Lessons from Geese:

Although our Western civilization claims to be modeled after the natural principles such as self interest and survival of the fittest, when we take a better look how animals such as geese manage to overcome great odds, a very different picture emerges:

• When geese fly great distances, they fly in V-shaped formations. As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an updraft for the bird directly behind. It is estimated that as a result, birds use 70 % less energy to reach the same destination compared to birds flying the same distance by themselves.

Lesson: People who share a common goal and direction can get there easier and faster with less resources if they co-operate.

• When one goose falls out of formation, it feels the drag and has to do extra work by him/herself to keep up. Therefore geese try hard to stay connected in the flock.

Lesson: If we would feel as much support from each other as geese do, we would try hard to stay connected, to accept help and help others along the way.

• When flying in formation, the leading goose has to do all the hard work, but when tired the lead-goose drops to the back of the formation and the bird immediately behind him/her takes over leadership.

Lesson: If we had as much common sense as geese have, we would share leadership and recognize when we run out of energy or ideas to lead.

• Geese in the back of the formation honk to encourage those in front about speed and direction.

Lesson: If we had much interest in what is happening to us from our leadership, we would make sure that our protests are being heard and are in support of our common goal.

• When one bird gets sick, weak or shot at, one or two able-bodied birds will fall out of the formation and stay behind with the sick or injured bird to help and protect it. They will stay with the weak bird till it dies or in case it regains strength, they will help it to fly in their formation and eventually join a larger formation.

   

Lesson: If we had as much compassion for each other as geese are demonstrating, we would support each other not only during the good times but equally so during the times of hardship.

• Geese mate for life, and during the northbound spring migration, the males move ahead to the nesting grounds where they will claim their nesting site about one week before their partners eventually arrive.

Lesson: If we humans had as much sense of belonging to a soul mate as geese do, we would take our relationships more seriously and follow our inner voice to guide us to where we belong at the right time and place, and not compromise into a relationship which is going nowhere.

• Geese flying in formation do not follow behind their leader, but fly of to the side in the V-formation, so they can all see where they are going.

Lesson: If we had as much interest in where we are going as geese have, we would not follow our leaders blindly and believe what they are saying, instead we would keep an eye on the common outcome.

• When a flock of geese is feeding or resting on the ground, one or two geese are constantly on the lookout for potential danger such as predators, and they will inform the flock about what they observe and alarm them when needed.

Lesson: If we had as much concerns about the wellbeing of our community as geese have, we would make effort to inform the community about what we see as dangerous and a threat.

• Geese eat a variety of foods which are growing along their migratory pathways. As they migrate, they will congregate onto those patches of food at the right time of the year, and move onto the next stop-over and eventually reach their final destination. When geese are being fed commercial foods, processed, not grown in the region and not in season, those geese lose the ability to migrate, miss the window to migrate and most likely perish in the harsh winter or become urbanized and come to depend on human intervention.

Lesson: No wonder we humans are so out of touch with nature, we only have to look at our diet.

• Migrating geese fly from one food source to the next, trusting there will be enough along the journey for all. They will stay in such a food stop-over, only long enough to regain strength and move on, leaving enough behind for those who follow.

Lesson: If we had as much social and economic integrity as geese have, we would share our food and our resources, instead of claiming ownership, erecting fences and creating borders. Also, if we would trust the providence of nature the way geese do, we would know that there is plenty to go around, and no need to hoard and secure for ourselves if we only take what we need, not what we greed.

Membership

Provisional Membership

People who want to become provisional members are invited to come to discuss their ideas and the values they want to see protected for themselves. A visitor or someone who is already known to us may be accepted for a period of one year as a provisional member. During which time, the community and the provisional member will explore their compatibility with each other. Any person may request or be invited into a provisional membership. The acceptance of anyone as a provisional member will require an overall agreement of all existing provisional members and of all full members as well as agree to the community's bylaws and proposal.

Membership will also include the signing of an individual agreement with the community - this agreement will require certain commitments from the new member, including financial obligations. In return, it will guarantee to the new member an equal share of whatever the community has to offer.

As soon as an agreement is reached and the membership fee is paid, the prospective member will be considered a "provisional" member and be invited to choose a home site and garden area of approximately 2.5 acres to be surveyed and registered by ourselves. In the first year, the provisional members can start working the land assigned to them and set-up their own temporary dwellings on the land like a van, school bus, yurt, tee pee, temporary building etc. If a provisional member does not become a full member for whatever reason within the first year, then all modifications to the land (trees planted etc.) and permanent dwellings built on the land will not be compensable back to the provisional member.

Those whom we accept as provisional members will be those who intend on being part of the community as far into the future as they can see. Those who want to be with us for a period of 'training' rather than as a way of life will do so as long-term visitors. They will be encouraged to join us for a minimum of a year on the basis that it is likely to take that length of time for a new-comer to become fully integrated and to reach the point of being able to commit fully to the community.

The community will provide no grounds for discrimination over membership other than the impressions of the existing members. All members will, needless to say, join of their own free will and will ensure that they do so neither lightly.

Full Membership

Those eligible for full membership in the community will become full members after all other full members agree on the acceptance of those who were successful provisional members for one year.

Membership of Children

The children of full members will be entitled to the acceptance, care and protection of the community up to the point in their lives at which the community invites them to become full, contractual members of the community. This point will vary from child to child and may be at any time, from puberty onwards. It may follow a period of time in which the young person has been given space in which to live for some considerable time outside the community. It will mark the end of the period of unconditional acceptance and the point at which the young person decides whether to accept or reject his or her place within the community.

Founder Members

Founder members will be those joining the community prior to the time of the establishment of an organized community. At this moment, we are still in our formative stages. Each of us joining as founder members will at the same time be provisional members, untried by the test of time. The status of each of us, however secure it may be in practice, must be regarded in legal terms as being provisional, regardless of the commitments which we will have made to the community.

Membership Investment

As is explained in more detail under the chapter for community finance, we see two types of shares, a class "A" type share and a class "B" type. Anyone seeking provisional membership will be required to invest $10,000 Canadian in return for class "A" shareholdership in the community and for a home site ownership. That amount is the material investment required to become a provisional member, as well as for full membership (only paid once) per family unit. This amount would be non-refundable after a one year provisional membership as it is comparable to one year rent in regular society. Full membership can only be granted to provisional members who fulfill also their financial commitments.

Those seeking provisional membership with inadequate funds will not be prevented from becoming a member of this community. Although, new members should understand that setting up a community is impossible without money and the requested financial commitment is barely even a one-year working and saving question. Easy membership can make it easy for people to come, but also easy to go, and that is not the kind of community we are looking forward to establishing.

Every member who can afford to invest more than the agreed amount of $10,000, will be encouraged to do so as a means of enabling the community to expand. The optional investments will be recognized as class "B" shares, refundable as agreed upon case by case.

When it comes to deciding whether a visitor or other person will be accepted as a provisional member, or whether a provisional member will be admitted to full membership, that person's financial status, whilst it may be known to certain individual members, will not be published generally. A member's shareholding in the community will not be widely known and will certainly not be something to which any significance is attached.

The class "A" invested capital of a new provisional member will not be used by the community - it will remain in the bank on a one year long interest bearing term deposit. That makes it easier to pay the portion of the investment back corresponding to the length of stay, in case that the new member decides to leave or is no longer acceptable by the rest of the members. The interest of such investment comes to the community and will be used for the general benefit.

Instead of a capital investments towards the class "B" shares, a new provisional member could also contribute to the community by paying with material goods, such as livestock, machinery, vehicles, etc, the values of these items at the going price in regular society.

After a provisional member becomes a full member, his/her class "A" investment could be used for the benefit of the community - ex. To build common building, workshops etc. or kept available for purchasing adjoining land.

Another way is that the community finances the share of a member who is unable to pay out his share. The new member can put down a down-payment, and the balance he can pay back to the community on a monthly basis. This special arrangement requires approval of all full members.

Expulsion of Members

The specific grounds on which a member may be required to leave the community will be one of the subjects covered in more detail in our bylaws. It is an area in which the community's and an individual's security could be at stake, whilst it is highly likely that in times of difficulty we will not need recourse to our legal framework, it will be essential that we have one.

This subject should be discussed in more detail, along with everything else in this proposal. In this sort of community, the level of awareness of its members and of those attracted to this kind of community will normally enable matters of this kind to resolve themselves.

Members Leaving the Community

Members who want to leave the community can do so whenever they want. They are responsible for the liquidation of their class "B" investments, by either selling their investments to a new provisional member, who is also acceptable to all the other members, or refinancing through the community. How the community will be able to return the class "B" investments is at this moment not clear. It is to be hoped that a departing member will be able to leave with at least as much, in real terms, as he or she originally invested, and that the investment may have appreciated as a result of the community's growth. All improvements a leaving member made to his homesite - such as building a house, outbuilding etc. will have to be considered when selling; s/he has to sell that also to the new owner/member.

The community will track membership requests from people outside the community, so that the changeover of membership would not be a problem.

Absentee Membership

With obtaining membership is it implied that the owner(s) will immediately become a contributing resident member(s) of the community. Therefore, new members will be encouraged to let go of their past commitments and embrace the community fully at the time of receiving provisional membership.

Legal Entity of the Community

The members of the community, their activities and the operation of the whole community is to be covered by two separate legal entities:

• The first legal entity would be a non-profit society to cover all members in non-economical activities. The non-profit society consists of all the members of the community which entitles them voting rights in all decision making. Nevertheless, the member of that society can operate any business of their own or in common with other members or non-members as long as it is in line with the community vision.

• The second legal entity to be incorporated is a holding company to cover all commonly held profit making activities within the community. The company will hold and own the land, common buildings and all other facilities of the community for the enjoyment and benefit of its members. The company will be owned by the members of the community through their shareholdership. The members of the community and only them will have an equal voice in all community matters, regardless of the size of their holdings.

Finance

Capital

The community's capital will be the money invested by its members and by others. By "others" we mean, people who support our projects but who do not want to reside within the community. "Others" can only obtain class "B" type shares which does not entitle them to voting rights within the company. "Other" shareholders will be entitled to recover their investment under the terms of their agreement. It is our expectation that this proposal will bring together a team of people who feel committed to put this plan into effect and who will be prepared to invest in this operation, not only financially but also emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually.

Debts

All personal debts and financial obligations of any kind outside the community (other than those legitimately incurred on behalf of the community) will be the responsibility of the individual who incurred them, regardless of when they were incurred. As a community we will strive at all times to avoid indebting the community to any financial institution. Instead we will fundraise, solicit funding from "others", or work within our means.

Personal Income or Private Income

Each member is responsible for his or her income to support their own family and dependents. They can make their income doing whatever they like on community land as long as it is in-line with the community vision and in agreement with all members. It is the intention of this community to have the Healing Lodge as well as several community owned cottage industries as sources of income for members and the community. Therefore, income made on the common land, be it in the cottage industries owned by the community or individually owned businesses, will have to be split, part remains personal income, part becomes communal income. But the matter will need to be discussed and agreed upon as the situation comes along.

Personal Expenditure

As much as possible, member's needs will have to be met by her/himself. However, expenses for communal project, workshops, experiments, improvements for the benefit of the community will be paid by the community. To keep these expenses straightened out, all members should keep records, receipts, etc. so they can claim communal costs.

Community Income

Although all assets, possessions, buildings, land etc will be owned by the community, in reality it all will be owned by the shareholders. In order to keep the land and facilities of our community in good condition and in correspondence with our needs, expenses occurred will be covered on a communal basis. It is important that a distinction be made between income, which is invested money from shareholders and communal income. Expenses returning on a regular basis should be covered by income from the Healing Lodge, projects, workshops, fairs, classes, invested capital etc. run by members of the community in the facilities of the community. Improvements to the land, like building roads, installation of waterlines, building of communal buildings should be covered by capital from investments, because once the improvements are done they will have appreciated the common possessions.

This policy makes it easier to run the community economically. It gives the members and shareholders good security in their investments, with no problems returning one's investment if someone wants to leave the community. To keep the above matters clear and open to all members and shareholders we will have to keep good records, a form of open accounting so that all members always have a direct insight into what happens with the community on the financial levels.

Another way to cover maintenance costs would be that all members contribute a small amount every month. The amount paid by its members in some other communities is around $100, but also this will have to be discussed and agreed upon by all members. Economically seen, the financial basis and transactions of the community and its members, proposed in this proposal, are in no way different than in regular capitalistic society.

Distribution of Work

Personal Work

This community will essentially be a "back to the land" community, where people should try to live on the land and from the land, within the means of the land. Therefore, we see the benefit of all members having their own gardens to grow most of their food. But to be self-supporting and to be able to stay on the land requires an income of money on a regular basis, an income we make ourselves, the responsibility of each individual. Instead of scattering our energy in an outside job, any member could set-up his or her own cottage industry, craft shop etc. or become involved in the proposed communal industries ex. Healing Lodge. Another way to make some money is by doing carpentry work or building and construction work for other members, who are unable to do it themselves, or by fixing cars, baking bread for the group and the outside world.

Communal Work

As a group we will have to maintain our commonly owned possessions. For example fixing the communally own vehicles, repairing waterlines, keeping the road in good shape etc....we will have to agree when these things will be taken care of and by whom.

Therefore these various needs should be in the care of a member focusing on these specific tasks. This means that we may end up with all kinds of different "focalizers". Ex. A farm focalizer to co-ordinate all the farm work, a visitor focalizer who receives all the letters from potential visitors and makes a visitor schedule, a library focalizer to be in charge of the books and resources in the common library. A focalizer will be one of the members best qualified by temperament, experience or interest to handle its budget and make all decisions necessary for it, with or without the help of other members. When a focalizer needs help from other members, he/she brings it to the agenda of the next meeting. Giving the responsibility of the different departments to the different focalizers simplifies the workload of a community considerably. It also eliminates a lot of boring meetings and saves a lot of time.

Focalizers would hold their appointments for up to twelve months only, during which time they will take responsibility for finding and training their own replacements. Their roles will be as teachers, supervisors and coordinators of their departments. This way no-one gets stuck in or monopolizes a role. Almost every member will be or will have been a focalizer at some point and many will have been responsible for a number of different departments over the years. These positions will be voluntary. Being a focalizer will not in any way remove from a member the need to work as hard as everyone else. It will just be an added responsibility. This system discourages undue specialization. How we, all other members of the community, will pay the different focalizers who are working for the communal benefit is still to be worked out. We all will have to do some more thinking on that matter. There are two possibilities:

• All members become a focalizer of any kind and do that work so it is averaging about the same time and effort compared to the other focalizer jobs.

   

• Another good system to consider is the Labor Credit System, outlined by BF Skinner's Walden Two and evolved since Twin Oaks. It is an infinitely variable system, from which we would gain some insight.

Other communal work, which is not of any specialized kind, will have to be done by all of us. For example, maintaining the roads, planting and harvesting communal crops. We could spend a couple days a month to do such communal projects. When we all co-operate on such a day, a lot of hands will make a big job play.

Government

Governing is proposed to be on the principle of consensus, not by the rule of a majority against an unhappy minority. This implies that all members, full and provisional members, have to agree before any decision becomes effective. This principle is being practiced in different communities, some are successful while others have a hard time to keep it together. Although consensus building is at times slow and painstaking, in return it guarantees cohesiveness between the members and ensures that the community keeps building and moves forward on common values and decisions accepted by all. Although a decision has reached full consensus agreement, it is our practice not to implement such a decision until at least one full day has passed. This gives all members the chance to ‘sleep' over the matter and re-evaluate the potential outcome. It gives those who could not attend the decision-making meeting a chance to bring their voice to the table, also the time to discuss the matter with their partner, with other community members or with their children and explore in how far they are in agreement with the decision at hand. In order to ensure that all members know about the decision, all decisions are being posted on a community bulletin board, visible too all. Any disagreement has to be addressed not later than 24 hours after the agreed decision. In case no dissent has been filed, the decision moves forward. From our experience, the easiest way to achieve consensus in case all else seems impossible is threefold:

• Ensuring that any decision to be made is solved by a solution of the same domain. Earlier in this proposal, it is explained how the domain of Freedom, Equality, Fraternity and Sustainability are not only separate but also that a problem in one domain cannot be solved with the solution from another. (eg: might is not right, money or wealth does not give power or access to more than what is needed...)

   

• Redefining the outcome of the decision in reference to the overall picture of the community. Basically looking at the larger picture, at the whole community and all its members. At times it is easy to forget about the larger and only see what is personal as important. That is where our vision statement and mission statement can make a big difference. At the same time, it is essential that every individual, even those who disagree are being listened to and that their point of view is taken in consideration. All too often, it came about that a single individual's dissenting voice was the higher road to be taken, while the majority already in agreement were not thinking clearly, were following the most convincing argument, or had no particular stake in the matter.

   

• When only one member is in disagreement, whether during the decision making meeting or during the 24 hour re-evaluation period following the consensus decision, the decision is not implemented and put on hold. This results that the question or problem is coming back onto the agenda of the next group meeting. At this time, it is urged that the dissenting person brings in supporting information or evidence, or at least one other member of the community which he/she was able to convince of the importance of the dissent. We figure that when more than one person can become motivated to dissent the original decision, that there is plenty of reason to revisit the whole problem and its proposed solution(s). In case no additional voices can be added to the dissent within the set time frame, while no redrafting of the argument can help the deadlock, the original decision stands and is implemented as for the benefit of the rest of the community.

Outreach Programs

Visitors

Every community attracts visitors and we are likely to be no exception. Visitors are part of the lifeblood of a community, and yet inadequately handled, they can be a major problem. Therefore we will have to develop our own policies to cope with visitors as the community develops. Our aim will be to demonstrate the values of community life, to express a natural harmony and sustainability to as wide a circle as possible. There is likely to be a high exchange of energy between us and those who pass through the community. Almost all of our new members will once have been visitors. Although we are unlikely to turn away someone who has slugged miles up from the highway to be with us as night is falling, our visitors will normally have contacted us beforehand and be scheduled. They will obviously come for varying lengths of time. One of our objectives could be to run programs of one or more weeks duration which would give them as rapid and deep insight into the many facets of community life. Our visitors will contribute financially to their stay and those who are with us for a longer time will be encouraged to take an active part in the community's daily workload, meetings etc. They will be able to interact freely amongst themselves and with members, and will have access to almost all of the communities facilities. But we may decide to give ourselves the protection of asking them not to wander into certain areas such as workshops. Visitors will not be allowed in the members personal spaces except after the invitation of the member involved.

Healing Lodge

One of the major attractions of the community will be the Healing Lodge which will offer a diverse selection of healing treatments and educational programs. A more detailed vision for the Healing Lodge is currently being developed with the input of the current members.

The purpose of the lodge would be to facilitate wholistic healing to anyone who wants to participate. Ideally all members of the community should be participants at the early stages of the lodge formation. It is necessary for everyone to learn tools in order to facilitate their own healing. This will also bring a sense of unity to the group and members may embody more compassion for visitors or guests partaking in a healing from the lodge. The type of people the lodge may attract would be people who are more self-aware of their need for change. Only those people who are really ready for change and healing will find this place and will truly have effective healing. For this lodge will be a facilitator of healing, really a safe place to release and let-go, but the true healing is up to each individual. We (some members) are there as facilitators only to guide, to offer some tools which maybe emotional, physical, spiritual or mental tools and to hold their hands if need be. Once they have completed a one to six month stay, they may find that they have a new perspective in life, one that gives them more confidence to make the necessary changes to live their lives more fully.

Visitor Programs

These programs would be directed towards potential members of the community, introducing them to our communal way of life, from building homes, to planting gardens and food forests, to the children's education, working and supporting the cottage industries, attending meetings, making communal arts and crafts, etc

Courses and Workshops

The options and ideas are unlimited to what we could offer to outreach to the outside world. Examples could be; Natural Law, Healing and Cleansing, Belonging, Reclaiming our Divine Feminine or Divine Masculine, Meditation, Permaculture, Food Forests, Raw Food Preparation, Compassionate Communication, Sweat Lodges, Cob Home Building, Discovering your Spiritual Gifts, and so on.

Spiritual Cafe

We will try to run a shop or cafe on the property or in the nearby city or village, as a further contact point with the outside world. This would also provide us with an available outlet for the home-grown and hand-made goods of the community.

Selling of produce and crafts and other services outside community

The community could become involved in selling excess produce in local farmers markets, craft fairs and other type of seasonal markets.

Meeting Us- Meeting You

Once we have established a core group of members, this proposal will evolve and become a more complete core proposal which will be flexible and adaptable. Any changes would be for the benefit of the community as a whole and not for the benefit of individuals. It is our intention to meet people who are interested in the setup of community and to explore in what way they can help us. One of the purposes of this proposal is to eliminate a lot initial screening. Nevertheless, you will be in a position to meet us with an overall picture of the community and discuss those ideas that need clarification.

If you would like to meet us concerning this proposal you can contact either

Norbert at nmaer10s@gmail.com or

Marie & Pedro at marie.hyde@rocketmail.com

Let us know the nature of your interest and location so that we may arrange a meeting place. Our task for the moment is to bring together those people who will most effectively launch this community which has yet to be named.

Commitment - Challenge - Change

There will be a high level of commitment required of those seeking to be a part of this community. This community will not be an easy one to join. Commitment is required to obtain the good things in life and this community will be one of those which demands the most. Whilst we are out to create a stable, well-run community, it will be one which will be anything but boring or challenge-free. The sort of challenges in which we are likely to be most interested are the self-imposed or highly-selective, life-enhancing ones.

From the beginning of the formation of this community, there will be ample scope for everyone in the developing community to take on responsibilities. Everyone with talents and energy to contribute will have room to shine like they have never shone before; but one of the few things for which there will be no room for in this community is personal power-tripping.

This community will be built to last, but how long it will survive in any one place, or how long individual members will choose to live in it, is not our current concern. Although, many paths will cross within the community, some will end here while many more will continue beyond. The framework of the community will remain, whilst parts are constantly changed. As we know, the world is entering a period of great change in its recorded history, nevertheless we shall be in tune with the changes that are taking place and will often be several jumps ahead of them.