I know someone else quoted this, but I think it sums up everything. If we’re are going to form a REAL community we will need to have people filling diverse roles. Besides, if we all did the same jobs and had the same strengths, that could get boring after a while. *winks*

I yearn now to find a local community that could fulfill such needs, and doubt it can be found here in southern New England. Too much in the way of backbiting and grandstanding for my tastes.

I have found that squabbles over power develop out of the scarcity mentality so prevalent in the outer culture: There is a limited supply of love, power, talent, etc.
When we open our eyes and re-member the incredible abundance of the universe, when we recogngize these qualities are available in unlimited supply, we become more willing to share, celebrate, honor and even (gasp) assist others in finding their own.

Love and Power–Karina

(I’m talking about any kind of community, not just spiritual communities).

Beautiful writing, Thorn.

Tony, all groups have disagreements, but if we are learning from them, and helping each other grow into our best, rather than playing “whack a mole” as Katrina posted in the other comments section, we won’t all have to leave in disgust or fight for bits of perceived power, which is what I see happen over and over.

However, where ever we come into our own power, even if it was worked on in the context of a group, it is still own power, individual, from-within, and community is when we come together to share and celebrate that.

It feels so selfish to be working on my power-from-within when I ’should’ be contributing to others, to ‘community’ instead.

I’ve been struggling with my involvement in some community events. Ones that served me in the past, & due to the value I received from them, I felt an obligation to continue.

I had a realisation recently, that this was not how I could best serve myself, and that in not serving myself, I was not working with my strengths – not offering what I am best to those around me, those on the same path, those I regard my current & potential community.
And so, I declared, enough.
It was a struggle to establish that boundary for myself, but what happened? Talk, communication, a flourishing, a renewal of community, in a form that suits me better – and appears to suit many others better.
In my new enthusiasm I may have overcommitted myself again, *whoops*, but I am more aware now that if something is not a source of personal growth for me, then I’m not able to contribute that growth to the community around me, and there are better ways.

I am trying to work on my own personal practice, first and foremost, and come together with others to share, learn, and celebrate our accomplishments, rather than viewing others as the forum by which accomplishments are recognised, or accomplishments as lesser if they aren’t ones recognised by others. Obvious, but hard…

Part of the problem, I think in addressing the question is that we have very few models of what a community looks like in our practical lives. Who do we look to? The Amish? It is my belief, incidently that this is no accident. (More on this later)

I guess I would think of community in this sense as an affinity group that is supportive of its different members. The distinction being that supportive element. Contrasted to say, “The California Blacksmiths Association” which is an affinity group that doesn’t really take care of each other much outside of the realm of blacksmithing. The “Feri” tradition would be a good example of these deliniations. There are those who practice Feri (its various permutations aside) who are part of an affinity group. They all practice Feri, all over the world, discuss things in person, or online, read the same books and magazines, etc, etc. Then within that there are Feri peer groups. Not only do these people have a common affinity for Feri, but they actually know each other, by name. They have opinions about each other, know things about each other and to some extent or another, are concerned with their image of each other. However, not all these people are community.

I think of the Andersons and the people who gathered around them and came to know each other, and beyond that to help and rely on each other, to participate in other (non-feri) things together as a consequence. Raising money to help Cora, various members working on festival gathering staff, sharing vending space at belly dance gatherings. Promoting each others pet projects and commercial enterprises, that to my mind is community. An interdependence that transcends even friendship. When I read ethnographies of some tribal society somewhere, and I read some guy say to the anthropologist ” Nobody can stand him/her because of blank, but they always make the goat cheese for the festival” _thats_ community.

Today in this country, and as far as I can tell, most of the “civilized” world, community has become an intentional, counter-cultural act. Whereas in the past, community simply arose out of necessity, now it has to be cultivated in spite of the prevailing cultural forces. Its not a coincidence that in an era of ever increasing population densities, people die and turn skeletal in their homes without the neighbors ever even noticing. I don’t think this is an accident, but is the result of social engineering. Community is fundamentally anti-capitalist economy (as expressed currently, anyway). When people live in a community, it enables them to share things, which means fewer units need to be purchased. Further, with community there is a social safety net, and a self regulating social dynamic. Antithetical to a insurance based, litigous society. Communities, to a large extent are self-policing, which enables the community to select its own laws and morality. Dangerous stuff to be sure.

So that to my mind is the essence of community. Interdependence within and independence of, an affinity group.
-Dionysus Devotee

http://lunaramble.blogspot.com

libramoon42@mindspring.com

I’m also suspecting that no community structure or belief system can bypass this learning process and implant autonomy in the person. More and more it looks like we all have to do some hard work, show our ass a few times, and listen when someone patiently offers their wisdom and encouragement for us to grow.