Zendik

Discussion in 'Communal Living' started by FREE, May 22, 2004.

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  1. FREE

    FREE Member

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    anyone ever heard of the zendik farm?
    ive read alot about it,the good and the bad and im interested because ill be moving somewhere else in about 4 months and i wanna try this thing out but the more info the easier it`ll go ya know?
     
  2. Duncan

    Duncan Senior Member Lifetime Supporter

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    http://www.zendik.org/Zendik_Farm/contentA.html

    No, I know NOTHING about it. Looks like it started out in the high desert of Southern California in the 1970s and morphed its way to an area near Asheville, North Carolina. Seems interesting, but certainly not for me !
     
  3. jtwg50

    jtwg50 Member

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    I am a journalist and writer from Miami Beach and I have been planning on moving to a successful, long-running commune for a long time. I am moving to Zendik on Saturday (May 30) and expect tp stay there a long, long time (maybe forever). It's a very cool place with a neat mix of people, mostly young, all creative.
    Zendik offers a mini-utopia with a system that has worked for more than 30 years.
    I hope you'll come and check it out.
    You can call me at (305) 535-9606 until friday if you'd like to chat more.
    Thanks, and happy adventuring.
     
  4. HappyHaHaGirl

    HappyHaHaGirl *HipForums Princess*

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    I've heard about it a lot. I've thought about going to visit, but I don't want to go by myself. :( It kinda scares me, too, not because I really think they're a cult or anything, but because I've never been anywhere like that before and I'm afraid I'd do everything wrong. :)
     
  5. luna99

    luna99 Member

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    I've spoken with people from zendik at different festivals... they always say they love living there and never regret it .. (of course they are going to say that though, the whole reason for the road warriors are to go out and spread the word).... I have also read some "bad" things about zendik.. but until I saw it first hand, I woudln't believe any of it...

    places like zendik get a bad rap and people who don't understand consider it a "cult"... I think you can go out and visit just for a few days if you are interested in moving there... give them a call...

    I've even toyed around with the idea of possibly going out .... at least for a visit sometime... it looks like a beautiful place actually.. I've looked at pictures of the cabins and the grounds and it's just lovely....

    good luck and if you go let us know how it is!
    (if they let you communicate with the outside world that is) ;)
    (JUST A JOKE!)
     
  6. HappyHaHaGirl

    HappyHaHaGirl *HipForums Princess*

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    Yeah... I've met some of them at shows. They always get me really excited about going, but then I get home and no one will go with me, so I move on.... then I see them at another show, and the vicious cycle continues.....
     
  7. m6m

    m6m Member

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    I ran into a one of their cadre in SoCal 25 or 26 years ago.

    She were pedaling a little news-letter mostly composed by their self proclaimed genius leader Wulf.
    It was funny, Wulf was advocating the kidnapping of children to ecologocally reeducate them.
    Wulf was also propossing blowing up the evil Nuclear Power Plants.
    While I was reading this, I was thinking of those characters Wulf Larson and his brother Death Larson in Jack London's famous story about the 'SeaWitch'.

    So all I know of them is what I gleaned from their little news-letter all those years ago.
    Though I was gleaning the subtle clues of their collective subconscious impulses that always lie between the lines, this young cadre, on the other hand, was taking her news-letter quite literally.
    That always kills me.
     
  8. mikey

    mikey Member

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    I was at Zendik farm a few years ago. It's an interesting place, but not for everybody. It's run in a very autocratic, dictatorial style by Wulf's widow, Arol, primarily for the benefit of her daughter and grandchildren. If you look at their website, you'll see a lot of pretty pictures and upbeat philosophy, but very little hard information on legal details or how the community is organized and governed. It's definitely worth a visit if you're in the area (they're harmless), but if you start asking too many probing questions rather than uncritically accepting their ideology, you may find your welcome wearing thin.
    Also, the way they support themselves; high pressure street hustling of CD's and a magazine that no one would buy if it were on a newsstand; is something to think about. Their ideology is different, but their organization is a lot like the old Hare Krishnas.
     
  9. HappyHaHaGirl

    HappyHaHaGirl *HipForums Princess*

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    Does that mean they're a bunch of crazies? I don't really know what Hare Krishnas are, but I've heard of them. I've always wanted to take a trip out there and visit Zendik.... but I don't know what I'll be getting myself into... :(
     
  10. mikey

    mikey Member

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    No, they're not crazy, and Zendik Farm is definitely worth a visit for the educational value if nothing else. The point is that it is a very definite heirarchial group; it is definitely not an egalitarian community or a democracy.
    Some direct quotes from the Arol Zendik section of the Zendik website: "Arol, 65, is the heart and soul of the Zendik movement." "Arol's overview is tremendous, and includes every aspect of our work and lives......she pushes herself and everyone around her for more." If you do go there, ask to see the quarters where Arol lives; and then ask to see where YOU would be living if you decided to move there. Be smart.
     
  11. FREE

    FREE Member

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    so being that you`ve been there i was wondering,do they drink?or smoke weed or tobacco?it seems to me like their pretty into the healthy lifestyle and vices are hard to supress sometimes,by the look of some of those cats i know at least one had to be a weed toker man...
     
  12. m6m

    m6m Member

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    Hey Mikey,

    Thanks for your informative post. It's always great to hear the experiences of those who are wide awake.

    The experience you had at Zendik reminds me of my experience at the Love Family Commune in Washington State. Very hierarchical; very comical. Yet definitely worth exploring.
     
  13. xmissionx

    xmissionx Member

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    Hey there,

    I have a friend that was involved with the Zendik folks for a short while. From what I can tell you my brief trip into the Zendik territories is not much different from what previous posters have stated. Pretty much it goes like this at Zendik Land:

    God to Wulf, Wulf to Arol, --> everyone else.

    From what I've seen myself; they're very rigid, hierarchical, conservative and a tad homophobic. I think smoking is okay, as I saw people /w cigs all the time; but if they find contraband on you (any controlled substances that's not perscribed) they'll give you the boot out (that's the rap they laid on me when I went to visit my friend). The land and the homes however are beautiful. There's a recording studio, art space, (their visual art is really cool) etc. I'd say it's quite a place to visit, but I could say for myself that I wouldn't hang around too long. My friend got sick of it too, for what it's worth.

    You may dig it, you may not. Check it out yourself and see.

    Thanks,

    xmissionx
     
  14. freakwentflyer

    freakwentflyer Member

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    Buy one of there CD's and give it a listen. If you really like that crap, you just might fit in.
     
  15. pragmatic idealist

    pragmatic idealist Member

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    I lived at Zendik for several years. It is hard to say what is going on there now because things change there often and who can say what direction they are taking at the moment. I can say that they are NOT egalitarian or democratic, they do not allow smoking (yes even weed), drugs of any kind, eating any inorganic food, and anything else that those in charge feel are bad for you and or the community. Dont get me wrong, it is a remarkable place but it is not for everyone. You should read through all the philosophy on the site. They are very into living by the philosophy at all times. In short it is great if you agree with what they are trying to do, how they are doing it and are willing to dedicate 100% of your life to the group. I would say that more than 98% of the people who try to make it work there do not make it.


    Pragmatic Idealist
    idealist@earthling.net
     
  16. HappyHaHaGirl

    HappyHaHaGirl *HipForums Princess*

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    I just want to go somewhere where I can work in a garden! Arol has a pretty one. But that's not enough to convince me to go, because the Wulf guy looks freaky as hell. I know he's dead, but still...
     
  17. pragmatic idealist

    pragmatic idealist Member

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    Actually Wulf was a really cool guy.

    No they are not crazy, just really dedicated to what they are doing.

    The only real problem there is the power structure, just about everything else there rocks.
     
  18. FTNW

    FTNW Member

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    I lived at Zendik farm also while we were in Texas and moving to Florida. Interesting to see if we know eachother, Pragmatic....
    It is true though, not to many people end up staying for a real long time which is sad, at least for me it was. I've heard soem of the people that were there the longest are now gone, which, again is sad....
    Zendik Farm is trying to create their own culture which doesn't see this culture as valid and this I agree with but at the Farm if you're an artist or musician you'll find it hard to be accepted.
     
  19. Dalee

    Dalee Member

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    I just sent them an e-mail, I might decide to go check it out.

    Its not that far (a few hours), and it seems like an experience, if anything else.
     
  20. FTNW

    FTNW Member

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    Having lived there myself I have to agree with what was said above with the exception of them being harmless. They can be very cold hearted and if you think you have something important to say or do and they're not into it they'll tell you straight out that you're not interesting.
    To be honest and to get this off my shoulder, new people are the workers while the others act as if you don't really exist. They have no idea how to treat their most valuable resourse, people.
     
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