Sunday Open Thread — August 5, 2007

Aerial view of the same area in which yesterday’s photo was taken; River Thames is in the upper right.

What I’m thinking about, and planning on writing (and podcasting) about soon:

Creating Community: We all long intuitively to be part of a natural, loving, self-selected community. This is the way we lived for almost all of humans’ time on Earth, until civilization changed all that a few short millennia ago. So what’s holding us back?

The Three Seductions of Organized Religion: Absolution, salvation, and uncritical community. Damned appealing promises. Are these why so many people continue to belong, even fervently, to organized religions?

Vignettes: Coming up soon, vignette #5.

Blog-Hosted Conversations: Starting the last week of August, once a week, this blog will feature 30-minute conversations, initially on the subject of “What is your model of a better way to live, and what capacities do we need to develop or re-learn to live that way?”

Open Thread Question:

If someone approached you to become part of a new Intentional Community, in a beautiful, natural, faraway place, what would it take for you tosay yes?

5 Responses to Sunday Open Thread — August 5, 2007

Jordan Mechano says:

August 6, 2007 at 14:16

“Do you mind if I just grab my jacket?”
melisa Christensen says:

August 6, 2007 at 15:25

there would have to be people around my age group. I would do it!
joan says:

August 8, 2007 at 12:33

some sort of assurance that the patriarchy would not be part of the community. sexism sucks!
Peter Dixon says:

August 10, 2007 at 17:36

I’m ready. I think it’s the only humane thing to do at this point in our common history. I’m very sympathetic to Curtis White’s (recently in Orion magazine)perspective: we have to get off the runaway milk wagon we’re on. Your comments on community are right on, reminding me of those of Susan Griffin: [There is] a desire that is at the core of human imaginings, the desire to locate ourselves in community, to make of survival a shared effort, to experience a palpable reverence in our connections with each other and the earth that sustains us … to be defined by the largest arcs of meaning that connect flesh and river, sky and word, reverie and the least act of survival.
Fernanda Ibarra says:

August 29, 2007 at 11:37

Dear Dave: long time I read your site and learn, have fun and resonate resonate and resonate. In this topic about communities I had to write to you because this is the way I want to live. Before moving into a community I would observe the individuals, how they take decisions, how they deal with leadership and wealth (wealth being all that gets us closer to ‘the good, true and beautiful’). I am currently working on a research project about ‘Integral communities’. We are using Ken Wilber´s framework and a methodology done by the Institute of integral sustainability to find out what people think are the forces that thrive/support communities in all quadrants. The first survey iteration is closed but people are still responding. We will use further responses for the second iterations. We will have the first results by september. If you are interested in this work please contact me and I will be able to provide you with some links. If you are related to Ken Wilbers model something we prepared for this survey is: http://ciberaprendiz.blogspot.com/ This are the answers provided by a Quaker. In our survey we selected people from Damanhur, Enlightenext, Integralinstitute, Quakers, Gaviota, Global Ecovillage network, pioneers of change, Hummingbird community and others. You can look at the original site at: http://www.icon-site.comSome pitch on me: I work on collective intelligence, wisdom and consciousness (CIWC). I am passionate on CIWC human emergence, the new economy (currencies, wealth, new ways of relating with money), processarts (I know you like this so take a look at http://processarts.wagn.org/wiki/Participatory_Processes)and SOUL. Much love and light for your wonderful work,Fernanda Ibarra