Re: step by step community formation

Lois, thank you!
I notice the ic web site is down at the moment but I'll check it later. I 
think a group member has recently shipped me the book you recommended--it 
sounds terrific.
I'm a subscriber to Permaculture Activist already. My favorite recent issue 
was "Learning from our Mistakes." We Jews have been mostly landless for so 
many centuries that my experience has been to make a lot of mistakes about 
land while getting back in touch with it.
Anyway, I am intrigued by your comment about "structural conflict." Does 
this relate to money, ownership rights, leadership, decisionmaking, or all 
of the above?
I see this coming up as I learn that one group member admits his entire net 
worth is $49, while another one is salivating to go out and buy 15 acres for 
$250,000. How can we possibly reconcile the strong intentions of both to 
make a harmonious community in a  way that is safe for everyone? Should I 
ask the "rich" one to buy the land and put it in trust for the use of a 
community?  Also, how do the volunteers who get the group started on their 
own time obtain compensation from the others who join later, or should they 
even expect compensation?
Lots of questions like that.
Jewish law has a lot to say about resolving some kinds of conflicts, mostly 
by vesting legal authority in a single wise and well learned religious 
leader whom everyone voluntary agrees to obey. However this legal system 
does not necessarily resolve power conflicts related to money.
Does the book you recommended offer various options for how to models of the 
financial organization of ecovillages?
Thanks so much in advance.
Bat-Tzion

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lois Arkin" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, January 05, 2006 11:17 AM
Subject: Re: [Ecobal]step by step community formation


>
> I believe the most important resource book is from:
> Diana Leafe Christian:  "Creating a Life Together: Practical Tools to Grow 
> Ecovillages and Intentional Communities" available from <ic.org> or 
> <ena.ecovillage.org>.
>
> Of particular importance in starting up a community is to avoid building 
> in structural conflict.  Get it right at the front end, so the group does 
> not have to spend it's adolescence doing social retrofitting.  She 
> recommends six steps.  Does someone else out there have them handy to 
> share with BT?
>
> Also, available on the <ic.org> site is a subscription to "Communities 
> Magazine," the trade publication for the intentional communities and 
> ecovillage movement.  There are dozens of back issues available that are 
> as timely as when first published.  Also, check out the bookstore at the 
> <ic.org> site.
>
> "The Permaculture Activist" is a handy resource publication as well, a 
> quarterly that you can order on line at 
> <http://www.permacultureactivist.net/>.
>
> Much good luck.
>
> Lois
> L.A. Eco-Village/CRSP Institute for Urban Ecovillages
>
> BT Benjaminson wrote:
>
>> Shalom from Israel
>> I'm new to the list and new to the process of building a community. I do 
>> have a permaculture design certificate and several years experience in 
>> hands-on sustainable living in a rural setting.
>> Some friends and I intend to establish an ecovillage here in the 
>> semi-arid south of our country.
>> With the help of an experienced permaculturist active in the area, we 
>> have idenfied a likely location in one corner of an existing agricultural 
>> co-op community ("moshav") and have collected a list of around 20 people 
>> who are interested enough to receive e-mails about the project. One 
>> potential leader has emerged.
>> Some of us feel the urgent imperative of establishing a community that 
>> can function in a wobbly energy decline situation, others are just keen 
>> on connecting with the land or with a loving group of people.
>> I have very little leadership experience and I sense the difficulty of 
>> bringing people into a commitment if they have not already been educated 
>> and motivated in community building. Needless to say, in this country we 
>> have a great emotional struggle in the face of various political, 
>> religious, and security issues. It is difficult to create a "safe 
>> container" for people and to get them to commit time to a venture that 
>> still seems very doubtful.
>> Now, to the question -- where on the Internet can I find guidance for 
>> successfully building a strong community from scratch, or what one book 
>> would be suitable in order to study this topic?
>> So far no one has appeared that has the kind of money needed to attend 
>> Findhorn or other ecovillage training programs, so this is the best we 
>> can do in the meantime.
>> Any suggestions?
>> Thank you in advance.
>> Bat-Tzion Benjaminson
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
>
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