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Clarifying Our Terms
Community is defined
Date: 8/27/2021 10:21:59 AM ( 3 y ) ... viewed 929 times December 29, 2023 - Quintessential Terms For Workable Agreements -
#1.) "The Four Agreements"
#2.) Dyads
#3.) A written contract
#4.) Periodic reviews that allow for adjustments
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December 27, 2023 - "Vetting" and “The crucial extra question:" -
This blog-writer is in a state of amazement that current housemates (some of whom have been living in the house for over fifteen and a half years) are just (some days ago) getting the following "extra question":
“The crucial extra question: 'What does the Enchanted Garden mean to you, as an idea, a place, a community? What part of it resonates with you most? What kind of events, activities or projects would you be most interested in co-creating?'”
Nevertheless it is certainly a "crucial question" and not considered "extra" by this writer!
After all that this writer has presented thus far here at: "The Onion" he now says: "the Enchanted Garden"(EG) has been a place for: "facing of inner demons" as he posted in the following post of the 15th.
Regarding: "a community?" - On the spectrum toward possible authentic community the EG is in the second stage known as: "chaos" and has been for well-over seventeen years. The true "crucial extra question" is: will it ever actually move forward from chaos into the nest phase? .........
Regarding: "as an idea" - Until we have certain fundamental essentials for what is required to live together in place it makes no sense to this writer to be talking about any idea/s of "community" or the like - because the higher social orders absolutely require a foundation in order for them to be built and "community" is most certainly one of these higher social orders that has to be built from the foundation up. There is no foundation to build upon at this time!
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December 15, 2023 - Enchanted Gardens and Inner Demons -
"Long ago, enchanted gardens were spoken of as places where magic happened. These stories always entailed some type of coming of age or a facing of inner demons theme. ..."[7]
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Continuing - December 21, 2023 - This blog-writer's experience in: "The Enchanted Garden Intentional Community" (TEGIC) is most largely of the later kind of "enchanted garden" referred to in the quote above. This "theme" is actually a dimension of the TEGIC that was always at play - however largely hidden behind the center stage where the spotlight shined the brightest. The "table" is beginning to turn now!
There is a contrast between "where magic happened" and where healing is needed. This writer has seen enough "magic" and now calls forth the healing!
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July 17, 2023 -
Prior to the transition of: "Your Enchanted Gardener" (who was the #1 CureZone Blogger - primarily with his: "Plant Your Dream" Blog) every one's entrance into the: "Enchanted Garden Intentional Community" was contingent upon both written and verbal agreements - and that included all of the "fellow gardeners" having full participation in most of the responsibilities for house-keeping, including: grounds-keeping, maintenance, repairs. etc. This was the standard operating procedure that this Blog-writer agreed to upon entering the garden for his fourth and final time fifteen years ago.
This writer also made a written house-hold declaration of having adopted: "The Four Agreements" that quintessentially meant his word is his bond! Therefore - even though not all of the "fellow gardeners" since "Your Enchanted Gardener" crossed the Threshold now have: "full participation in most of the responsibilities for house-keeping" this writer continues to do his best to keep the agreements that he made with: "Your Enchanted Gardener" regardless of what others may do, don't do; say or don't say; think or don't think and regardless of how he feels about not having the full participation from most of the others. Nevertheless, it ain't easy!
The required agreements for house-keeping, etc. also included weekly meetings and extensive encouragements to communicate whatever needs each individual had on an ongoing basis. Currently the "garden" is averaging about two meetings per year and mostly because of "emergencies", apparently the consequences of problems with interpersonal communications that include broken agreements.
There is a dramatic contrast between what was and what is!
There is also a possible real estate sale that may be on the horizon for this place as well. Will a change in ownership upgrade the "participation" of those who are here then? ......... Not likely without a greater investment from the participants.
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November 20, 2023 - In light of all the above (and so much more) it seems to this writer that under certain management the so called "enchanted garden" could arguably be considered somewhat cultish. To whatever extent this element may be present he finds it problematic.
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July 9, 2023 - Additional terms that are begging for clarification -
"Inspired" by a recent email that began with: "...our household is having an emergency situation" -
Terms that are needed to be defined for the clarity and understanding of this writer include:
"household",
"emergency", and most especially the phrase: "household emergency."
Also underscoring the need to clarify these terms:
"community", and "agreement" as well as all of the terms of any agreement.
Agreements in "My Enchanted Garden Onion" must be in writing and must be accessible for the "fellow gardeners" to view.
Additional thoughts:
Membership in "My Enchanted Garden Onion" is contingent upon a thorough and lengthy pre-qualification process. The foundation of the process is communication. Communication skills need to be identified.
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February, 26, 2023 -
The clarification of "Low Lying Fruit" (February 23, 2023 entry) is probably not really necessary for this blog-writer now as he realizes that it was spoken within a larger context concerning an apparent agreement - that this blog-writer finally realized was not actually established. This false appearance of an agreement points to petty psychopathy.
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February 23, 2023 - "Low Lying Fruit"
This phrase might appear to generally have a somewhat "easy" definition however there is enough variation attributed to it that this Blog-writer would much prefer to have this phrase clarified by the originator of it (that occurred in a conversation of a couple days ago).
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February, 20, 2023 - Dialogue Is The New Community! - No Dialogue = No Community!
This Blog-writer has stated in at least one of his other CureZone Blogs that dialogue is the new community (quoting Anthroposophical Goetean Science professor Dennis Klochek). Community-building requires dialogue. No dialogue - no community! It's really just that simple! Please don't tell me you live in community when you aren't in dialogue with all of the people!
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February 8, 2023 - An intentional community ... -
... is a voluntary residential community which is designed to have a high degree of social cohesion and teamwork from the start.[+ notes at original article] The members of an intentional community typically hold a common social, political, religious, or spiritual vision, and typically share responsibilities and property. This way of life is sometimes characterized as an "alternative lifestyle".[more notes] Intentional communities can be seen as social experiments or communal experiments.[additional notes] The multitude of intentional communities includes collective households, ..."[6]
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Comment: Re "vision" - what was known as "the Enchanted Garden Intentional Community" does not now have a common vision.
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Continuing December 22, 2023 - The apparent final listing of: "the Enchanted Garden Intentional Community" (TEGIC) appeared in the 7th edition of the "Communities Directory" in 2016 and included an apparent mission stated as: "to foster a healing relationship with nature." This writer had begun aligning with the spirit of this mission about 26 years prior to the above quoted published statement. What he discovered in living in "TEGIC" is what Huston Smith had stated in 1971:
"... We will be entering into the new world civilization to the extent that we are able to achieve a new pattern of life that is some kind of synthesis of these three emphases from the past civilizations ~ Nature, Fellow Man, and Self."[8]*
Comment: We need all three "emphases" and we need them for the balance of self, life, and other. Every single one of us is at least a three-fold being that includes our oneness with nature, humanity and the Self. These three require a synthesis that in: "the Enchanted Garden Intentional Community" has been undeveloped up till now.
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January 28, 2023 - Commūnitātem - (accusative singular of commūnitās)[3] -
Communitas - "An unstructured community in which people are equal."[4]
Latin communitatem "was merely a noun of quality ... meaning 'fellowship, community of relations or feelings'"[5]
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June 2, 2022 - "Intentional Community"? -
The best thing this bLog-writer heard all day today (so far) is:
"Hmmm 🧐 ... Exactly"!
Naturally - this quote will not mean anything to anyone else besides the sender and this writer. Context is required to begin to understand what those two words mean (besides the actual "gif" that did not make it through in the email).
The context of the above is about: "Intentional Community". There is an invitation now posted on a "facebook" page (that this writer is not a subscriber to in any way shape or form) inviting "the world" to have a live gathering and discussion on the subject of: "Intentional Community" that is essentially hosted by a private household that is domiciled on private land that supposedly continues to exist as an: "Intentional Community". However the "private household" was not fully communicated with to ensure everyone's participation. Does the nature of this kind of activity truly demonstrate what "Intentional Community" is all about? ......... Hmmm .........!
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May 16, 2022 - From Initial "Attraction" to Authentic Community -
This "Enchanted Garden Onion" (EGO) that is our home sitting next to a canyon on two sides of this property with all of Nature that is surrounding us, passing through here as well as living here is most certainly attractive to people who live here as acknowledged by virtually all of our present housemates including two new individuals who have already begun submerging themselves into the Nature environment here!
Attraction can be the start of a new relationship (in general) and in this EGO it also can be the start of a genuine community-building bond with nature as she is living here. If this is true then the truth of this deserves to be noted and more especially can be contemplated upon over the entire course of one's stay here.
If the above resonates with Individuals then I warmly invite a shared exploration into the several components that can enhance the Whole EGO - a whole that is greater than the parts!
For this purpose I am offering devoted "EGO" dyads to contemplate the truth of the quintessential components including the following:
"Community",
"community-building",
"Nature",
"a bond with Nature".
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April 23, 2022 - Our Very 1st "House Meeting" with The Present Day "Fellow Gardeners" -
4-23-22 - (at this blog-writer's first opportunity after the House Meeting this afternoon - that was scheduled to start at 12 noon and supposed to have lasted just “one hour” as per C’s request and followed by assisting AP in gathering materials for her Earth Day booth tomorrow for which she says her “boyfriend”: T…ham will be coming down to pick her up for them to go to the ... Center together to set up their booth. ????????? - Plus a photo copied from the computer.)
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The House Meeting - c/o AP as of 12:09 PM -
Agenda clarified with the Blog-writer’s input to focus just on chores at this time.
AP: “Would like the next meeting to be about _____.”
“A series of 3 or 4 rounds … to have a successful 1st meeting, without cross-talk, up to 3’.
(Comment: Next meeting with this agreed upon no cross-talk “rule” would work better for this writer to have the "rule" clarified at the start.)
AP: “Pineapple Guava Flowers …”
“We’’ll go through four rounds … (at 3’ each for five of us adds up to at least one full hour.)
1st round (truth of self) now - as you are.”
(Feedback was given to two of the five people after they had started sharing regarding the first focus on: “truth of self”.)
C - “I don’t know anything about the chores here. … If you want a democratic environment …” "C" made reference to: “work/trade.” This writer was invited to respond for 3’ & ended up declaring that: a work/trade agreement doesn’t exist here.
Didn’t get to mention anything of the need for periodic drain cleaner treatments for the 2nd floor sink.
Community was introduced by this writer with reference to: "A Different Drum" as "the bible" for community building. Enthusiastic feedback from "C" invited this writer's further statement suggesting a shared "bible/book study".
When the meeting reached one and a half hours into overtime this write noted "I am willing to leave now" and a moment later got up and left without any inquiry from the remaining three.
Several lessons learned - Number 1 is this writer's on-going need for true dialogue and now also realizing his ability to request/offer dialogue at any given moment without "fielding" the idea before hand!
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February 27, 2022 - A Written Vision-Mission -
"...my sanity requires a written Vision/Mission Statement for my next communal living situation. I became convinced through 'the school of hard knocks' by not having a Vision/Mission Statement. The confusion, inconsistencies, unilateral decision making, usurpation of a shared household voice and more had impacted me (my Solar Plexus Center) in tremendous ways, often disturbing and sometimes shocking! Consequently I have learned (by default) the importance of having the highest possible clarity for my shared living/working relationships. My adopting of "The Four Agreements"[1] did not inspire others to do likewise. Our attempt (in 2016) to have a shared household voice was disregarded. Finally - eight continuous years in a shared household without the Vision/Mission Statement has qualified my graduation! Yippee!"[2]
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August 27, 2021 "Community" -
This writer is now in his "11th House" of "Choosing Seeds" as well as his "Month of Wishes". The top tier of his "wishes" continue to be about community. What is community? ......... His dyad for others who have expressed interest in community is simply: "Tell me what community is."
"Community is defined as a group of two or more people who, regardless of the diversity of their backgrounds, have been able to accept and transcend their differences. They are able to communicate openly and effectively; and to work together toward common goals, while having a sense of unusual safety with one another.":
https://www.fce-community.org/community_building
This writer likes the above quote for several reasons and most essentially for the last line that not only clearly states the necessity of communicating "openly and effectively" but continues with the ability to work together, etc.!
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Notes:
[1] https://www.amberallen.com/product/books/the-four-agreements-companion-book/
[2] https://www.curezone.org/blogs/fm.asp?i=2144936
(See entry at January 9, 2017)
[3] https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/communitatem
[4] https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/communitas#Latin
[5] https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=communitatem
[6] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intentional_community
[7] https://earthsally.com/gardening-basics/the-mystery-of-enchanted-gardens.html
[8] Huston Smith (author of "The Religions of Man") quoted by: Stephen Arroyo in: "Astrology, Psychology and The Four Elements" from: "Editorial in 'The Cooperator'" (1971)
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Keywords:
Community, communication, work together, common goals, dialogue, truth of self, Low Lying Fruit, agreements, petty psychopathy
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