Monasticism, Community, and “The Great Work”
Posted on March 7, 2012 byThe former Elderhostel coordinator at Holy Cross Monastery explores
personal and monastic history to explain her unlikely presence there.
Creative Spirituality in American Communities of the Past
Posted on March 7, 2012 byIf you haven’t heard of hollow earth theory, zig-zag-and-swirl, B-FICs, or
bathing bans, you’ve missed out on some of the more distinctive contributions
of communal spirituality.
Sharing the Path
Posted on March 7, 2012 byEven “non-spiritual” groups can benefit through a multitude of simple practices that deepen participants’ connections with themselves, one another, and the sacred.
Creating Community Ritual
Posted on March 7, 2012 byRitual can connect us more deeply to place, mark the passages of our lives,
comfort us in times of grief, and link us in the pure joy of celebration. It
works best when created collectively.
Communal Studies Association Honors Communities
Posted on December 7, 2011 byOn October 1, 2011, at the banquet concluding the Communal Studies Association’s annual meeting (held this year at the historic Shaker Village at South Union, Auburn, Kentucky),Communities magazine received a big,… Read More
How Permaculture Stole My Community!
Posted on December 7, 2011 by1 Comment
After a painful period stranded in “permaculture heaven,” an Earthaven founder finds her community finally moving back towards balance with its eco-spiritual roots.
Doing It, or Are We?
Posted on December 7, 2011 byOn Hawaii’s Big Island, La’akea Community explores sustainability through myriad experiments—from keeping wild pet pigs in the garden to eating 100 percent locally to mowing with sheep.
The Sharing Gardens
Posted on December 7, 2011 by2 Comments
An innovative approach to collective community gardens nurtures a culture of giving while allowing participants to feed both themselves and those in need.
Growing a Culture of Gratitude in Argentine Patagonia
Posted on December 7, 2011 byAn organic farming volunteer learns surprising new lessons from his Argentinian hosts—such as how to relax, how to enjoy practical labor, and how to contribute more sustainably by putting personal work first.
Hugelkultur on the Prairie, or Learning from Our Mistakes
Posted on December 7, 2011 byDegraded slopes, crumbling logs, plenty of trench-digging, seven blueberry plants, and an unanticipated drought combine to teach some important lessons.
Permaculture at The Farm
Posted on December 7, 2011 byDrawing on its long association with permaculture, The Farm in Tennessee institutes on-the-ground projects designed to provide resilience in times of climate change.
Sociocracy
Posted on December 7, 2011 byLost Valley Educational Center avoids collapse and reinvigorates itself by applying a new approach to governance combining the best of diverse models.
Social Permaculture
Posted on December 7, 2011 by1 Comment
While expert at understanding ecological connections, permaculturalists often founder in relating with one another. Applying permaculture principles to group dynamics can help us work together more effectively.
Permaculture 101 and Attending to Zone Zero
Posted on December 7, 2011 by1 Comment
The editor provides a refresher on our theme and suggests some new Zone Zero guidelines to help keep permaculturalists in the game for the long haul.
Unto the Second Generation
Posted on September 7, 2011 by12 Comments
When a cohousing group’s honeymoon ends, and economic stress dictates selling units to any willing buyers, can a community’s core values and connections endure?
Buddha Being…Buddha Doing
Posted on September 7, 2011 by1 Comment
Overcoming her resistance to waking up at 5 a.m., a veteran community seeker learns transformative lessons at Deer Park Monastery.
The Lenox Place News
Posted on September 7, 2011 byA fifth-grader takes initial steps toward right livelihood by creating a neighborhood newspaper that embodies and helps bring together her local community.
The Gift of Compost
Posted on September 7, 2011 byTo the Compostmeister at a collective house, the cycles of compost embody a new economics that focuses upon human needs and relationships.
Which Comes First, My Community or My Career?
Posted on September 7, 2011 byBelieving that the next phase in human evolution involves a return to the “local” and to community with neighbors, the author focuses his job search close to home, and includes any useful type of work.
Crowdfunding
Posted on September 7, 2011 byA collective financial approach that allows individuals to pool their resources in support of favorite projects, crowdfunding both encourages and thrives upon community.
Remade in Edinburgh
Posted on September 7, 2011 byIn Brixton, South London, and Edinburgh, Scotland, right livelihood finds a home in innovative, resource-conserving, grassroots projects.
Work Less, Simplify More
Posted on September 7, 2011 by1 Comment
By reducing our economic impact, we can shrink our ecological footprint, while freeing up time and energy to contribute to community and a more sustainable world.
Right Lively ‘Hood
Posted on September 7, 2011 by1 Comment
Finding meaningful, socially and ecologically responsible work cannot be done in a vacuum. Right livelihood depends on networks of relationship.
A Communitarian Conundrum
Posted on June 7, 2011 by1 Comment
Despite widespread desire for community, structural and cultural obstacles to intentional community in the modern world loom large.
Fascinating Selfhood
Posted on June 7, 2011 by1 Comment
Do you think a half-century-old book on proper “womanhood,” much of whose advice is guaranteed to cause feminists to scream out in indignation, has nothing to teach us? Think again.
The Solace of Friends in Community
Posted on June 7, 2011 byWomen’s Empowerment Circles offer community-within-community, building trust, caring, and mutual support.
Intimacy in the Village Setting
Posted on June 7, 2011 byAfter a journey from nuclear family life through student coops, an ecovillager finds rich opportunities for intimacy, in many diverse forms—not just with lovers and family.
Three Perspectives on Intimacy in Community
Posted on June 7, 2011 byA starter marriage, a spouse’s health crisis, and the small details that define each person shed light on the meaning of intimacy.
The Relationship of Relationships to the Group
Posted on June 7, 2011 by2 Comments
Relationships don’t exist in a vacuum. Through a culture of communication and support, communities can create the healthy container which relationships need in order to flourish.
Honesty and Intimacy
Posted on June 7, 2011 by3 Comments
In the author’s first, very intense intentional community immersion, revealing the truth led to love and intimacy. He left that group, but, in many spheres of life, emotional and intellectual honesty became his religion.
