Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: Breakthrough at Conf

[Buzz Burrell (72253.2101]

>So what gives? Is cohousing a mundande, planned living arrangement or a 
>crypto-religious movement? If it's the latter, I say it's spinach and I 
>say the hell with it.

>John Hunter
>The Stepford Cohousing Community (a pseudonym, naturally).

The answere is that cohousing is whatever you want it to be.  Your version won't
be the same as mine.

Which is fortunate;  we go to the "Sufi Dances" (actually they are called
"Dances of Universal Peace" frequently, and just love them.  The energy they
bring to the participants is wonderfull, and for us that type of energy is
literally an intergal part of our developing community.  Personally, to dance
and sing together is as important to me as plotting and planning.  Come to think
of it, it  might be more important;  the gigantic amount of energy and money put
into buildings and meetings are only a tool to get to the point:  sharing and
spirit.   We decided early on that our Common House will have to have a big
enough hardwood floor specifically for this purpose.  

I understand and appreciate your wariness of ... lets call it "the emerging
popular spirituality", although it doesn't personally bother me (usually) like
it apparantly does you;  I view the myriad practices positively.  At the same
time I'm not a "white light" type either.  Whenever I find myself standing in a
circle being sweetly asked to visualizing something amazing, my mind is usually
wondering when we're going to eat, noticing a too tight shoelace, or trying to
ignore someone's unpleasant perfume.  I probably bond better with people while
playing volleyball.  But singin' and dancin' ... that works real well for me.
The D.U.Peace were invented to engender a feeling of goodness and communion
amoung the participants, and it works for me.  It's also possible that what made
it back to your meeting was not precisely what transpired at the Conf.

My companion (Denise) came back from the conference and said the same thing your
friend did;  the closing ceremony was wonderfull, she really appreciated the
infusion of spirit, and also commented immediately on the inclusion of this
aspect.  I'm sorry that such things might make you wary.  I'm sure there are
many groups where non-secular things will not be practiced and you will feel at
home.  Likewise, there are many groups that I would not participate in for the
same concerns that you have.  One thing is without question:  everyone needs to
find their own place on the ever changing spectrum of community.


As an added note, I would like to take this time to thank the organizers of the
Conference.  I hear it was very good.

Buzz Burrell
Paonia, CO
72252.2101 [at] compuserve.com