There is a community out there for everyone, just choose your interest. Some are stranger than others. They may be focused on permaculture, religion, living off the grid, survival skills, extra-terrestrials, and many variations of counterculture beliefs.
INTENTIONAL COMMUNITY
Voluntary residential community
High degree of social cohesion & teamwork
Common values: social, political, religious, or spiritual
Typically share responsibilities and property
ANOTHER DEFINITION
Intentional communities are formed when people choose to live with or near enough to each other to carry out a shared lifestyle, with a shared culture and a with a common purpose.
ALSO KNOWN AS...
Collective Households
Cohousing / Coliving
Ecovillages
Retreats
Ashrams
Housing Cooperatives
Utopian Society
Tiny House Village
Senior Communities
Pick the correct answer
Have you heard of intentional communities before?
UTOPIA
A perfect society in which people work well with each other and are happy.
"World Peace"
Eg. Garden of Eden, Heaven, Shangri-La, The Federation (Star Trek), The Capital (Hunger Games), England in Brave New World
Opposite = Dystopia.
Type your answer
What would be YOUR Utopia?
TYPES OF UTOPIA
Ecological
Economic
Religious
Scientific
Technology
HISTORY
Earliest example 1500 BC Ashrams (India)
Buddhist monasteries 500 BC
Pythagoras founded a vegetarian commune 525 BC in Italy
HISTORY
1970s "commune"
Images of long-haired young people
"Hippies"
Rejecting society & government
COMMUNE vs. CULT
Communes, for many, evoke the potential for groups to become more controlling and sinister in nature.
Group’s control of an individual’s behavior, intellect, thoughts and emotions (BITE).
Deceptive and charismatic leaders.
Eg. Children of God, Manson Family, People's Temple
KEY ELEMENTS
Residential or place-based
Shared values or purpose
Common agreements and social processes
Opportunities for a shared lifestyle
Commitment to building cooperative culture
WHY DO PEOPLE DO IT?
Connection
Share Resources
Living Lightly
Community Support
Feeling Safer
Save Money
Experiment / Fun
Pick the correct answer
Which reason would be the most important to you to live in an "intentional community"?
LARGEST IN THE WORLD
Auroville, India (North of Pondicherry/Chennai)
Founded in 1968
3000+ residents and visitors
"The purpose of Auroville is to realize human unity - in diversity"
"All creeds, all politics, and all nationalities"
LARGEST IN THE US
Ecovillage Ithaca, New York
Over 500 Residents
Started in 1991
80% Open Space
Promote experiential learning for shelter, food, energy, livelihood, social connectness
DAMANHUR, ITALY
Dug temples in secret from Italian government for 16 years (Temples of Humankind)
"Living Lab for the Future"
Loosely Based on Egyptian Spirituality
Solidarity, sharing, love and respect for the environment
CAMPHILL COMMUNITIES
Unique home for people with disabilities
Over 100 locations North America & Europe
Welcoming & Inclusive
"Lifesharing community"
Home, work, nature, food, art, spirituality
ECO TRULY PARK, PERU
Artistic community
Inspired by Indian traditional teachings & lifestyle
Principles: Non-violence, simple living, elevated thinking
Tolerance, compassion, patience
CHRISTIANIA, DENMARK
Located in Copenhagen
Commune stole an abandoned army base
Showed up in 1971 and never left
Operate as an independent country until 2010
SENEGAL
Transitioning 14,000 villages into ecovillages
Encourage people to stay in villages, not all urbanisation
Encouraging sustainable practices
Ecovillage development; ecological, economic, social and cultural.
TINY HOUSE VILLAGES
Smaller footprint
Save money
Quickly have a home
NETWORKS
Intentional Community Foundation
Global Ecovillage Network (GEN)
ECOLISE, European Community-Led Initiatives
NuMundo, Network of Impact Centers
HOW TO JOIN
Check out the networks
Arrange a visit in person
If none fit and you're still interested, start your own!
Pick the correct answer
Would you ever live in an intentional community? Tell me why in the chat!
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