I were beginning to explore these ideas through Awakened Living: time in guided retreats alongside time practising community life. We had also ordered the first tiny houses.
Music and gathering
I also spoke about missing the larger Heart Summit gatherings, where sound, music and voice were part of the experience. I hoped to find a way to bring that quality of gathering back, beginning on a smaller scale at New Eden.
