Re: step by step community formation

Aloha,

> 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.

My observation is that sooner or later it all comes down to human relatings.
That is, ultimately the biggest 'problems' you will encounter in 
building a community will be problems in human interactions.

Tools, techniques, money (or lack thereof), land (or lack thereof), etc. 
are certainly factors, but they are not the primary factors, the true 
underlying factors, when the human fecal matter hits the rotating air 
circulation device.

Of course in permaculture we notice that the 'problem' is the 'solution' 
- in this case that means seeing difficulties in human relatings as 
opportunities to learn, change and relate differently (with oneself as 
much, perhaps more, as with others).

So any paths to understanding yourself and others better as whole, 
complex human beings can be helpful (as in "will be necessary!" ;-) in 
building your community.

Some starting points I can recommend (google 'em for more info):

Non-Violent Communication (Marshall Rosenberg et al)
"The Work" of Byron Katie
Council Process (see Ojai Foundation and "The Way of Council" for starters)
Network For a New Culture
Transactional Analysis (Eric Berne, Claude Steiner et al)
Joan Casey's Boundaries workshops
Books etc. by Elaine Childs Gowell

It's late, I'm forgetting others but there's some starters.

Also of course structures and processes drawn from one's own/local 
culture that are integral and promotes wholeness in and among human beings.
Here in Hawai'i for example there is a traditional process called 
ho'oponopono, for the healing and setting right of wrongs done in a 
community.  It has much in common with processes from other cultures 
that have similar intentions (not surprising...).

best wishes,
John S.


-- 

John Schinnerer - MA, Whole Systems Design
------------------------------------------
- Eco-Living -
Whole Systems Design Services
People - Place - Learning - Integration
john-/Gao9/[email protected]
http://eco-living.net

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