Every FiveBecomings (Pañchabhūmi)^[1] project has the goal of (re-)establishing ecosymbiotic self-reliance^[2] for a beneficiary community (Community), meaning that the Community is able to sustainably procure from the ecological web (ecoweb)^[3] they inhabit the resources required to produce the Commodities and Services (C/S) that fulfill the Community’s basic needs. In collaboration with diverse Communities and local nonprofit organizations across bioregions, the Śramani Institute is realizing FiveBecomings projects following specific design and implementation principles, outlined herein.

Each FiveBecomings project comprises both a FiveBecomings Commons^[4] and the surrounding cluster of villages of the Community served by the project/Commons. To establish ecosymbiotic self-reliance for the Community, each Commons follows a 5-sector design that can also be adopted by each village on their own terrain. While the particular layout of a Commons is specific to the topography and hydrography of the land, the overall design adheres to three universal principles:

• each sector corresponds to one of the Five Great Evolvers (Pañchamahābhūta)^[5]: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ākāś^[6];
• the activities undertaken in each sector are based on the predominant quality/characteristic of the corresponding Great Evolver; and
• to optimize neurophysiological/personal evolution (ecoself^[7] expression) the 5 sectors are laid out in order from Earth to Ākāś.

A Short Refresher on the Five Great Evolvers

The FiveBecomings project of the Śramani Institute that is implemented on the ground with Communities across bioregions is eponymous with the intellectual framework that grounds the project, namely the FiveBecomings Framework^[5]. A short refresher is provided herein on the FiveBecomings Framework, so that the principles underlying the sectoral design of the FiveBecomings Commons can be more clearly grasped. 

According to the FiveBecomings Framework, the perceptible universe originates/originated in an infinite undifferentiated potential that exists/existed before the advent, or outside the constraints, of the three dimensions. Upon the advent of the dimensions, the evolution of the perceptible universe is described in terms of the manifestation and interactions of the Five Great Evolvers (Pañchamahābhūta). 

First to manifest was ākāś, having the qualitative aspect of potential. From ākāś manifested air (agitation). From air manifested fire (transformation). From fire manifested water (cohesion or duality). And from water manifested earth (differentiation). To summarize, the perceptible universe arose from potential, which was agitated (triggered) into transforming into a cohesive duality, e.g., energy-matter and particle-antiparticle, which then combined in multiple ways to manifest as many differentiated entities, like molecules, proteins, cells, and living and non-living beings of various names and forms, connected to and dependent on each other within ecowebs. 

A Walk Through a FiveBecomings Commons

A. Beginning in the Earth Sector

Entry to every FiveBecomings Commons is via the first sector of Earth. Earth is characterized by differentiation, and so the activities that take place in this sector encompass: (1) cultivated food-based livelihoods, and (2) tangible non-food-commodity-based livelihoods.

1. Cultivated Food-Based Livelihoods

Cultivated food-based livelihoods include regenerative agroecological practices that involve growing cultivated native, biodiverse species through polyculture and seasonal/annual crop rotation.

2. Tangible Non-Food-Commodity-Based Livelihoods

Tangible non-food-commodity-based livelihoods are rooted in Ādi-Knowtep^[8] (see Box 1), such as: (a) harnessing textile fibers from local cultivated and wild plants to produce textiles; (b) producing commodities like plates, bowls, packaging, musical instruments, and textile dyes from non-edible parts of local cultivated and wild plants; (c) pottery making using local clay; and (d) civil engineering using local materials,including constructing dwellings, shelters, and bridges.

B. Continuing to the Water Sector

On every FiveBecomings Commons, from the Earth sector one proceeds to the Water sector. Water is characterized by cohesion, and so the activities that take place in this sector encompass: (1) major water management, (2) water-related livelihoods, (3) intra-Community trade, (4) intra-Community decision-making (governance), (5) Community gatherings, and (6) team activities.

1. Major Water Management

Major water management includes: (a) water management practices, such as rainwater harvesting and creation of ponds; (b) civil engineering of water management structures, e.g., dam and aqueduct construction; and (c) seasonal water cycle management and community irrigation coordination.

2. Water-Related Livelihoods

Water-based livelihoods involve: (a) fish breeding and cultivation in both inland fisheries  and pond-based aquaculture; (b) water reed and aquatic plant harvesting; (c) C/S (Commoditiesand Services) that rely on water ecowebs, including boat-making, ferrying, and net weaving.

3. Intra-Community Trade (Marketplace)

Intra-Community trade, i.e., trade among the villages of the beneficiary community of a particular FiveBecomings project, involves: (a) constructing a covered marketplace/Community gathering space according to the Community’s Ādi-Knowtep; (b) implementing regenerative and inclusive trading practices through innovative economic systems; and (c) conducting trade (whether through barter or mediated through money) of C/S produced on the FiveBecomings Commons and in the Community’s villages.

4. Intra-Community Decision-Making (Governance)

Intra-Community decision-making involves establishing a regenerative and inclusive governance structure, so that all members — especially those marginalized — of the Community: (a) can equitably participate in discussing, making decisions about, and co-managing the activities on their FiveBecomings Commons; and (b) have equitable access to the resources on and benefits of their FiveBecomings Commons.

5. Community Gatherings

Community gatherings include organizing and participating in various existing and newly created festivals and celebrations that are rooted in the Community’s Ādi-Knowtep and relevant to their individual and communal ecoselves.

6. Team Activities

Team activities are those that build Community cohesion in a manner that is fun and joyous and include: (a) competitive sports that are regenerative and inclusive; (b) leisure activities that are regenerative and inclusive; and (c) other group activities that are regenerative and inclusive while promoting personal evolution.

[1] K. Mitra, Restoring the Interconnected Wellbeing of Humans and Ecologies Through FiveBecomings, Ecosymbionts all Regenerate Together (EaRTh): DOI-EaRTh082025-010 (26 Aug., 2025).

[2] S. Mukherjee & K. Mitra, Ecosymbiotic Self-Reliance: Fulfilling Basic Needs from Ecowebs, Ecosymbionts all Regenerate Together (EaRTh): DOI-EaRTh092025-010 (11 Sep., 2025).

[3] K. Mitra, Ecological Webs (Ecowebs): Collaborative Creativity Through Adaptation Feedback Loops, Ecosymbionts all Regenerate Together (EaRTh): DOI-EaRTh092025-006 (3 Sep., 2025).

[4] K. Mitra, Reversing the Enclosure of the Commons through FiveBecomings, Ecosymbionts all Regenerate Together (EaRTh): DOI-EaRTh042025-042 (13 Apr., 2025) .

[5] K. Mitra, FiveBecomings: A Reimagined Ancient Indigenous Framework for Ecoself-Rooted Wellbeing, Ecosymbionts all Regenerate Together (EaRTh): DOI-EaRTh122024-004 (15 Dec., 2024).

[6] K. Mitra, Realizing the Ecoself through Personal Evolution (Ākāś): Importance in FiveBecomings, Ecosymbionts all Regenerate Together (EaRTh): DOI-EaRTh052025-003 (11 May, 2025).

[7] K. Mitra, Individual Ecoself and Community-Ecoself: Importance in FiveBecomings, Ecosymbionts all Regenerate Together (EaRTh): DOI-EaRTh092025-011 (10 Sep., 2025).

[8] K. Mitra, Ādi-Knowtep and Their Importance in Ecosymbiotic Resilience of Human Communities, Ecosymbionts all Regenerate Together (EaRTh): DOI-EaRTh092025-008 (4 Sep., 2025).