Outline: Communities: essence and form
“A world to share”

 

What is the promise of communal living, what has it to offer for a world facing a material, ecological and spiritual crisis?

This project is a study about living/working communities, how they are structured and functioning. Especially to investigate the deeper goals, motivations and expectations of those supporting or participating in such communities. Why do communities work or not, what can be learned and what can be improved?

The purpose of the study is to better understand the conditions for a successful community, in whatever meaning of that word. This in terms of human relations, economic and ecological feasibility, global and personal transformation and growth. It draws upon historical analysis, literature, visits and experience of participation in communities and the opinions of many people involved.

This project should render valuable information in a multimedia format (book/video/website) about existing and utopian communities, aimed at people interested in the subject and/or planning to participate in a communal project. It goes beyond the obvious but somewhat superficial material aspects like planning, the financial setup and government regulations and codes.
One of the methods to gather material for this study is to interview people with experience in communal projects about their ideas, motivation, suggestions, backgrounds etc.

 

However, it turn out, that asking people about their deeper motives and incentives for joining a community, this really touches a very emotional and sensitive level in them. They are hesitant to answer questions like the ones below, because they know that there are deeper, hidden reasons they don’t really want to share.

Therefore, the following questions are maybe more of a guide line for self-exploration.

 

General questions;

  • What is your experience with communities (including your childhood)
  • Who and what inspired you and set you on the community track (books, places, concepts, role models)
  • How would you define a community
  • What are the most basic requirements
  • What unites the people most
  • What size (in people, space, economic activity) do you think feasible and sustainable, also in relation to the mission and goal, is there an optimal situation.
  • How important is success, in whatever direction (time, money, health, economic self sufficiency, spiritual or personal growth.)
  • What is the role of spirituality
  • How important or distracting are internal relationships
  • What role or need is there for group sessions and group processes
  • What about sex and drugs
  • In and out, joining and exit strategy
  • What are the decision models and protocols and plenary meeting procedures
  • What about money, ownership, property, assets, value-appreciation, operational costs
  • What about age (spread/pension/old age) and illness
  • What is the use and effect of internet and the global communication
  • What about rituals, ceremonies, meditation, practice
  • Is loneliness a factor or not ageing or dying alone
  • What about ecology



 

Outline book;

Parts are already available, like a piece about utopian communities, pieces about community setup etc. see website www.myster.nl

 

The general outline is to describe the whole concept of communities, some history, give examples of existing ones, and opinions of people involved concerning the major issues.

 

Outline book: Dutch

een boek over communities en het belang ervan als uitweg uit de crisis en het weer opbouwen van een gemeenschapsgevoel zou in hoofdlijnen kunnen zijn:

inleiding. waarom is het denken over communities essentieel

de crisis en communities; overview

wat kunnen communities en buurtschappen betekenen voor emotie, economie. ecologie

de psychologie van het samenzijn, de mens en zijn omgeving

de astrologie en esoterische betekenis van samenzijn

Wat is een community

verschillende soorten communities

Community historie - commune, communisme, communities, waterschappen, buurtschappen

Tribal communities, tribalism, urban tribes

de burger, verstedelijking, compacte stad

Utopische gemeenschappen

de economie van het samenzijn

de ecologie van het samenzijn

de emotie van het samenzijn

de juridische basis

eigen ervaringen: venwoude, woongroepen, magic farm, synergia, OG, Herakleitus, Azart, ecodorp, vlierhof, ruigoord etc.

visits to communities-reports

Community as a new level of society - legal, economical, ecological

the connection with energy, credit crisis

What would we gain

How to stimulate and promote communities

A roadmap for community development

Video material

 

There is video material about many communities and people involved available (shot and owned by Luc) including:

 

Stephen Gaskin interviews

John Allen interviews shots Santa Fe

Findhorn

Boom festival

Ecolonie

UFA fabric

Buddhahill

Damanhur

Alcatraz

Vlierhof

Hof van Weezel

Vale dominio do Mondego

Noord Spanje

Maronniers

October Gallery

Firedance

Christiania

Ruigoord

Heracleitus

Fjordvang en denemarken

 

 

Many indigenous rituals dances, festivals etc.