The Ecotrain recently asked this very important question,
"In what ways is living off grid the answer to the many consequences of coronavirus?"
I think it is fair to say, that we all have our own ideas about Covid, the severity of it and the restrictions that have been forced upon us. I have made my views known on here already, so I do not think I need to go over them again. But in a nutshell, I believe the restrictions are having much more of an negative affect on people, than the actual virus.
Viruses are a natural part of life, they are all around us and our bodies are designed to cope with them. Of course, if someone is ill already, exposure to a virus can be deadly as their immune system is already compromised. But if we have been honouring our bodies and taking care of ourselves, then our immune system can cope with the virus.
So the the most important path to take is to improve our health. To look at the many factors that affect us, physically, spiritually and mentally. To take back responsibility for our own well being. I wrote yesterday how our governments have passed numerous laws, that allow our water, our food and the earth to be poisoned, so if we really want to be healthy we need to be proactive in maintaining our health.
I look at all the restrictions that are being put in place and all the professionals that are speaking out about them and I can see that this 'Virus' is being used as an excuse to rein us in, to monitor us more and exert more control over us. That is my understanding, which may very well differ from yours and we are all entitled to our own opinions.
My view of living totally off grid is that it leads to more freedom. You are no longer reliant on anyone else to survive. It is an opportunity to step out of the system and fend for yourself. I see this time that we live in now, as a huge transition, one where you have to decide whether or not you wish to remain in the system or step out and create your own reality.
I have been living semi off grid for over 10 years now. 11 years ago I bought my first solar system. 2 x 100 watt Solar Panels, 2 180 ah leisure batteries, 12v solar controller and 500w inverter. At the time, I was living in a bus, after becoming a mother for the first time. We got our water from springs and I was growing some food in containers, but not enough to sustain me and my little family.
We were nomadic, so we were dependant on fuel to move our home around, so we were not fully off grid, but it felt good to be harnessing energy from the sun and to be collecting our own water. Growing salad, tomatoes, and foraging berries, mushrooms and roots.
Living connected to nature, being outdoors is a much more stress free way of life than being tied to a property that has numerous bills. Being conscious of the water you used, cleansing yourself and your clothes in the river, all of these activities made me much more mindful and life really flowed. Harvesting wild medicinal plants for me and my family, has helped us to thrive and to work with our bodies when we have ever experienced any illness or dis ease.
Stress is the number one cause of a weakened immune system, so living a life that has you outdoors more, working with the land is a wonderful way to boost your immune system. Growing your own food, puts you more in control of what you eat and allows you to consume organic food.
On top of this, there are microbes in the soil, Mycobacterium vaccae to be exact, that help to increase the levels of Serotonin in your body. Serotonin makes you more relaxed and happier, something we could all benefit more from, at the moment. The benefits of growing your own food are numerous. Being outdoors, working under the sun, increases your Vitamin D levels and it is been shown to reduce the severity of Covid and boost your immune system.
At the moment I am living on a wonderful piece of land where there are numerous fruit trees growing and where I have lots of space to grow my own food. I continue to harvest the sun's energy, only now I have a much larger solar system. My needs have grown, since I had more children. It is a system that needs some maintenance, especially the batteries, but I am happy to put in the work.
I am not shy of hard work, I actually really enjoy it. There is nothing more satisfying that going to bed exhausted from physical labour. In the next few weeks we will harvest the olives and I will have enough oil to last me a year.
A few weeks ago, I finished the almond harvest, with enough nuts to provide me with almond milk and almond butter for a few months. I get my drinking water from local springs and my clothes from the boat, where the community leaves items to be exchanged.
I have been getting together with some friends of mine to share our skills in food preservation, something I have also shared on here. Making jam, chutneys, sauces and pickling lots of veg, to see me over the winter months. This is again something I find very satisfying, and empowering.
Living off Grid, is very empowering, because you are taking full responsibility for your life, learning new skills, embracing the simple way of life. Whilst all the time boosting your health, your inner power. It is a journey that brings you closer to yourself, a most powerful journey.
One that has no room for fear, because you live each day connected to the land and to yourself. You are immersed in the beauty of creation, the creation that surrounds you and one that you helped create. We are at our most powerful when we create and living off grid, is a way of life that is all about expression and creativity.
