Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Introduction to Cohousing-L

[PattyMara (PattyMara]

Dear Rose,
Congratulations on your group's birthing.  This venture will change all of
your lives. Our family has been working with our community for seven years,
with the hope of moving in finally this month.  Hopefully, your group will
learn from the experiences of all of us, and shorten that timeline
considerably.  

If I could offer some experience/advice:  tap into the collective wisdom of
the cohousing professionals like Wonderland Hill Development (Jim Leach) for
advice on streamlining the development process.  And perhaps more importantly,
pay attention to and pour focus-ed energy into community building on a soul
and heart level.  Learn to play and celebrate together from the beginning.
Know that this is relationship work at its deepest core.  These are your
family, the ones you will be sharing life and death with.  In the past seven
years, I have witnessed/assisted in 5 homebirths and 1 homedeath of community
members.  There is nothing sweeter and more heart-piercing than this kind of
community intimacy.  

Trust that the people who are drawn to your community are the "right" ones,
even though some are difficult and high maintenance.  Encourage the
participation of your children in as many events or work days or discussions.
Party often.  Create rituals for every turning of the season, every hoop
jumped through, every personal and group victory.  Strive for a diversity of
age.  Create together.  Paint tiles, build rock walls, grow food and flowers,
make joyful music.  Dance.  

Blessings to your group. 

Patty Mara Gourley
Tierra Nueva Cohousing
Central California Coast

In a message dated 98-07-30 15:18:56 EDT, you write:

<< 
 Hello, Cohousers, my name is Rose Banks, I am one of the members of the 
 East Tennessee Cohousing Community. Our group is very new, and our area 
 is a new frontier for Cohousing, so progress is slow but we are here to stay.
 I have been 'lurking' on this  board for a few months, and thought it was
time
 I let everybody know I am here.  I will probably have more questions than
 answers
 for the Cohousing veterans on this list for a while, but I will attempt to
 contribute to 
 the discussion of this vital topic as much as I can.  So far I am impressed
 with the
 content and variety of subjects on this board. It is very inspiring for
novice
 Cohousing groups to read about households moving in, permits being granted,
 the first harvest coming in at a Cohousing garden etc.
 Our group has no site yet, we are still in the forming/visioning stages, so
 far 6 interested households, one architect, a meeting place, one newspaper
 article (soon to be two), and we have at least a 'working' name for
ourselves.
 I will be here reading and learning !
 
 Blessed be .
 Rose Banks, at East Tennessee Cohousing Community where we are just starting
 out. >>