Are the voices in my head too loud for you?

Tingle Day

At last, after a few days when I was beginning to feel as though I had the luck of Job, I am feeling well again!  Hooray!

Today is my husband's birthday - but I have failed, for the first time ever in my partner duties and did not manage to bake a birthday cake,; buy a selection of interesting (but usually whimsical gifts) or to take us out for a meal, picnic or 'event'.  Right up to last night I was feeling fragile although, fortunately the dizziness and nausea had subsided!  I had felt about as much like touring the retail outlets of Inverness or Aberdeen in the last week or so as I have doing a triple, back flip somersault.  At my size that really would be a sight to behold.  Ironies of ironies, despite the lack of gifts and ostentatious displays of worth and affection, we have had a really delightful day.  It sounds unpromising - cleaning our bedroom and sorting out the study - but it was brilliant.  For once, we did it together and I wasn't busy working on the computer.  We had fun; we admired each others work; chatted; stopped and had a longer discussion about "Longford" that gripped us last night on C4.  I can't explain why it worked, but I suspect it was the lack of pressure and the sense that we were able to be present with and for each other.  It was celebratory and gentle.  Unusual and yet mundane - but it worked.

I have managed to get my partner one present - and as he was born at 23:23 on 23rd May - I intend to give him the gift then!

That's if we're still awake!

Fascinating day today also because I have located another possible property to look at for a community base.  It is on Orkney.

Yes ... Orkney!!!

I had a vision years ago of the place I needed to be had arched gateways in a rough stone wall and with a very particular type of knobbled tree wood in the grounds.  I caught my breath and tingled when I saw the wood in the grounds of this property - it was knotted and gnarled - apparently sycamore.  I felt I had been there before.

There are moments when I feel I live in a Susan Howatch novel...

Touching Place

I love returning home.  There's no two ways about it I am essentially a home-loving creature.  I wonder if part of this is to do with the fact that I have actually moved around a lot in my adult life.  I think the urge to root as I move in to middle age is getting more urgent and stronger!

I live in a beautiful spot - and that adds to the delight too.

Part of this is, I am sure, about comfort zones - the need to have a place where I can be as well as do.  I have to say I have never worked so consistently or at such depth anywhere as I do at home.  Sometimes I wonder if I am slightly autistic in this sense.  I rather like predictability - it seems to free me up to be with my own inner reality and reflections!

As I approach my birthday I have, unusually, some time to think about where I am and what's going on in my life.  In recent years more often than not - for all sorts of reasons - birthdays have not been easy things to celebrate.  One of the challenges of fostering is that anniversaries are not always easy times for children who have experince trauma.  We have tended to play down birthday 'celebrations' because they can be overly stimulating - and a highly emotive time - when if something does go wrong - it matters.  So, over the years, we have got used to playing down celebrations.  That makes this year extra special.  I don't have to let my birthday pass.  I can celebrate it and enjoy it.  Bit ironic then, that I will still be on antibiotics - no alcohol - and feeling a bit off colour on the big day.  Grrrrh.

Still, before I disappear into the quagmire of self pity - I have the space - whilst feeling woozy - to think.  Because my brain is very cotton wool at the minute I am not wrestling with myself trying to see all the angles and possibilities.  Instead it feels as though a lot of the secondary 'voices' in my head are snoozing at the minute - so a primary narrative is being heard loud and clear.  This is powerful and important because it is a rare occurence.  Generally I focus on meeting other people's needs and often forget to take full account of my own.  Just now, my brain is taking account of the me-ness of me.  It's enlightening.

I was listening to someone recently talking about what keeps them going spiritually.  My 'list' would have been very similar when I was in a parish setting - going about priestly duties all day every day.

Now, the challanges are different. My world is the world of spirituality and creativity.  The counter-balance; the presenting need is difference.  The fanatasy me would love trips to the theatre and opera - holidays abroad and so on - but the real me - doesn't seem to crave these things - and even senses they might be something of an intrusion.  Much as I love the RSC - I get as much out of sitting and reading a script.  "Henry V" should be in production right now - it is very timely for a country at war.  "Richard II" HRH Harry should read.

In the next year ME requests the pleasure of:

Solitude and silence but also laughter and companionship.

Greenishness - I feel a passion emerging for greenness.  I love the It's not easy being green series on BBC 2.

Paint - more painting.

Continued empathy - inner acceptance.

Learn how to garden.

Together these are my touching place.  How different the list is from even 10 years ago.  Jubilate Deo!

Invitations, connections and challenges

Fascinatingly complex and interesting few days.  Found myself teaching once again at the monastery this last weekend.  We are approaching the end of the academic year so students undergoing their training for ministry inevitably feel stressed with exams approaching and assignments due.  In amongst the gathering of so many individuals for a weekend of formational learning, there was a sense of commonality and from that, over time, community will grow.

We were exploring themes around soul befrinding this weekend and active listening.  We were challeneged to think more deeply after a powerful lecture entitled Looking at the back of God.  A timely reminder that to enjoy the light and joy of pilgrimage, obedience and blessing - we must also acknowledge in our deepest heart place the darkness - the inner vulnerability of not knowing - of recognising the inconsistency and sometimes the banality of an uncritical faith position.

Connections came for me in lacing up past and present.

Old resonances and new interpretations.

Stimulating and invigorating - a rare moment of feeling fully at home in self and in the moment.

Invitations and thwarted ambitions came into my mind.

Years ago, as a young curate, I longed more than anything else to join a spirituality group in my Diocese.  For all sorts of reasons it did not happen.  I felt left out.  I can remember subsequently describing the group in the most hurtful terms as The Magic Circle and implying some of what they did was little more than spiritual masturbation.  These days I can look back and see how hard I took the exclusion - and how little, at the time I was able to appreciate the subtleness of the love in the choices made.  I wasn't being excluded but I wasn't being encouraged to hot house and grow too quickly either.  I needed at that time to concentrate on other things; getting on top of the full-time demands of ministry as a Curate; taking good care of myself and those I love; finding my own style and emphasis - realising something of the uniqueness of calling.  Hard to accept that others had got my number and that their advice was both wise and timely.  Thank you.

This weekend took me full circle and I had much to celebrate and give thanks for.  I was caught during a rare, still, quiet moment before one of the morning Offices at the weekend delighting in just how many wise people have encouraged, supported and positively celebrated the journey I have chosen.

An Archdeacon who chaired my selection conference - and from whom a birthday parcel was received this morning - in preparation for my 46th nativity on Saturday.  The priest who taught me so much about pastoral care when I was a lay assistant and later a Reader in training.  Dead now, I can remember him saying quite simply - listen well and pray hard for those you meet, but most especially for yourself.

A lay woman who supported and nurtured me through training for ministry and beyond.

A priest who became my spiritual director and taught me about silence and how to sit still.

A Bishop who ordained a young rabbit in the headlights of an ordinand and then facilitated her growth, becoming after his retirement, her soul friend for a while.

So many saints for the Kingdom.  Rooted, earthed, real people who are not frighten to be who they are in the fullest sense and by doing so gave me permission to do the same.

Just today I was in touch with the Curate of the church I attended as an adult convert to Christianity.  Memories of well-constructed sermons and thoughtful teaching, flooded my mind.

So many, many things to remember and give thanks for.

I felt such a strong connectedness this weekend that I am still exploring it in my deepest being.

Just for now:

The expectation

in the silence

is that the reaching out is to be

anticipated.

When all is said

and done,

I have taken the time

to be here.

The very least,

I expected

was that you would turn up.

Be around

for the connecting to,

the acknowledging and working up

of existence.

The longed for silence

has been shattered

by searing, aggitated nothingness.

Mismatching anxiety and insecurity.

suppressing

expectation of presence.

Then into the disturbance,

through the cocophany of interuption

comes an expression unanticipated.

The silence contorted is

dispersed by healing mumberances.

The words of compassionate engagement,

empathic encompassing.

The thoughts fill the ether

and flutter lightly on the air.

Gathered in my intensity

the angels sit, holding hands as protection.

Securing for me space to grapple with the Divine

and wrestle gods to the ground.

And in the absence

there is no answer

just the bruised, tender reminder of engagement.

Yet, in the being and the giving,

hope has been found.

Bield

I was talking with a friend, and colleague, yesterday about going over to view the manse at Auchterless.  He told me about the Bield.  A retreatant who has recently stayed at The Sanctuary also mentioned the place.

The Bield is well worth a look:

www.bieldatblackruthven.org.uk

I am hoping to go down and stay for a visit.  Anyone fancy coming too?

Auchterless

We went to visit a property in Auchterless yesterday afternoon.  Auchterless is about 35 miles from Aberdeen and around a two hour drive from our current home just five miles outside Inverness.

To view the details of the actual property we visited you can either visit the Strutt and Parker website (Banchory Office £335,000 offers over, Aucheterless) or:

www.countrylife.co.uk/em_GB/property/details/property/11144

This gives you the pictures from the schedule (particulars - if you are English) and a brief description.

The property is set on a quiet lane with just one much smaller property opposite.  The 'plot' consists of Pinewood Manse - a substantial property which was bought four years ago by it's present owners as an investment property and has been used for short holiday lets on a seasonal basis ever since.  The manse is a wonderful, quirky building - and surprisingly large and imposing for a congregational church minister!  Particularly from the front.  In fact it looks rather dour and imposing at one angle.  Rather like a minister leaning over the pulpit with an accusatory finger extended.  Reminded me of the silhouettes of Charles Simoen preaching.

Downstairs a large kitchen with plenty of space to entertain informally - although rather impractically laid out at present!  There's a small breakfast room - which would make a good utility space, adjacent.  Then the oddities begin - what would have been a study I suspect - is now a workshop cum utility space - and has had a boiler installed in the room!  Odd.  However, there are two additional, well-proportioned reception rooms and an elegant hall and staircase, a pantry and a further tiny store room, optimistically labelled a study.  The first floor has a separate 'wing' to the rear with two bedrooms, one a box room - and some under eaves storage.  Ideal hide and seek nooks and crannies!!!  There are stairs up to a mammoth loft with flooring and electric in place - large enough for a loft appartment par excellence!

On the main landing on the first floor, rooms spill out on all sides.  A surprisingly compact bathroom given the dimensions of the property; master bedroom with en suite and separate dressing room - and two further, well proportioned rooms.  The feel was very much of a property that wouldn't take that much to be loved back into life and would enjoy being a part of a vibrant family/community existence.

The house has grounds of an acre - just under actually - I think.  Adjacent to the manse is a derelict congregational church.  The building has been raped of her character and previous life and is in desperate need of restoration.  She's currently exposed to the elements - and has even had the memorial tablets removed from the walls along with the floorboards.  She provides a happy home for local birds.  Unbelievably sad to see the building so unloved.  But the kirk still seems a friendly space and one which would like to be utilised.  Behind the kirk and across from the house is a steading, which is currently used as a workshop space and garaging.  Behind that a large garden with fields on all sides - used mostly for crops - turnips just now we were told - which seemed a bit unlikely at this time of year - but there we are.  Along one side of the property is a small burn.  Larger than a ditch - but not wide enough to describe as a stream really.  Certainly not really a paddling spot or fishing place.  Not even suitable for river watching!!!

There was a great deal about the place which was fall in lovable with.  The manse could be subdivided to make self-contained accommodation on different floors.  The steading could be used as a small family home or as the new base for The Sanctuary.  The kirk, on first impression, lent itself to becoming the common area with a worship/meditation space, perhaps a library area and some smaller rooms.  But, equally, on reflection, it could make a super home - outline planning permission for a six bedroomed house is in place for the kirk.

The property gave us a great deal to think about.  It had a good feel.

We had a scout around the immediate area.  Auchterless is quite a substantial village, but has no 'centre' outside of the Kirk which looked as though it had a life and purpose in the place.  Turriff was a ten minute drive from the manse and is a vibrant, small market town.  Hotel, banks, building society, gun and tackle shop, hardware store, award winning butcher, baker, fish and chips, Tandori, Chinese, little gift shops, clothes shops and florist; medical parctice, funeral director, cottage hospital and dentist.  Didn't spot a vet - but I'd guess there's one.

It looked a vibrant and lively little community.

No coffee shop that we could see.  I really wanted a coffee shop and bookshop too!  I think the place reflects it's agricultural heritage and clientele.

There's a lot about this property that works, but there are some things I question.

Firstly, as a base for a community which wishes to think outside the box a bit and be creative etc...  it would make a much more than adequate base and home in terms of the building and development potential, but is it well enough placed for the infra-structure?  For life outside community?  For those attracted to the community life, but do not wish to work from their new home - I am very unsure what work would be available locally.  This is predominantly an agricultural area.  Secondly, I felt some empathy for the property's nearest neighbour.  Just across the way is a delightful cottage - with no other houses immediately about.  I wondered how I would feel if some sort of group of people turned up and moved in opposite.  However well meaning we were as neighbours, it would be awfully important to get on very well indeed with the people who live opposite and whose windows look straight into ours!  The only two houses for probably a third of a mile but they are positioned exactly opposite each other on a single track road!!!  Spooky.

Very personally, as a non-car driver, and with a much older partner - who may well not go on driving for ever - I was also a bit concerned about getting about independently.  It's about 10 miles to the nearest station - and although there is a bus stop a short walk away - I do know that trying to lug a week's shopping on the bus is a nightmare.  Past experience has taught me that life is much easier if there is at least one general store within walking distance.  They will usually order almost anything for you and are keen to be of service to the local community.  The internet is not the same as speaking to people.

Lastly, for pilgrims and guests at The Sanctuary, one of the attractions has undoubtedly been our location.  Idyllic views, privacy - but also the sense of all the basic ammenities within easy reach including rail, bus and airport.

As I went to sleep last night I was trying to do architectural gymnastics and see if there was some way of increasing delineated space here.  But, given the fact that we want people to have independence rather than experience dependence and control, it is difficult to see how this can be achieved unless we settle for a model of community which means we all reside in this area and meet here or work from here.  I can't get quite so enthusiastic about this - but I am open to persuasion!

For now I will continue to monitor a few sites that seem to specialise in the kinds of properties that might suit the project.

I feel the combination of visiting the manse and kirk at Strathtonge and this one at Auchterless have very much helped me to begin to work through my own likes and dislikes.  I am getting a bit worried though that no one is entering into a commentary via the blogs - although people are talking to me a lot when we meet, via e-mail and on the phone.  Can I encourage those of you with an interest in seeing a community of this type develop to start writing 'comments' on these evolving thoughts.  By all means use a pseudonym - so that you can think freely. I think it might be useful.

What are other people's impressions of Auchterless?  Does it appeal?

Kripalu

May 6th 2007

An old friend has pointed me to Kripalu - a large community in the States.  Amongst their Faculty is Deepak Chopra - someone whose work I have enjoyed and found inspirational.  Well worth a look at www.kripalu.org.

It raises some interesting questions in relation to our project.  Optimum size?  Ethos?  How strong do we want a teaching/workshop programme? 

Good day today.  I have been working on my novel and it is coming together.  I go through periods when I can't really believe that I can do this - and even less that a publisher is interested - and then I have a day like today when I feel utterly content and at home in front of my computer and am blessed with a day when the words flow. 

The calling and gathering

Very slowly and gently I am gradually finding the confidence to share something of the idea of St. Columba House Community with friends and acquaintances old and new.  I have been humbled by the reflective quality of the responses we are already receiving and I am hopeful that over time those who become interested in helping us realise the vision, will reflect in response to blogs here too. The more we share ... the more things can evolve. 

Just today I heard from a dear friend who has received the various discussion papers and not only found it in his heart to affirm us in our dream, but will help us think further.  These things are huge encouragements.

On Tuesday we will explore another possible site for setting up community.  We feel this will probably be for discussion purposes rather than a falling in love moment - but stranger things have happened!

I will post information about the actual place when we have viewed.  It's an interesting prospect; a manse and an adjacent redundant kirk.  Not much land and in an area we don't know well - Aberdeenshire.  But it is near Turiff.  Turiff is an interesting place because St. Columba founded a monastery there!  Where we stay just now we have named St. Columba House because we have settled just a few hundred yards from the original site of St. Columba Chapel which was founded by St. Columba when he landed on these shores to evangelise the locals.  Maintaining that sense of connected journey does appeal to me, I must admit.

Once we have viewed this property (and assuming we aren't immediately upping sticks) then I must and will stop looking for properties for a bit.  In my heart I feel I need to begin a process of exploring what community means for each of the people who care enough to engage with this project.  What's community mean if you are a visitor for a few days each year at The Sanctuary for retreat?  What do we need to hold and continue?  How important is the view?  The sense of privacy and space?  I am already aware that if we are to set up a community which has a permanent group who live together - we will, almost certainly, have to curtail our work with people who need solitude and absolute privacy and discretion.  I suppose this may still be possible if we could create a Hermitage in woodland and agree that no one enquires about whose there - but in reality that's a lot to ask and it amounts to pseudo privacy rather than actual solitude.

I wonder too what community means if you are for example, considering a change of life direction?  If you are single? Have a family?  Long to belong or have had bad experiences of Church or community in the past?  If you are in your teens?

For me I think community is a mixture of things.  I love the sense of belonging and purpose that comes with a shared life of prayer/meditation, study/creative work and service.  I like the overt challenge of finding ways to work through difference; celebrate others joys and my own; dance and find silence.  Show my vulnerabilities and risk they will be loved and accepted - or at least endured and tolerated.

I love the vision of people coming on retreat into a community which is unostentatious, genuine and comfortable with itself - despite the inevitable differences and perhaps, tensions.  I like the reality of this; the transparency and authenticity.  You can't fake it in community.  You have to learn to be you - all the way through - and that is so much of what I believe the spiritual pilgrimage is about too.

My own experience has been that there is also a certain edginess in community living - and this can be used to sgnificant effect as a crucible in which ideas, visions and actions are 'tested' and I am held accountable.  I warm to the idea of a community that has an open heart to the needs of the world.  I would love to work with others who have a passion for social justice and are concerned about issues of equality and inclusiveness.  I can imagine a time when churches, schools and other spiritual communities would be using materials we had created out of the fusion of the experience of being the St. Columba House Community.

Communities that interest me:

Iona,

Little Gidding,

The Potter's House, Washington DC

Findhorn

Mmmm so much to reflect upon.

Jubilate Deo!

Different types of community?

May 3rd 2007

I am still continuing to reflect on what community means between bouts of intense work.  Today I have been shaping the lectures which will form part of a residential training weekend for Christian ministers in training.

I was thinking at breakfast whether it would be possible simply to move somehwhere pleasant and encourage others to do the same.  It's not unusual for friends to move to live closer to one another  or families - why not a community?

The weather is startlingly good for this time of year and most distracting.  I am longing to be outside and enjoying it - but feel rather chained to my desk!  Nothing to stop me downing tools in a while and dog walking.  I could use the time to finally pray and contemplate my decision when I go to vote!

How do you work out who lives in community?

May 2nd 2007

We have been thinking through when or even if we need to move in order to create a community environment.  Clearly if we go with the model of living in close proximity with common land and common buildings, this can only be activated within the context of a fairly substantial plot of land which we would then seek planning permission to develop further. 

Another way of operating would be for others to move to this area or ours to theirs and live in proximity to each other - sharing resources amongst ourselves in some way.  We could agree on a small market town or large village - and all aim for that.  Woodbridge comes to mind!

Perhaps even more important than the where is the who.  I suspect a great deal of where and how will be resolved by who is involved.  We need to evolve a process through the setting up of a method to explore calling to live in community.  We are toying with various processes but essentially it will need to look something like this:

1.  A Time of personal prayer and contemplation.  Discussion with friends beyond the project.  Questions.  Answers where possible.  Discernment of fears and fantasies.

2. Decision to engage in a process of discernment directly with us.

3.  Visit.  Time spent getting to know each other and testing boundaries.  A Myers Briggs workshop might fit well here. It is an opportunity for further mutual discussion.  It could also be a time to get to know the space and the people running it without any serious issues regarding outcome.

4.  At the end of the stay a decision would need to be taken about how to progress.  The person goes home and has a cooling off period alongside a chance to further consider any proposals that have been tabled.  These would be either:

i)  No further action - but welcome to return for retreat at any time.  Mutual or one side recognising that the costs outweigh the potential advantages.

ii)  No further action - at this time because of practical/emotional considerations - but open to further consideration at the individual's request.  Keep in touch.

iii)  Option to return for a test run - working together in community.

iv)  Option to return for a further exploratory visit where questions can be addressed and further issues explored, but without the shared experience of working together.

5.  If the person is moving on in process, at the point when the person moves into the test run, as realistic a scenario as possible will need to be created.  If we are still on our current site then at least some of the time during the return visit should ideally be spent with a retreatant using The Sanctuary.  This gives us all a sense of what it is like when others are the centre of our communal service.

During this time it would be important for the person to work on their own projects for as much of the time as possible.  Clearly the longer this period of discernment is the better.  What happens when the petty tensions of living in close proximity build up?  How do we express difference?  How do we manage conflict?

There need to be opportunities to sense each others giftedness as well as participate fully in a shared life whilst observing the privacy and space we all need to grow, reflect and develop.  Ideally I guess we would practice sharing facilitating worship, meditation, mutual learning, cooking, cleaning, shopping, gardening, pursuing personal recreation, reflecting, time out.

6.  At the end of this period, again the person returns home for a time of personal reflection.  If all the parties agree that living in community is an option then there would need to be a business weekend to start the more detailed planning.

7.  The aim would be that within a month or so of this meeting, a working contract would be signed and we could begin to work together towards our common end.

8.  The person then becomes a founding member of the community.

How cool is that?

The thing is does it work?

Is there a better way to do this?

Discerning Community

An absolute age since I have had the space to write and I have missed these entries.  The retreat space where I work has been busy in recent weeks and I haven't had a great deal of space or time to myself to process and reflect.  I have loved the privilege of interacting with the variety of guests who have found their way to The Sanctuary so far this year.  It has been an eclectic mix of old and new friends and people making their retreat.  The experience has helped me to continue to believe in a vision I have had for a number of years; a desire to create community.

For very many years I have wanted to create a retreat centre which had an emphasis on open exploration and personal development - but placed itself a step back from retreat centres which assume a level of faith commitment is already in place.  I wanted to create a place where a variety of perspectives could intersect and synthesize.  Originally I saw us emulating the staple diet of most retreat houses with a mixture of weekend worskshops, evening activities, quiet days and individual guided retreats.  Interestingly as time has gone on this original notion has evolved and grown.

Over the last year we have piloted some of the vision by opening The Sanctuary.  It has been an extraordinary success and has encouraged me to dare to dream further.  The Sanctuary has helped me to also firm up a clearer idea of my own strengths and weaknesses; my preferred ways of working.  It has also established a much clearer notion of where the need is; what community means in practice; and where my giftedness is apparently lying.  (Sometimes it isn't where we think it is - but where others discern it to be).

There are a number of retreat houses within various faith and denominational traditions which service, very adequately indeed, the workshoppers and short retreatant market.  We do this too - but I would love to offer some other quality opportunities to encounter and get to know self and others alongside this.

We have discerned over the years that there are two expressions of community which are not easily met by the options already available.  The first is a spiritually rooted community where people can live and express faith and doubt by the way they live - without joining a religious order or a commune.  L'arche communities and some set up along Rudolph Steiner principles offer something of this vision, but are often configured around meeting the needs of an established client group, for example people with learning disabilities or children with multiple disabilities.  I am envisioning a community which sees itself as a serving community - looking outwards, living a shared life at a level which promotes healthy and meaningful relationships within the community and wider society.  BUt as a community which is not simply content with servicing the needs of the people who come to join them for various periods of time.  This community supports and nurtures those who gather and also relates to and nurtures those who have no need or desire to visit such a space.

I have also established a need for places where people can go for extended stays and explore their own giftedness, needs and hopes for the future - a place where ability and uniquesness can be midwifed, birthed and fostered over an extended period.  There is a huge need for a place where people can recover - from breakdown; traumatic experience or chronic stress.

In addition, we have identified that in a contracting Church, places where a faith community live, work and commit to a spiritual journey together, could offer a powerful, perhaps even subversive witness in amongst the current secularising trends dominating society.  Such a community could choose to express its wider concerns through its interactions with society and in the quality of care it offers as a community.  I am reminded of projects like Potter's House in Washington DC.

We also recognise that for many people with little or no experience of spiritual issues there is a need to find places where questions can be explored and invited in ways which will not involve dogmatic responses; where honest doubt and a rich engagement in creation, creativity, science, politics and social justice are engaged with enthusiastically and with integrity.

I really do delight in companioning others on their journeys, but I have come to recognise that I need significant and meaningful companionship myself too.  We want to work within community where some of the co-dependency found in more traditional spiritual director and directee relationships can be minimalised.

Our current envisioning is of a plot of land; woodland and water; bumps and view desirable; near a village or a town.  Easy-ish to get to - but distinctive and memorable.  Maybe a small holding; maybe a church or steading to renovate.  Animals about.  Ecologically aware.

The land is divided into plots with their own entrances and water, sewage (maybe a shared reed bed) and energy provision (maybe shared turbine?)  These plots are self-sufficient and the property on the plot or built there is owned by the member of the community living in it.  There would be additional units to be rented and for people to stay in on shorter visits.  An area would be set aside in Trust and used as common land.  This might house property held in common.  A spiritual space/chapel (wood or cob); workshop or studio space; theatre or music space - whatever represented the interests of the community and could be reasonably held in common and financed and maintained jointly.

Those who live in community also live their own lives with their own front door; their own friends; their own engagement with the world.  When the community gathers it may be for worship; to tend the common ground; to eat together; to welcome a guest; to work on a shared project.  Some may earn off site - others may work collaboratively together.  All will need to work to share a common life and support on another.

At the moment I can only imagine something quite small and intimate.  Houses converted or built to contemporary eco-standards.

People who call themselves and decide this is something that captures their imagination and offers them something they would value.

It is an exciting dream.  Dare I?  Dare I?