Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Community Life

[Buzz Burrell (72253.2101]

Thanks for the nice posting.  Please send me what you have developed so far in
your community.  In the meantime, these are my very informal and personal
opinions:

<< what are the ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS for establishing a caring,
viable, energetic, cohesive, joyful community of people....? >>

1.  I think it's simply having good people to start with.  It really helps to
have people who are emotionally stable, recognize their own stuff, don't get
caught in it, and can move happily forward.  Or, you can institute a lot of
process and organization to make up for that lack.

2.  An important factor I never read about in the books is this:  liking each
other.  

3.  Sharing a common vision.  (There was much discussion on this a few months
ago).  This has to be one of the foundation blocks.

In short, I don't see process, philosophy, or plans playing as big of a role as
OD books would have us do.  If the individuals are not "energetic" and
"joyfull", etc, then I suspect the community won't be either.  

<< What roles or processes or structures need to be created? >>

I suspect this depends entirely on each individual group.  I do know that
Caroline Estes's consensus workshop literally changed my life, and so I would
highly recommend it, while at the same time, I know that other people may need
something else entirely.  That workshop just happenned to be what made ME "see
the light".  

"Processes" covers a lot of ground ... you all could follow Robert's Rules of
Order, you all could follow the same guru, you could write a 200 page
organizational manual, or you all could meditate together on a common theme.  I
think anything can work ... as long as you have the three things I mentioned
above.  Without those it's going to be long and challenging no matter what else
you try to do.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Buzz Burrell
Boulder
Geneva Community 

        "Life is what happens while you are making other plans" - J Lennon