Page 15 - C.A.L.L. #42 - Spring 2017

Step 4: A community focused on inner and outer peace nurtures deep connections and

relationships with the land and natural world.
My interviewees expressed deep gratitude for the land they live on and for the natural world that
sustains them, and all of their communities deliberately engage in practices to be more environmentally
sustainable. At Lake Village, Roger expresses his gratitude, in his words, for “the day to day reality that
has allowed us to be fortunate enough to live and learn on the hunk of earth that encompasses our
homestead.”

To Harvey, learning to know the land in an intimate way across the decades, and working to understand
and protect it, is very important and part of the value system at Dunmire Hollow. He also points out that
“living in the woods can promote inner tranquility.” Jenny notes that the community’s land, which she
finds beautiful, provides a critical intangible benefit to life at Shannon Farm. To Laird, developing a
relationship with the land at Sandhill is a big part of what he values from his experience in community,
and as with my other interviewees, he says that he’s developed a deep “spiritual bond with place, with
the land.”

Relationships with the land in these communities are often nurtured by community rituals and festivals,
which leads to the next lesson:

Step 5: A community focused on inner and outer peace engages in celebrations, rituals and

traditions.
In my interview with Nancy, she stressed the
importance of traditions and rituals to developing a
peaceful, sustainable intentional community. Nancy
said that if she had one piece of advice to offer a
fledgling intentional community, it would be the
importance of eating together, singing together,
celebrating together, and engaging in rituals
together. At Songaia, they eat together five times a
week, and they have a common pantry that members
can take food from. Nancy describes the bonding that
comes from eating together as “incredible.” Similarly,
she describes their traditions, rituals and ceremonies
as essential to creating a peaceful, harmonious
community. Songaia has small meditation groups, a
book group, chat and craft group, women’s circle,
monthly sharing circle, a Festival of the Earth on May
Day, annual Thanksgiving celebrations, and a large A shared meal at Songaia.
New Year’s celebration where they collectively
engage in reflection and give gifts to the community. They have healing circles when people get sick,
celebrations for girls when they get their first menstrual periods, and celebrations to remember those
who have died. Every member is honored on their birthday and asked questions about the highlights of
their year, their upcoming challenges, and how the community can support them in these challenges.
Nancy stressed that these celebrations help to sustain bonds among members and deepen their
relationships to one another and to the community. She added that when you engage in rituals and
celebrate with others on an ongoing basis and get to know one another on a deep level, you develop a
commitment to resolving conflicts, to forgiveness, and to sustaining community.

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