Why community? -- Ten most common fears about joining a community -- Community living day-to-day -- Eco villages : for future generations -- Cohousing committees -- Urban communities : group housholds and housing co-ops -- Rural homesteading communities, conference, and retreat centers -- Spiritual communities -- Christian communities -- Income-sharing communes -- What does it cost? -- What does it take to live in a community? -- The Communities Directory, the internet, and you : researching communities -- Your criteria for communities to visit -- My marathon tour of communities -- Planning your visits -- Excerpts from a community seeker's journal -- How to be a great guest (and make the most of your experience) -- Seriously seeking community -- Evaluating your visits (and debunking some assumptions and expectations) -- Taking a second look -- Choosing your community : the "insider's guide" -- The membership process -- Entering community gracefully -- "The longest, most expensive personal growth workshop you will ever take!"
Summary:
The need to belong is what makes us human. The isolation and loneliness of modern life have led many people to search for deeper connection, which has resulted in a renewed interest in intentional communities. These intentional communities or ecovillages are an appealing choice for like-minded people who seek to create a family-oriented and ecologically sustainable lifestyle--a lifestyle they are unlikely to find anywhere else. But the notion of an intentional community can still be a tremendous leap for some--deterred perhaps by a misguided vision of eking out a hardscrabble existence with little reward. In fact, successful ecovillages thrive because of the combined skills and resources of their members. This book presents a thorough overview of ecovillages and intentional communities and offers solid advice on how to research thoroughly, visit thoughtfully, evaluate intelligently, and join gracefully.--From publisher description.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.