The care of a place  - the expansion of an intent

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This project was born from a vision born from the encounter with a unique place. When I reached this hill called Poneta, a few steps from my house, I became aware of its archetypal energy and quality: it rises like the belly of a pregnant woman in the middle of a valley, surrounded by hills that protect it, the hill is caressed gently from the winds, and from its highest point you can see the landscape that extends in four directions, you can see the sun when it rises and when it sets, you can see the full moon reflected in the rays of the red evening sun. Clouds pass by that a light wind shapes into mysterious shapes, roe deer stroll among the olive trees together with porcupines and wild boars. The leaves of the 3333 (!) Olive trees on the slopes of the hill rustled in the wind as I passed, reflecting the brilliant light of the place. I have never lost the vision that arose that day.

This place exists and here we can together create a space of encounter, of care  and celebration, surrounded by the homes of those who participate.

From the first moment I felt that this place was special and that it was really important to enhance it. Both to honor the earth itself and to involve sensitive and respectful people who have a sense of care for the earth, humanity and animals, starting from the place itself, from its uncontaminated habitat. With this intent, with this attention, we can build our houses on the old ruins and a Temple in which we meet, meditate and pray together, gathering our strength to create a culture of Peace and Respect.

When a place has such a configuration there is usually a church at the top. Because? Because the ancient Christians knew how to use "places of power" to expand and spread their vision more easily. There are thousands and thousands of examples, and not just Christians; all spiritual traditions have used these particular places to build temples, to honor life and spirit. Such as  I said, this is a place of great energy, ancient Etruscan remains have been found in the surroundings and it is surrounded by tuff canyons and open gaps in the earth, which characterize this landscape. It is located in close proximity to the Via Francigena and offers an extraordinary panorama. Often you can even hear the wind from the sea, even if you are in the center of the peninsula. The gaze extends as far as the Apuan Alps, which jagged the horizon to the north-west.

The town where the hill is located is called Tresanti, a small town with few souls, but 30 minutes away from Florence. The town is in the middle of the hills used for the cultivation of Chianti Montespertoli.

The presentation of this project draws the attention of those who want to participate as co-founder, user, supporter and / or donor.

• Co-founders are those who feel attracted to the project and want to actively participate in it, investing in a parcel of the farm to build their house of varying size and / or cultivate the land of the place.

• Users are those who want to participate in the project, dedicating time to help and participate in its implementation and taking advantage of the various opportunities that may arise. For example, the users can become passionate about and engage both in the creation of the farm and in the construction of the Temple.

• Supporters are those who support the project with donations of various sizes or by offering their skills in the development of the project.

• Donors are those who want to participate with their most conspicuous financial commitment for the realization of the project.

Anyone who feels called can fill more than one of these roles.

THE PROJECT: The Earth - The Dwellings - The Temple

The earth

The farm is 21 hectares, consisting of olive groves and vineyards. At the foot of the hill there is also a small lake for irrigation. In his day an irrigation system was installed which is no longer functional.

The 3333 olive trees need pruning, but are in good condition.

The vineyards are functioning and for the time being rented to others.

At the base of the project there is a vision of causing less disturbance to the earth, moving with the utmost respect, therefore the choice of an organic and / or biodynamic crop is fundamental. With all this land, different plants and cultivars can be grown, as well as medicinal plants, vegetables and fruit trees. Hives could be used to make honey. It all depends on the willingness of those who want to commit to creating an agricultural project here.

The current owner is available to accompany those who want to take care of the land, with advice and with his long experience as a direct farmer of a company that has also won awards as a model farm. This change of helm has a very profound value and we are happy that it can happen.

The Homes

At the top of the hill there are 2 buildings made up of a single block of about 1000m2 and a barn of about 300m2. According to the law it would be possible to build, with the necessary permits and change of destination, the same volumes as the current complex.

We propose a "co-housing" project in which some spaces are shared and others private, to be decided in common agreement at the start of construction. The municipality of Montespertoli is very favorable to this type of land reclamation and enhancement, considering its productive and housing potential.

The construction of all buildings will be in green building, and for those who want in self-construction. The plant design as a purifier, sewers, heating and light in common for all the spaces that are in common to keep costs lower, and possibly in private for the interior spaces of each home.

The temple:

it is inevitable and beautiful to make offerings, to give… to offer the most beautiful things with all the widening heart and the wave of bliss, the joy you feel in that moment that is released in your body changing you, forever.

Children are already like this, they are generous in a spontaneous, joyful way, without ulterior motives.

Giving without asking for anything in return is real food for us, it is nourishment. It is realization.

The Mandala Offering is a way to open our hearts, to recognize what is truly precious in life and value it without distractions.

This place, Poneta, has the shape of a natural Mandala, has a central point and a circumference. In the Mandala we see a center that represents the axis of the universe, a metaphysical point called Mount Meru; it is a mythological mountain, yes, but we also find it  represented in our earthly world, it is called Mount Kailash and is located on the "roof of the world" in Tibet. Mount Meru is also found within us as the summit, the crown  of our head, the beginning. The Mandala is a squaring of the circle that can be understood and understood on many levels: it gathers all forces, external and internal, micro and macrocosmic ones and points in all directions.

The idea of the Temple contains, for me, the whole project. It is the Celebration, it is the Gift - to the Earth, the Sun and the Moon, to our Masters and Masters, to ourselves as perfect beings. To recognize,  thanking and valuing this aspect is much more important than what we generally think; and this also applies to those who see themselves distracted, impulsive or afraid.

The Temple is, in the project that I am sharing with many, a place to cultivate the joy and strength that already resides in us, and to share it with others.

How to create it? It comes from the strength, from the enthusiasm that you set in motion, which becomes donations and contributions from people, even as a workforce.

The temple will be built under the direction of the Soleluna association, a non-profit cultural association, in which members actively participate, if they wish, in the project. The association is connected to various Masters and Masters of different traditions, and in particular to the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism. Buddhism is a tradition that fully respects other spiritual traditions and this place will be open to all sincere seekers. HH Master Sakya Trizin, the spiritual leader of the Sakya tradition, gave his blessing to the project.

The details of the project will be presented in some time, when we have all the details of both the cost of the site, the exact quantity that can be built and how the site is bound for construction. For more information please contact Jessica at jessica@associazionesoleluna.it or jessica@sakyangongaling.it or by tel. +390571659063 or +39335482485.

Jessica Martensson Ngawang Dolkar

Soleluna Association

Sakya Ngon Ga Ling