Our aviary will be the sky and the trees, and our aquarium will be the rivers and lakes and sea, but at the same time we will be relating to our domesticated animals with the same awareness with which we shall be relating to other aspects in nature.

It should be kept in mind that only the best intentions and love should be brought forth in the raising and keeping of these living beings. We shall be keeping a loving space for the animals to share our lives with, rather than unappreciated and misused ways which we see as slavery of another being, another soul.

Hunting shall not be permitted any where in the community.

Water Use

Rain water capture in barrels or ponds would be ideal for watering plants and for domestic use like laundry etc. All toilets should be dry or composting instead of flushing toilets with septic tanks. Human waste to be properly composted and re-used on individual gardens and the common garden area. All grey water from kitchens, bathing, laundry, cleaning should be re-cycled and re-used in our orchards and gardens. Therefore we should avoid any activity or use of substances which pollute or contribute to the pollution of the land or water. Cleaning substances that are bio-degradable and made from plant sources would be essential.

Garbage/Pollution

With the lifestyle suggested for this community, we expect there to be far less non-recyclable garbage and waste materials. Shying away from canned and factory packaged products and foods would reduce the garbage to occasional oil cans from vehicles, broken jars etc. These things could be collected and periodically taken to the municipal waste disposal site. All paper can be collected for recycle or utilized as fire starters. All organic matter goes to the compost for the benefit of our own gardens.

To keep the community lands peaceful, we should eliminate or repair noisy vehicles or excessively noisy machines on the land - except when there is no alternative. Also no noisy recreation forms such as motorbikes or stock cars on the land.

Voluntary Simplicity

The only way to achieve the foregoing objectives is by simplifying our lifestyle, by adopting the principles of ‘Voluntary Simplicity'. Voluntary simplicity is a lifestyle characterized by minimizing the "more is better" pursuit of wealth and consumption. Simple living as a concept is distinguished from those living in forced poverty, as it is a voluntary lifestyle choice. Basically a choice to live outwardly more simple and inwardly more rich, a way of being in which our most authentic and alive self is brought into direct and conscious contact with living.

Voluntary simplicity is deliberately chosing the freedom of having less stuff to worry about. Being happier with fewer trappings is easy when it saves you money, benefits the environment, teaches children meaningful values and helps others in need. Best of all, simple living delivers the personal satisfaction that only comes when you decide how much is enough for you. In short, simpler living is not backward living, but forward living. Less time spent on material goods and serving the Monster means more time spent with family, friends, children, nature, and unlocking the real passions and values of your life.

Voluntary Simplicity is also about lifestyle, about living more with nature and what nature has to offer as the ultimate convenience store. Its about more free time and less complicated routines. Freedom lies within simplicity, less to worry about, less to fix and repair, less distractions from what really matters.

Community Culture

As mentioned earlier, our western culture has become what it is by cultivating our separateness from nature, seeing us humans as co-creators and in charge of our destiny. Since the people attracted to this community see through these fallacies, we therefore strive to create our community culture that embraces our interconnectedness with nature and the world beyond, therefore focused on an inclusive or wholistic lifestyle. Although there is confusion about the term wholistic versus holistic, the former implies the totality of the being, all aspects - the whole - , while the latter finds its origins in holy, from which healing is derived. Therefore, a wholistic lifestyle implies the integration of the four levels of being: the physical, the emotional, the mental and the spiritual dimension. As those dimensions have been neglected in our fragmented western lifestyle, they might need some healing...

Wholistic Health

In line with the foregoing, wholistic health covers the four dimensions of our being: body, mind, spirit and soul, where all are interconnected and interdependent on each other to affect real healing. As we strive to become in harmony with nature, as our being is also nature, therefore we must recognize the need to become in harmony with those four dimensions within. Undoubtedly, everyone in this community will undergo healing on some level. We foresee the healing lodge as the focal point of our healing while more subtle healing continuously occurs living community life. The community we envision is one of health, wholistic health, where everything we do to ourselves, to others, to all life and to the planet has a higher meaning and purpose of moving towards harmony.

Diet

Enough evidence exists to demonstrate that food plays an important role in human behavior, and since a community is based on human behavior, food is seen as pivotal. Food choice, although very personal, requires open discussion. Based on the primary law that input equals output, or "we are what we eat", we as a society should be very concerned with everything that passes through our mouths. Obviously, those that benefit from our ignorance not only prefer blind mass consumption but also know that non-wholesome food (fragmented food) maintains a fragmented mind. Although people are becoming aware to this reality and as supporting information comes to light, the general consensus still remains that "if the government regulatory bodies say it's fit for human consumption, then it must be!" Regardless, the "food-like-substances" that are deemed safe are not only causing most degenerative dis-eases we face today but slowly poisoning us to a dead end. Changing one's diet not only changes how we think about ourselves, it is also instrumental to overcome life threatening diseases, to live a much happier and long lasting life, and gives ourselves a different perspective to our place in the universe. As such, building a sustainable community will require a sustainable personal lifestyle. Diet is the cornerstone!

As it is our dream to become in harmony with nature and the underlying Universal Forces, the instinctive way to do so is to accept the food from Nature the way it is, not processed, in season, locally and organically grown. In principle, we would like the community to be as vegetarian as possible, since a vegetarian diet is less demanding from our ecosystem. Besides the ecological demands an animal inclusive diet results in, it is equally important to remind ourselves that animals are mostly manifestations of horizontally polarized energy, energy parallel to the ground, parallel to the surface of our planet. Compared to vertically growing plants, animal like manifestations lack a strong direct cosmic connection and as a result are mostly motivated by competition and fear. Plants to the contrary, are not only manifestations of vertical energy, with a direct connection to the heavens and beyond, and once they take root, they tend to stand their ground.

In addition to the foregoing attributes, it is equally important to strive for a balanced diet, a diet as much as possible cradled between the expansive forces manifested in our food versus the contracting forces manifested in the same food (their seeds and roots). Basically, food that is wholesome and in balance between its opposing Yin and Yang forces. The mistake most vegetarians make is to rely mostly on greens year round (manifestations of mostly expanding energy) and a diet predominantly consisting of vegetables from the nightshade family (cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, zucchinis, various squashes...), As is known, food from the nightshade family is in varying degrees not only slightly toxic, acid and low in energy, but also very intensively influenced by the current trend to genetically modify whatever is easy to grow and in high demand. Although it is not clear what the long term influences of Genetically Modified foods will be on human health, including our mental and spiritual health, it can easily be predicted that whenever we change the energy patterns in the foods we consume, we eventually interfere with and change the energy patterns in ourselves.

As a group of people interested in forming and sustaining a community based on the principles outlined throughout this proposal, one of the reasons we as individuals feel attracted to this lifestyle is the potential to become who we truly are, free and authentic. Therefore, our diet should underscore those very same values and refrain from causing on others those infringements we try to walk away from. The use of dairy products is surely one of those ingredients. Not only are we humans the only mammal on our planet that eats and drinks the milk (and the derived products) from another mammal beyond the period of lactation, we also add greatly to the enslavement and exploitation of those milk producing animals.

The use of common stimuli such as coffee is for most people another difficult habit to reconsider. Not only is coffee a product from a far away country, not even considered food and yet using a lot of fertile arable land in countries who have come to rely on a cash crop such as coffee, sugar and other commodities we can do without. Even the Fair Trade coffee which has added to the new opportunity to ‘greenwash' our consciousness, is a bad solution for the people trying to make a living from growing coffee to satisfy our endless demand for more energy and faster lifestyle.

In line with the foregoing, it is understandable how a more balanced diet consisting of wholesome food adds to a more balanced human being, which in turn manifests in a more balanced and wholesome view and understanding of the world around. This quality helps the individual to see both sides of a situation at hand, helps to see the whole picture. This attribute is increasingly important in an ever more fragmented and disconnected world.

In practicality, we strive to focus our diet around whole grains, seasonal vegetables, including root vegetables, nuts and seeds, fruits, honey or maple syrup, maybe the occasional egg in spring and summer, and in case we come face to face with starvation, the occasional animal will keep us alive without losing the spirit of this community endeavor. Regardless, no-one is going to regulate whether a person eats meat or not, what you eat is not the concern so much as the effect of ones diet in reference to our goal which is creating community. The raising and killing of animals for the purpose of eating them, while there is plenty of other high quality food sources available, is in contradiction with the community vision. We have come to the conclusion that for humanity to live in harmony with nature, we need to stop the enslavement and the needless killing of all living beings on earth.

Physical Movement

The proposed sanctuary could be a place were all could gather on a daily basis, if one desires, to join in group movement. The type of movements would depend on the group and those willing to lead the group that particular day. Examples are yoga, tai chi, pilates, qi gong, martial arts etc.

Drugs - Tobacco & Alcohol

We trust that the individuals who will be attracted to this community will have a level of awareness and willingness to change their undesirable habits and dependencies. Living our lives in a more natural environment and being in harmony with nature will make it easier for most of us to grow towards balance with our surroundings without artificial stimuli.

Nevertheless we could see the use of an organic homemade wine for special communal celebrations. The use of communal organically grown tobacco for ceremonial purposes only.

Soft Drugs, Hallucinogens & Hard Drugs

There are many convincing arguments in favor of the use of marijuana, hashish, mushrooms, LSD, etc. but our choice as a community should be to find ways of being high on life without the assistance of drugs - as Ram Dass points out "The goal of the path is to Be high, and not Get high." Besides, one of the missions of our community is to heal body, mind, spirit and soul, whereas those substances easily obscure the mind and undermines true health. Some people believe in the use of drugs as mind openers to other realms, for vision quests or gaining clarity. From experience, we see people gaining sustained clear visions and open minds by simply purifying their body, mind, spirit and soul through natural means. We know from our medical sciences that the use of these drugs is harmful for ourselves and our future children, therefore this is one of the very few matters on which this proposal is not flexible. We recommend that people who want to stay with their drug habits, stay in that kind of community where these drugs are made available. On the other hand, we hope to be able to create a community where people who are struggling away from their drug addictions will find a home of love and understanding, and will find a helping and supporting hand to reach their goal.

Internal Cleansing

Creating and sustaining the intentional community we envision will require clarity of mind of all members. As we all know a clear mind resides in a clean body. Therefore, the Healing Lodge will be an integral part of the community and will offer all members of the community services to support internal cleansing, such as holistic food preparation education, herbal remedies, massage, sauna, sweat lodges, fasting, colonics etc.

Inner Reflection and Contemplation

We would hope everyone adapts some sort of practice to assist in their spiritual growth. Having a regular practice of inner reflection also helps us to cleanse our bodies and minds to receive higher wisdom and knowledge. We must give ourselves the time and space to do this, as the benefits far reach beyond ourself and extend to everything around us. The sanctuary space will be available for individual and regular group meditations.

Spiritual Counseling

We hope to have people within the community who have walked the spiritual path with integrity and are able give assistance to others in times of emotional, physical, and spiritual crises. They could also be instrumental as spiritual advisors for the community as a whole, as counselors for the Healing Lodge and communal celebrations.

Communication

The community would benefit from workshops for all community members on the fundamentals of 'Compassionate Communication' or 'Non-violent Communication' so that we can avoid dysfunctional communication. This will help to reduce and resolve conflicts and increase a greater sense of group cohesion.

Some of our communications in regards to community matters will take place silently and reliably by posting messages on the bulletin boards in common area, such as workshops, laundry room, sanctuary, dinning hall etc. Meetings will be organized from time to time to discuss any issues brought forward.

Medical Assistance

In terms of health, we shall be using all methods available to us and as appropriate to each individual:

• from straight medicine to alternative medicine,

• from medication to yoga and auto-suggestion,

• from digging ditches to ocean and wilderness survival programs.

Whatever form of healing people feel ready for, it is their own responsibility.

Our whole way of life will be synonymous with good health. Everyone who wants it, will have a sound diet in relation to nature, regular exercise, sunshine, fresh air, ample rest and relaxation and huge amounts of love and friendship.

In maintaining and restoring our health, we should give our preference to methods which are in harmony with nature, and only when no alternatives work should we use modern scientifically based medicines, which are in principle, mostly working against nature - against life with anti-bios - drugs and medication.

Sooner or later, our members will include herbalists, spiritual healers, mid-wives, homeopathic doctors, acupuncturists, colon hydro-therapists, massage therapists etc., offering various life-enhancing skills. These skills should be available to every member of the community.

We recognize sickness and disease as a normal, natural reaction of the body to restore balance or health. These reactions of our body are to be supported instead of being suppressed. Along the same line, we don't subject our children to immunizations and injections as it contradicts our striving to live naturally.

Clothing

Our clothing reflects our state of mind and the stage we are in now. The same can be said about the quality of our clothes, neglected clothes not repaired regularly, not refreshed or washed when dirty reflects a similarly neglected mind. Attention should be paid to obtain clothing from ecological responsible sources, fair trade, and organic while recycling our clothing as much as possible. It is our hope that members will be aware of the influence that different kinds of fabrics have on our wellbeing. We might have already experienced the difference between synthetic fibers versus fibers from vegetation versus animals. As far as clothing optional, if one feels the need to walk around their personal domain and home without clothing that is personal business, but for common areas, except say for a beach designated so, it would be expected out of respect for other residents and our guests that we all wear appropriate clothing.

Laundry - Washing

A common laundry facility would be the simplest and most cost effective for the whole, while at the same time, taking it one step further in our commitment to sustainability. Individuals could occasionally wash their cloths by hand and air dry. A laundry facility for the Healing Lodge is part of the plan and should be available to all. Another option would be to take large loads to a commercial laundromat in the nearest city or village. We should agree to the kind of soap used, either homemade or store bought but definitely bio-degradable, this to limit the impact to the surrounding eco-system.

World Affairs

The community and it's members will hopefully be well informed on world affairs by monitoring sections of the world press, radio, and internet. This community is not intended to be a place of escape from the daily realities which face our world. We want to remain part of that world we live in now. Keeping ourselves informed about the different struggles the world is going through will give us strength to live the way we choose to live and also inspire us to work out solutions and alternatives which we feel are needed for ourselves and mankind.

We will encourage all members to share the magazines and subscriptions they receive, with the other members interested in the same subjects. Maybe we can come to the point where all magazines and information, books, etc can be purchased by the community and kept in a common library room. We feel it is a big waste of money and resources if many families are buying the same magazines.

Relationship with Society

If the community is to serve as an example to society, it will have to be closely in touch with and open to that society. Through our connections in town (cafe/store), through the healing lodge, workshops and special events, outside work, and regular dealings with the surrounding intentional communities, we shall be building a trust based on an understanding and appreciation of our mutual lifestyles.

Politics

This will be a multi-national, nondenominational community with as much as possible no political party affiliations. As far as we are concerned neither race nor creed nor political leanings will ever of themselves be barriers to membership in the community.

As a community we shall in no way support a particular political party, although in another sense our very existence will be political. Our unique stance will be there to provide and demonstrate alternatives. We are likely to participate in local or national politics only insofar as we feel it to be essential for the community's welfare. In this case we may cast votes en bloc, or otherwise take joint action. We are unlikely to stand in the way of political action by individual members of the community.

Religion

As mentioned earlier, we humans are social beings, continuously redefining our sense of purpose and our desire to belong as a way to make our existence meaningful. In order to be able to do so in an effective and responsive way, we strive to fit into a group of like-minded people. Creating group cohesion around spiritual and religious commonalities goes back in history as far as we can see. Long ago, in Pagan times, the strive to survive was dominating human interactions, especially their interactions with their environment. Eventually, a very clear and precise relationship developed with their surrounding environment, a relationship which became gradually institutionalized by those in control, who in turn made that relationship into a religion (the word ‘religion' comes from the Latin word :Religaere' which means to relate). In those days of pagan tribes working together, their way to relate to their surroundings were rather uniform and worked well for countless generations living in a certain bio-climate. Now, we humans come from all over the world, all bringing our very different traditions and religions with us and we expect to find harmony with each other. That is a tall order and works seemingly well as long as there is enough space and distractions between the very different social groups. Although this level of tolerance and acceptance has been a hall mark for the people living in Canada, mainly because there is always another valley on the other side of the mountains and because there has always been plenty of everything to go around. This peaceful co-existence is quickly challenged when natural resources, jobs, lifestyle and living space are being compromised. The community we envision is no exception and as people from very different walks of life, different traditions, different religions come together, it will be essential to explore a common and acceptable 'religion', a common way to relate to each other, a common way to relate to the environment and the relationship to whatever or whoever we perceive to be behind the visible manifested world. In other words, we will have to face the reality to find or create a common religion, a way we can all feel accepted and a sense of belonging in the way the community relates to the above mentioned levels of connection with the world around us. Throughout history, it has been observed that when push comes to shove and survival comes in question, only what humans hold in common in their relationship with the environment makes the difference. Therefore, it is fitting to see a common relationship with each other and our environment to be focused on ecological principles, basically a nature based spirituality.

Nevertheless, in this community, we hope to provide the space for each of us to travel by whatever spiritual path we choose, provided that those paths in no way impede the passage of others.

This community will not provide the space for any "one way" to be presented as the only way. If for instance, the Christian way or Yogi Whoeverananda's teachings or any other creed or path is what it is all about for you - to the exclusion of all other possibilities - then that will be fine by the community at the same time as being unsupportable by the community. Some people are convinced that "all religions are opium for the people" and that is fine for them, because they can spend all their time and energy in the material aspects of life, supporting those needs of the Monster. Nevertheless, we hope that the members of the community will not get trapped in a material lifestyle, although the material based lifestyle i.e. science can surely help us in our understanding and relating of the universe.

At the same time, we hope that the members of the community will be able to help each other in finding their own truths and in making their own religion or spiritual path meaningful. Therefore, we should set aside common time to reflect about our communal way of life, its purpose in this vast Universe and to explore our own purposes.

In conclusion, our way of life should be a reflection of our spiritual awareness, by walking our talk and in keeping to the vision of the community.

Rituals - Traditions - Routines - Celebrations

Rituals, traditions, routines, and celebrations are important in the life of any society. In this community, whatever forms they take they will be of our own choice. Therefore, we shall be free to discard the trappings of society and ways of socializing in which we see no merit, while at the same time create our own celebrations that reflect our community values. Departures and new arrivals, rituals or customs are likely to spring up spontaneously around each of us. We are likely to design our own weddings and funerals, and our Christmases are likely to bear little relation to society's commercialized version.

For us this community is about exploring and learning to understand our traditions and using them to improve our lifestyle. Our destiny is going back to our origins. We find a lot of valuable concepts in the traditions and religions of the ancient wisdoms. These traditions have been obscured by the way they have been passed on through history. Therefore we should reclaim those ancient traditions we find in harmony with community vision.

Although all forms of religion and traditions are accepted within this community we should be aware of the practical consequences and to avoid ending up with a chaos of rituals - celebrations - holidays and all sorts of events which could interfere with or disrupt the smooth functioning of the community. For example: Christians take Sunday off as a holiday, while Seventh Day Adventists and Jews accept Saturday as a holiday. A communal project which involves all members eg. Fixing the road, would probably only be possible during the weekends - the Saturday or the Sunday... If we want to have one day a week for rest, then we do not have much choice. Therefore we should come to a consensus and give our choice for a day of rest a higher priority common for all members, a level higher than all man-made religions and rules. It is the suggestion of this community to adapt to our relationship to Nature, applicable to all.

By the same token, we recognize the influences on mankind when people all over the world celebrate the same fact at the same moment. For example: Christmas is a worldwide celebration beyond Christianity and although overly commercialized, it results in an increased vibration of love and peace, surely influencing mankind.

Relationships

We would like to be part of a community in which relationships are positively and consciously handled with high awareness. The quality of our relating will not be left to chance. This community will be an expression of our search for balance and harmony with nature. The more we become balanced within ourselves and the more we come in harmony with nature, the better we feel and experience ourselves as sensitive beings with an outspoken polarity: male or female. As we all miss a major part of the other polarity within us, our search for wholeness and balance brings us closer to a human being of the opposite polarity, with a vibration pattern in harmony with our own (understanding, feelings, emotions, love etc..).

The way members relate to each other will only depend on themselves. If they want to live as individuals and journey through life on their own, that is fine for the rest of us, but if members have closer relationships with each other and live as married or as partners together, that is fine also. The manifestation of our relationship should be open and understandable for the rest of the community. That means that if two people decide to live together in a closer relationship in the community, this fact should be expressed towards the other members. From then on, that couple should be accepted and supported as united by the rest of us. We do not want to become members of a community with wishy-washy relationships, or where promiscuity is a common fact and where couples split up as soon as the first problem arises in their relationship. On the other hand, in a relationship that does not work, there is no reason to support an unsupportable fact. We are not looking forward to living in a community which is a duplication of our present society, rather this community should be a place of peace and growth on all levels. This community should not be a place or a tool to solve family-relation problems, if the problems do not involve the community or community members. Many people will be attracted to a communal form of lifestyle, having problems with themselves, their partner, children, job or society, etc... and expect the community to solve their problems. In which case, they may see community as an escape to get away from it all and from their current reality. To some extent, the community is also a solution for our everyday problems, but the community we propose is not intended as a babysitter for those who cannot handle their children, or see children as a burden or handicap for doing other "important" things in life....it is also not a tool that conflicting partners can use to work out their differences....

Instead, the community should be a relationship on another, higher level, quite different than the common nuclear family relationship. One way the community could support the unity of the partner relationships in the community, is to accept each couple or family as being one - one voice or one vote on communal matters. That suggestion implies that both partners or the whole family will have to work out their differences between themselves and not in the community, not at the meetings, but in their own kitchen.

As a new age community, we should be careful not to get trapped in the opposite extreme, where we push our partners in a role they might not like. Therefore, the community will require the constant efforts of its members to break down the conditioning implicit in phrases such as: "my wife, my husband...." Within the community, no-one should have the right to "ownership" of another. Each member should belong to himself or herself, and in freedom, each member belongs to the other he or she chooses. The same principle applies at the community level: the community itself belongs to the members, and not they to the community.

The likelihood is that in a loving, caring community in which everyone is receiving an abundance of love and support and warm physical contact with each other, promiscuity will be at a very low level indeed. If love and trust and real communication exists between members of the community (and that is the only sort of community in which we will be interested), there will be little risk for members being abused by the dominance of others. None of this will threaten the security of any couple whose relationship is sound. It may well threaten or break-up relationships which are less than sound - but that happens also every day in present society.

Children

We have a responsibility towards our children to help them on their path to the future, a future which we see as a challenging New Age. By letting them learn from the experiences we went through, we parents, aware of the New Age, should be able to guide our children through the chaos of the present modern society into a more harmonious future. If we parents are not able to give our children the right examples and values which we experienced for ourselves as valuable and workable, we should ask ourselves what the purpose of our life is about.

Most people in our present civilization believe that being successful in business or on other materialistic levels is what life is about. We should not get trapped in a busy lifestyle where there is little room for children and the beautiful things in life. We can easily forget our spiritual destiny and how our children help us to grow along our path, as we allow ourselves to become brainwashed with all the "important" things we can and should do in order to sustain the status quo of economic growth.

Life is so simple, the only thing we have to "teach" our children is by showing them our lifestyle - by being true examples.

• If we want our children to be good parents later in life, we have to let them experience how good it feels to have good parents,

• If we want our children to be loving and peaceful, we have to let them experience how warm and relaxing it feels to live with loving and peaceful parents.

All children that bless our lives are here to teach us important lessons, constantly reminding us to stay true to ourselves. They are pure refections of our beliefs and the patterns we carry within ourselves, expressed often through their behaviors and actions. Honoring our children as our teachers rather than "owning" them like property, instills respect and love that flows both ways. Therefore, we should respect and encourage the children's natural learning and growth by involving them in community projects such as the design, building and decorating of their own school.

Within this community, parents should be able to help each other to care for the children. Being good neighbors to each other should not be any problem.

Education

Present day schooling in conventional education sends our children into a future to nowhere. As such they are being prepared for easy money careers and soulless jobs, all adding to the collapse of our western civilization. Although we see the signs of where we are heading when it comes to educating our children, we lack the motivation to make effective change. As such, our children's upbringing will face the challenges of the future, and will depend on the skills and resources of those involved. Nevertheless, our children's upbringing should be very different from the parodies of education and freedom which most of us have experienced. Our children will grow up as New Age people with every opportunity throughout their childhood to experience things as they really are, to acquire knowledge and acumen and wisdom which will equip them for life rather than for positions in a dysfunctional and unsustainable system. They will not be growing up in a world in which 'careers' will matter or where pensions will be paid to those who persevere to the end. Continuous and versatile though our children's education will be, it will still have to comply with the requirements of this province, which is something which we should be able to take in stride. Our children will be given every opportunity throughout their childhood to be aware of and experience life in the outside world. They will be very familiar with the alternatives to living in the community.

The children's education should be a more child-directed type of learning. Where they follow their interests and learn whatever topic they like until it is exhausted or they are exhausted! The children should learn in one classroom setting where all ages are present and participating at whatever level they can. Older children would be encouraged to mentor the younger ones. The teacher is to be a guide rather than an enforcer or encyclopedia, gently guiding them towards their goals. All members, including adults and even sometimes visitors and guests, can partake in the learning offered by the children in the school. Topics that they may investigate: wood working, horticulture, practical crafts, cloths making, astrology, biology, food preparation, wild crafting, permaculture, meditation, building design, music, languages etc. The children may invite members from the community to assist them in their learning of topics that the member may have skill, talent or higher understanding of. The children would be encouraged to spend ample time outdoors exploring nature doing activities like: skiing, skating, snowshoeing, winter wilderness camping, hiking, swimming, canoing, camping, wilderness survival, etc

Community Structure

Who's in Charge?

We submit that anyone who takes part in the development of this community will discover exactly who is in charge: It will be you!!! You will be in charge of whatever happens to you, and each of us will be responsible for what happens to the others.

Leadership

Although we envision a community without a guru, charismatic leader or executive manager, as a group we nevertheless will need constant guidance and direction in order to stay the course we choose. As outlined in the chapter below, the decision making process of this community is based on consensus which gives all members an equal voice in all matters decided. As such, leadership within the community and towards the outside world will be as organic and flexible as can be and will require the involvement of all members when required and whenever they see fit. In practical terms this means all members will be encouraged to be a leader in their own way, in their own field, while at all times respecting the consensus based decision of the whole group.

Tags: intentional community sustainable permaculture eco-village