A Resolve for Spiritual Community.

I’ve made a resolution to share “my life’s dream” with certain people I meet. If you will bear with me for a few moments, I feel I have something to say to you, or I would not offer it.

Around 1975 I came to the conclusion that unique opportunities and achievements could be realized within “a well considered matrix of intentional spiritual community”. Since then I was twice involved in “community” and have confirmed this premise and learned to recognize the obstacles we face as well.

In case you have no such thoughts, ideals or intentions you can stop here. But the reason I’m now still only wondering and talking about sharing and more fully living my spiritual ideals is largely rooted within my own self delusion; of doubts and fears. Many years ago I decided I must first work on freeing myself from doubts and fears. I’ve done this personal work to the point where I finally have to face the fact; that in our culture I can only fully address many of my doubts and fears with attention to honest open relationship, with others. I truly feel that a dedication to a spiritual life in relationship is like a crucible for our refinement; and a more focused integrated, holistic lifestyle is a catalyst for clarity and the fulfillment of our life’s dreams. You and I are like mirrors for each other and if I want to truly respect myself I must be dedicated to respecting you as well. Through our mutual dedication of respect, our agreements become empowered by honesty, trust and trustworthiness.

With a foundation of dedication to fellowship ideals we can begin to imagine how true spiritual fellowship might manifest. First of all on a practical level several considerations come to mind. First among these is “the therapeutic value of holistic living”; living in relationship with our social & environmental culture; which is to actually know and relate to all the people and things within our environment. Second is “the value of shared goals and resources”. For one person to have a garden, or a business, or a car & truck or a swimming pool, or any other resource or responsibility becomes overly burdensome. But for 20 or 50 or 100 people to share the benefit and responsibility of those resources; they become much easier to bear. People in the all the arts; including healing, education and spirituality, are especially benefited by community fellowship. Part of it is shared resources, but more importantly is a critical mass of energy and environment which nurtures & supports sustainability of vision and ideals. Thirdly as a generation baby boomers and beyond “we all must recognize the dangers of an uncertain future; or for that matter even the risks of the status quo”. How are we to live long and well?

Intentional community will obviously reflect the intention of everyone who is a part of it. As a gardener I would see the value of preparing the soil and recognizing appropriate timing & placement. With that in mind I can image some ideas, possibilities and structures which intrigue me. For example I could ultimately envision an international network of Intentional Spiritual Communities associated in such a way that members could act as world citizens, working and traveling for extended periods of time. For me right now I’m willing to dedicate myself to a branch of that broader network. A branch located in the western USA. Each smaller community would reflect the intent of its members. For my part I would like to promote the establishment of “a network of new age universalist holistic spiritual retreats”.It seems as each aspect unfolds way it deserves broader consideration, and I have done that elsewhere, but for now I would like to bring this to a conclusion with a few suggestions.

I favor the term new age with a very specific intent. For me new age implies an ageless ideal; one might say a vision that is forever new, meaning it never grows old because it is always vital in the present, unencumbered by the burden of limiting conditioning we all carry in our assumptions. Any group endeavor, if it is to grow strong and healthy depends upon direction and balance; it has purpose & order. It is time to awaken a new order, one of service & loving honor; in this way higher group endeavors are guided by service and humility. In this way the least becomes first. Today it seems everyone wants to be a teacher, or some sort of celebrity. The type of fellowship envisioned here allows us to be first and foremost humble students, serving “the One within all”. I am certain in this way, we can find our way.

Namaste’