The Barley Jar - Urban Ecovillage and Spiritual Community

The Barley Jar is an evolving Plum Village inspired permaculture training and practice centre where we are learning and practicing to live harmoniously with each other and the natural world. We aim to do this to the utmost degree possible. The community is a research and development laboratory striving to achieve the deepest level of social, spiritual and environmental permaculture based on the Plum Village Tradition and the best available science. Our desire is to be the change we want to see in the world. The tradition of Plum Village and Thich Nhat Hanh is a non-denominational spiritual tradition open to individuals of any persuasion ranging from atheist to Catholic, Muslim, Jewish or similar. This tradition focuses on mindfulness in daily life. Though they arise from a Buddhist vision for a global spirituality and ethic, it’s practices are nonsectarian, and their nature is universal. We will give preference to individuals who are interested in training and deepening their practice at the Barley Jar and ultimately becoming longer term stable members of our community. We are also open to shorter term guests. Currently our community is typically comprised of 2-3 long term members and 3-4 shorter to medium term guests. Training and deepening practice is possible through a program of courses and activities being developed at the Barley Jar with which residents and broader community members can deepen their practice of permaculture and the Plum Village and Barley Jar traditions. These also include reading and study groups and participation in local retreats and practice opportunities. We share meals/cooking, groceries, cleaning/chores, music/art/ideas, joint parties, community dinners, collective space and household items, a mixture of privacy and community,…We have positive shared values / enthusiasm for sustainable transportation (bikes, no cars owned), local organic, vegetarian/vegan, natural materials (plastic free), fair trade …inclusion and diversity are highly valued and desired e.g. no labels / all ages / all abilities / queer-positive / all backgrounds / all social (including marginalized) groups etc. Our house is medium to large, we really like having people around as well as having a balance of privacy, we like having guests.Our members positively contribute to our community and to the network of similar homes that we are a part of. Physically: We live in a century home at the north end of Brunswick Ave, the house has 6 bedrooms. There are lots of shared spaces – a kitchen, 2 bathrooms, sunroom, dining room, living room, patio-deck, garden. We generally have 6-8 housemates including couples and kids… Our members tend to be community activists, social change agents, artists and farmers. We host: – community wide sunday dinners once a month (last sunday of the month – potluck optional with a music jam) all are welcome – workshops (anything and everything – politics, art, sustainability, social justice) – music and art events (house concerts, readings and the like) – guests from all over Community Healing: – The Barley Jar is engaged in an exploratory healing journey which is making available a room for anyone seeking habitation in Toronto who might want to live and practice with us. The space is reserved for those who have been without a home for long periods of time ….ask for more from any of our members…