The Experiment in Monrovia

Seeking Fellow Apprentice(s) at The Experiment: An Intentional Community in Monrovia

Hi! We are a small, aspirational intentional community located in Monrovia Ca. We are composed of 8-10 residents and many more friends and neighbors. We strive to share more supported lives that center nourishment and connection more than pleasure and consumption. In the spirit of this, we have a large, water-wise garden which provides us with food, medicine, and companionship. We share meals, social time and spiritual practices. Our goal for residents at The Experiment is that each of our personal relationships to this land become a primary relationship of our lives allowing it to provide the depth of nourishment that we know is possible. Part of our broader mission is to invigorate the re-discovery of grounded skills that allow for the possibility to divest from the oppressive economy as it is. Drawing from those two key components we have begun an apprenticeship system which seeks to simultaneously foster deep contribution to the shared space while honoring diversity in individual interests and beings.

What is the Apprenticeship Model:
The embodiment of apprenticeship is clear eyed, lighthearted, and deeply engaged. We are inspired by the apprentice’s posture of learning and attention to their craft. They are always experimenting and honing in. As a part of our residencies, we each choose a small number (~2-4) of crafts, arts, offerings… to apprentice under. Since we carry out our apprenticeships under a focus, not a person, we each pursue learning and practice independently with the intention to bring fruits of our labor into our shared space. The only requirements for areas of apprenticeship are that they make a contribution to our shared space and that one understands it to be a potential contribution to broader collective liberation.

The Nitty Gritty:
We are not merely seeking roommates. We ask that applicants be serious about interrogating whether they wish to make the time and space to make The Experiment a primary aspect of their lives. It is important to us that residents can also maintain their own hobbies, friendships, occupations, pursuits, etc. out of the home (and also integrate them into the space!) but it is necessary to understand that participating as a resident of The Experiment requires that it be a priority in your life. We understand that it is impossible to truly discern if one desires a major life change hypothetically, or whether this major life change is right for you. As such residency at The Experiment begins with a four month Residency Period. After this, we conduct an open re-evaluation in order to uncover whether a continued residency is best for all parties. We have found that these processes lead to mutual agreement and an increase in relational security. We have observed that this model reduces anxiety for residents about it being the “right fit” and fosters open dialogue about community dynamics and how the community can be most supportive for all.

We believe deeply in the importance of individual and collective dynamism. We seek to hold structures and expectations as invitations to practice, connection, and growth. We strive to prevent these structures and expectations from feeling oppressive or obligatory. In this spirit, we have the following expectations of residency: a

Weekly community meeting (1.5 hr)
10 hours weekly of basic contribution (cooking, cleaning, garden maintenance)
5 hours weekly of apprenticeship practice
Make dinner 2x weekly, someone makes dinner nightly though attendance is non-mandatory

There is an opening in the front room which historically has been a great space for either couples or singles. We evenly divide the $3200 rent by the number of Front House residents (4-5). For the next couple months, we will have a short term resident living in an auxiliary dwelling. His financial contribution will slightly reduce these rent numbers. Utilities are split evenly and not included in rent. We also evenly split food costs as we have developed a rigorous system which includes direct relationships to the producers of most of the food which we cannot grow. Individuals are welcome to have their own special food items/ snacks but must be willing to integrate into the larger meal system. We can accommodate dietary restrictions however are looking for a good eater with omnivorous habits. We only consume meat products from humane, sustainable sources. We believe meat is an important part of the human diet. We are pet friendly though we already have a dog and seven cats on the property. Two of the cats we have been long term pet sitting and are moving out somewhat soon. Four more of the cats are three kittens and their mama. We are in the process of homing them.

We would love to hear from you if the prospect of residency excites you! We will send you a short application with a few questions which will help us get to know you and which will hopefully invite you into further exploration about a potential residency. We would also love to hear from you if residency doesn’t seem right but this post makes you interested in our community! We have a growing number of satellite members whose presence brings much joy. Please reach out to Tabor and Hope at
610-999-3833
or
hoperoehrs27@gmail.com