You didn't say you wanted to teach, only to create a commune, yes? (that is, you weren't content only to teach).
If this is the case, then, it is a very noble idea. You might learn from others whose paths you mutually cross over time.
If it were not the case, then, well... it ought to be. You shouldn't be in the position of teaching martial arts. What you would teach a 25 year old is not appropriate to teach a 13 year old, and so, what you learned as a 13 year old is only a snapshot in time of your current knowledge, assuming you have not endeavored to learn more in the time since then.
To make this happen, you ought first to keep a day job. That will pay the bills and keep food on the table. Then partner up with someone with like-minded ideas - perhaps many people - and be sure that someone in your group has the capability to teach.
For what it's worth, you'll waste your time if you do not charge for your work, as I am finding now. People leave my (free) school only to quit and go to the (for pay/profit) schools up the block, simply because I do not test people that often. Those that remain, most are not serious because they take for granted that which is given for free.
I do think you may have the reverse problem in time: that of figuring out how to get rid of someone. Undoubtedly, you'll end up with some yahoo know-it-all and jack of all trades, master of everything who will hijack your thing, who imparts his/her own ideas about what everyone else should be doing. Schools come across these types all the time, there is no reason to think you would be immune from this.
Therefore, you need to develop a business plan, and take charge of your idea.
Bottom line, I think it's a nice idea. I don't know who else may find value in what you provide, and thus, whether or not the pied piper will have enough rats to lead, as it were, to make the endeavor worthwhile. But that is a task you should figure out and explore.
Your quote:
"random passing thoughts you may occasionally ponder on concerning the improvement of physical and spiritual self, interesting traditions, useful fun facts about anatomy or psychology, personal experiences, or anything."
This makes it sound like your mountain retreat will be a hang out (Your quote: "I'm aiming at creating a communion of martial arts") for people to talk about martial arts. Martial arts is physical and knowledge has to be achieved through physical training by doing tons of repetitions of blocks and punches to condition the body. Your quote: "I am not content to simply teach how to block and strike so much..." It's not going to work. Talking about martial arts will not get you knowledge if you don't train it too. Doing these things is essential as are stances and all this beginner stuff you find uninteresting but that martial arts is based upon. Your stances are not good your technique will not be good.
Personally I never liked to hang out with people who only talked about martial art. Your body does not develop by just talking. I always gained so much more by training it.
I agree with most if not all of what has been said so far.
You were 13 and got a black belt?
You are still a beginner. Even though none of us can stop you from teach without supervision we can tell you that you shouldn't attempt to do it. You don't have the qualifications to teach if you are at such a beginner level and you got there at 13.
You need to be in dojo/school training, learning, and improving before you can teach
where to start
a first degree black belt means nothing more that you have an understanding of the basics and you are ready to begin your training. it does not qualify you to teach
at third degree black belt you are eligible for an instructor license, it is not automatic.
a junior black belt is not the same as an adult black belt they have two different sets of qualifications.
after 12 years of not training if you think you remember enough to qualify for a first degree your fooling yourself unless you want to teach at a mcdojang.
as for the idea of a non-profit school that sounds great. but consider this the further you are away from people the less students you will have.
people don't like to travel far. most people look for a location with in 5 to 10 minutes of there home, few will travel 20 minutes and even less an hour. keep the place close to a good size population.
While your idea is good and it sounds like a dream of yours, one thing that you may get criticized a lot for this is the black belt at the age of 13...Then is the block and strike that you said....and then is the age of 25 to teach by mainly what you are remembering from then, if I understood correctly...
I don't want to sound strict or something, but you may need much more knowledge in order to teach well and a lot of adult years of experience in this....
It up to you of course....but you may get martial artists that will be much more knowledgeable than you and you will be trying to teach them what you think if I understood correctly as block and strike???...
Think about it, I am just warning you for the vast amount of criticism that you are going to get, when you start this, with out want to scare you of or something.
I agree with these guys here.
You state clearly you are a beginner (shodan).
Beginners should not teach martial arts without proper supervision.
Beginners with that much time off are the same as a newbie.
martial art is highly dicipline
Both John and Kokoro have expressed some of what I'm thinking. you are not even close to being qualified to be teaching anyone else. Sorry to put it so blunt, but those are the facts.
....
You really have to be more specific. Asking what you are asking is like going up to a physicist and saying "Tell me about the universe".
This coming spring I intend to build and run a humble, non-profit dojo/dojang out in the mountains of California with the help of some friends and some friends of friends. Never done this before, gonna do it anyway, that being said I would appreciate your sharing any of the random passing thoughts you may occasionally ponder on concerning the improvement of physical and spiritual self, interesting traditions, useful fun facts about anatomy or psychology, personal experiences, or anything. I earned myself a black belt in Tang Soo Do when I was 13, but that was then and I'm 25 now. I do, however, remember a great deal, and have learned a great deal more since then, that I feel is worth knowing and therefore is worth teaching. I am not content to simply teach how to block and strike so much as I'm aiming at creating a communion of martial arts. The location is something of a travelers hub, different people from different walks of life leaving or coming to live on the property throughout the year, which I feel is perfect for a center of learning, as there are already resident martial artists with different lessons to impart, and new students/teachers from faraway lands are always on the way. So I ask you, peoples of the internets, guide me, what knowledge may you share with us?
