Friends who accept, admire, appreciate and help you live your dreams.
Friends who align their energy and imagination with yours to accomplish what you alone could hardly do.
Friends who's cooperation lets you live the efficient, sustainable, comfortable life of greater leisure.
A thousand such efforts are in progress right now. To check out those near you: http://www.ic.org/directory/intentional-communities-by-country/ and http://thefec.org/sns
I recently visited a prime example south of Globe, Az: http://www.windspiritcommunity.org/Visitors.htm#Wind Spirit Community
I sent them an email identifying myself--expressing interest--and was invited to visit. This kitchen seems to be the heart of things.
Delicious bread was being made.
Meet Don--my host--and prime architect here for 17 years. We had much to talk about because I also lived communally for 17 years---in three separate communities. I could relate to the joys and challenges of building a mini society.
An overview of their 14 acres---1000 foot road frontage on land that tapers up a mountain.
Gardens of course---several of them.
And the whole place smelled like heaven--orange blossoms in bloom.
Swimming pool---well maintained. Plenty of delicious deep well water for everyone's use.
A well designed fire pit. Saturday night it and the nearby sauna blazed away under the stars.
I know you're curious---here's the answer. Yes they use biodegradable toilets. After using toilet paper, they sprinkle leaf debris from that bucket to create (eventually) compost. The place did not smell bad.
A house on a hill--the kids preferred it.
A hobbit house under the earth. I would have preferred it.
I shared a few meals with them. Delicious--and the artist lady on my left was fascinating.
The group (of 14) make money by hosting retreats for groups. Here is a lovely stage for rituals or whatever groups do.
I gather this is an alternative name for the place.
All visitors are encouraged to read this--a marvelous document of condensed wisdom--no doubt representing thousands of real life community experiences. I will enlarge it for your convenience.
The Co-Creators Agreements
Be MindfulMy intent is to be myself, to be authentic, and to be fully present.
Realize our Potential
My commitment is to realize my full potential and support others in doing the same
Follow my Guidance
I agree to attune with spirit and follow the calling of my soul on behalf of the well -being of the whole.
Communicate with Integrity
I agree to tell my truth with compassion for myself and others.
Act with Integrity
I agree to keep my agreements and will do my best to follow my heart in making commitments.
Deep Listening
I agree to listen respectfully to the communication of others and tune in to their deepest meaning.
Honor One Another
I agree to honor each person’s process, acknowledging that everyone, including myself, is making the best possible choice or decision we are capable of in that moment.
Appreciate Our Contributions
I agree to take responsibility for asking for and receiving acknowledgement and for acknowledging others.
Honor Our Differences
I agree to come from a sense of cooperation and caring in my interactions with others, and from an understanding that objectives are often the same even though methods for achieving them may differ. I honor the diversity of all life.
Take Responsibility
I agree to take responsibility for my creations, my reactions, my experience and my relationships.
Maintain Resonance
I agree to take the time to establish rapport and then to re-connect with anyone with whom I feel out of harmony as soon as it may be appropriate.
Resolve Problems Constructively
I agree to offer at least one solution any time I present a problem. I agree to take problems, complaints and upsets to the person(s) with whom I can resolve them, at the earliest opportunity. I agree not to criticize or complain to someone who cannot do something about my complaint, and I will redirect others to do the same.
Go for Excellence
I agree to support others and to be supported in participating at the highest level of excellence.
Learn from Experience
I agree to do my best to learn from my experiences.
Accept Imperfections
I Intend to embrace and accept the imperfections of myself and others.
Be a Leader
I agree to foster an environment of genuine collaboration, in which all people, including myself, feel empowered to express our individual and collective potential.
Service to Others
I am willing to open my heart, still my mind and be in compassionate service to all life.
Re-evaluate My Commitment
I agree to choose and re-choose to participate in this community. It is my choice
Lighten Up
While honoring all these agreements and taking them seriously, I aspire to do so with an attitude of light heartedness.
We recognize that aligning in a shared agreement field is essential in order to cultivate and maintain harmonious relationships and well being. The above agreements were first established by the Geneva Group and have been used by Global Family teams and other groups throughout the world for the past several decades.
RANDY PHILOSOPHIZES: I don't think you can be a whole person without a supportive community. Healthy personalities always have a "fan club". It may seems easier to turn inward and be a loner--but in the long run it isn't. I engage loners often and can report that they are almost always angry curmudgeons--lacking in social skills--joyless. Yes I understand that you can "lose" yourself in a tribe--squander lots of time---dilute your spirit---sooooo---(I advise myself) to FIND THE BALANCE.
No, not everyone wants to live communally. Introverts like me don't. Living full time in my mobile dwelling means I'm not stuck with a set group of people. It means other introverts and I can quickly form, dissolve and reform various small groups as we feel the need. A variety of people and locations? Yay! Not outstaying one's welcome. Yay! Not having to deal with the same group issues over and over. Double yay!
ReplyDeleteAl: Well said! I was hoping someone would make that point. I belong to a mobile tribe (wandering individual's network) that has many of the advantages of a tribe with all the advantages you've mentioned.
ReplyDeleteThe settled communal people cannot so easily drive away from troublesome people or issues. They must work through them. I wonder whether "GROUP LIGHT" (mobile) promotes personal growth as well as "GROUP TIGHT".(settled)
I should know the answer (since I've experienced both) but regretably I don't. Will think about it.
Could not agree more with Al !!
ReplyDeleteI don't suppose the co-creators notice the irony in first saying to "be myself, to be authentic," and then listing attributes that might not be one's authentic self. I guess they're message is, "If your authentic self is different than this, go elsewhere." Hurray for group conformity.
ReplyDeleteInteresting! Randy, your blog entries (and personal communications) continue to challenge me to examine my life. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteDamn it Randy, when are you going to start that mobile Artist Colony we talked about last year? I'm in the need to "go to ground" and get some serious writing done and a community of "creators" would be a welcome environment.
ReplyDeleteChris: Hi and thanks.
ReplyDeleteWayne: I've always liked the idea---come on out west and let's do it.