Re: Frustration in Forming Community
From: Mac Thomson (macheartwoodcohousing.com)
Date: Thu, 27 May 2004 06:19:19 -0700 (PDT)
Steven,

I think it's a great idea to start with a written vision to make sure you're
attracting folks interested in roughly the same kind of community
experience.  Hopefully then, you won't find out some years down the road
that you were all envisioning something vastly different.  For example our
vision was/is "To create and live in a community which fosters harmony with
each other, the larger community, and Nature."  (We also had/have some
Values statements that flesh this out.)  And then once you have that vision,
invite the world to come and check you out.  I think it's also very
important to regularly schedule discussions of your vision so members can
continue to learn what it means to each other.

Another way to make community happen in your life is to choose an existing
community.  Now that cohousing has been around for a dozen years or more,
there are more and more cohousing communities with homes available (like
ours -- shameless plug   :-).  If you find one with a culture and a location
that work for you, you can be living in community in just a few months.

Cheers,
Mac

-- 
Mac Thomson

Heartwood Cohousing
Southwest Colorado
http://www.heartwoodcohousing.com


"Let the beauty we love be what we do."
         - Rumi
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On 05/27/04 Steven Chase Spurgeon wrote:

> Date: Wed, 26 May 2004 09:12:07 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Steven Chase Spurgeon <strahbale [at] yahoo.com>
> Subject: [C-L]_ Frustration in Forming Community
> To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org
> Message-ID: <20040526161207.81913.qmail [at] web60209.mail.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
> 
> My partner and I have been working toward living in community since the
> mid-nineties, when we formed our union. We have discussed the concept
> with dozens of folks and began hosting preliminary meetings. The people
> we invited to join in discussion all agreed that living in community
> was the healthiest option for people and the planet and agreed to
> continue the process outlined in  Diane Christian's book. Then attendance
> began to dwindle until no one showed up at the last meeting. We became
> frustrated and decided to rethink our approach. Now we are wondering if
> it's even possible to devote the energy necessary to build momentum.
> 
> I admit that we have invited only friends and acquaintances to our
> preliminary meetings. We have discussed how to broaden our scope, but are
> leery of attracting folks that are not aligned with our vision.
> 
> I so appreciate your thoughtful responses to our plea for help.
> 
> Peace
> Steven and Pamela


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