Much of today’s news seems to be about people wanting to downsize, spend less and live a simpler lifestyle.Ranging from 20-somethings, to retirees and everyone in between, many of these same people are opting to create a smaller environmental footprint.
It therefore makes sense that the tiny house movement continues to gain momentum, with Lakeside now a part of this growing global phenomenon.
Lakeside Namaste in Ajijic is such a community, aiming to provide not only a simpler lifestyle, but a spiritual one as well – and with 400-square-foot tiny houses to boot.
Says James Twyman, the community’s founder, “We are striving to be the first community to include both tiny houses and aging in place.”
Two sections of tiny houses are being added to the property’s already fully occupied apartments, and twelve of those single homes and duplexes are currently under construction.
“I’m hopeful that the new residents can start moving in this April,” adds Twyman.
Some eager residents-to-be have already put down their deposits.
“Residents pay six years of rent upfront,” says Twyman. “Once they move in they will pay a US$230 per month, service fee, which covers utilities, maintenance, taxes, transportation and food for five days a week, prepared by a full-time chef. After the six years are up, they will switch to paying a monthly rent, together with the monthly service fee.”
Following construction of the 12 tiny dwellings, workers will start on a third section of eight tiny houses on an adjoining property. Each fully contained tiny house will include a 400-square-foot covered rooftop mirador, plus all the amenities of a “regular-sized” house – only a tad smaller.
“I envision the third section consisting of renters wanting to live in quiet contemplation” says Twyman. “Although these residents will attend morning sessions, they can opt to partake in community meals or bring meals back to their house, to eat in silence.”
Twyman recently had his own tiny house built on the roof of the community’s main house for his own quiet contemplation.
Hailing from Portland, Oregon and leading a life as a “peace troubadour” while on a spiritual path for 25 years, Twyman, 56, is bringing all that he’s learned to Lakeside Namaste, a lush property that includes a main house, outdoor kitchen, large patio area, and a number of small apartments.
Twyman says he chose to live in this country for no logical reason other than that “Mexico feels like home.”
Twyman, who is also a writer, spends a lot of time on the road, and this Spring he’ll be on an extended book tour to promote his latest novel, “Giovani and the Camino of St. Francis.”
Twyman purchased the Ajijic property in December 2017, with the sole intention of turning it into a community based on the teachings of A Course in Miracles (ACIM) – a book written in 1976 that contains a curriculum which claims to assist its readers in achieving spiritual transformation.
“I believe that the tiny house movement is a huge trend, reflecting a time when many people are wanting to simplify their lives. We are meeting lakeside tourists and residents who want not only to reduce their expenses and their ‘footprint,’ but live in community. I believe they are being drawn to Lakeside Namaste for these reasons.”
Tiny houses may prove a bit too cozy for some but, on the positive side, they don’t incur huge mortgages, nor are they a rental drain. At Lakeside Namaste, these scaled down housing options allow people to live in community, share resources – and age in place.
Says Twyman, “The best thing about this arrangement is that residents can remain in their homes for the rest of their lives, and no one will ask them to move. This is referred to as ‘aging in place.’”
Those who want to live the more “spiritual life” by participating in their outdoor morning sessions, are welcomed as potential renters. On any given Sunday morning, 30-plus participants show up to sing, pray, exchange hugs, then go out for lunch together. Either Twyman or another community member leads the one-hour session.
“We are not just a Course in Miracles community,” says Twyman. “We incorporate other spiritual traditions into our practice as well. Therefore, not everyone who lives here or attends our sessions is a Course in Miracles student.”
Once the tiny houses are occupied, residents will easily be able to walk from one section of the community to the other. Using the cohousing community model, they can opt to share meals, resources, and partake in multiple community activities.
Lakeside Namaste aims to create a balance between times of meditative contemplation and community activities such as dancing, yoga, watching movies and sharing meals. And once the latest residents have moved into their brand new tiny homes, they will add even more flavor to the already rich community that Lakeside Namaste provides.
For more information, visit namastelakechapala.com.