Blog #4 – From Containers to Foundation: The Sacred Path to Permitting

Mantra:“Om Gum Ganapataye Namaha”(A mantra to remove obstacles and invoke blessings at the beginning of new endeavors.)

Before I ever broke ground or thought about conduit lines and foundations, this whole journey began with a completely different vision — a Container Home.

The original idea was to live in a converted shipping container. I found a builder in Phoenix who specialized in container construction and began designing a layout that included two container units with an A-frame yoga studio nestled in between. I loved the concept: minimalist, modern, and unique — a perfect creative space for living and holding sacred gatherings.

Original Container Home Design

Layout on the Land

As I started designing and trying to line up tradespeople for plumbing and electrical work, I ran into a lot of resistance. Subcontractors were hesitant — some outright refused, saying they wanted nothing to do with containers. That was my first red flag.

Then came the permitting. The deeper I got into the process, the more it became clear: putting a Container Home on this land would require navigating a maze of complications. The resistance — from the trades, from the regulations, from the system itself — was mounting. So I shifted.

I called the container builder, who also happened to be an architect, and asked if we could take the essence of what I wanted — open, simple, sacred — and transform it into a site-built frame house. We worked together from September through November refining the design, and then submitted the plans to draftsman here in Sedona, who helped tailor the final design to meet local codes.

That was only the beginning.

To even apply for a building permit, I had to compile what felt like thousands of pages: geotechnical reports, truss calculations, HVAC Calcs, septic system design, floodplain and drainage plans, public access verification, Sedona Fire regulations, water access from the well, and more. The list felt endless. Every detail required hours of research — especially as I decided to take this on alone. I originally thought I’d get help from a neighbor who had built nearby, but when that fell through, I relied on Google, AI, and sheer determination to figure everything out.

I created a planning portal with Yavapai County and went step-by-step, learning in real time what was needed just to build legally on this land. Every checkbox revealed another layer of complexity. There were days of frustration, nights of tears, and moments when I wondered how I’d ever make it through.

The Fire Department alone had over 100 specific requirements for my area under the Wildland-Urban Interface Code. I had never even heard of that before. But one by one, I learned what each acronym meant, what form needed to be filed, who to call, what fee to pay — and what dream I was still chasing.

The plans - page 2 of many

Finally, on April 1, I submitted the completed permit package. After months of back-and-forth, clarifications, and updates, I received official approval on June 29. It was the green light I had been working toward for nearly a year.

Looking back, had I known how much effort it would take to just get to this point, I probably wouldn’t have begun. But that’s the mystery and grace of the universe — it doesn’t always show us the whole staircase. Just the next step.

This land, this space, was calling me. And even though the path here wasn’t what I expected, it’s become something far deeper and more sacred than I could have ever imagined.

The TaKun Space

"Sometimes the universe doesn’t give you what you want, not to punish you, but to lead you to what your soul truly needs."— Anonymous