Page 29 - C.A.L.L. #46 - Summer 2020

Community Sulzbrunn, Germany

We in Sulzbrunn interpret the initial restrictions as meaning that we are one big family, even
if we live in several houses. This means that the children play together and we meet in
everyday life with the distancing that each chooses for themselves. When we eat together
(which is usually only twice a week and at (now cancelled) seminars), there is officially food
to go, which is distributed by the kitchen. Joining the meals where everybody sits down to
eat togther in the dining hall, (at what distance?) is up to you. Larger rounds (formal

meetings and social rooms) take place with a distance of 1.5 meters, so that also those who
wish to keep this distance can participate. Because there are some people in our community
who see themselves or their relatives as a risk group and therefore want to be careful. An
elderly couple, who spent two weeks in self-imposed isolation, have now moved into a holiday
apartment, as they do not feel safe in the community with this loose handling.
We have a good handful of people who still work outside every day. The large remainder
leave Sulzbrunn only for occasional shopping. The basic supply runs through our village shop.
Conclusion: Compared to most of the people outside we are privileged.

Threshold Cohousing Community, UK

We do consider ourselves fortunate to live in community, especially as here at the Threshold
Centre we have a large communal lawn between the houses plus 1 acre of rented land where
we grow fruit and vegetables. We have been gathering on the lawn (at safe distance!) every
morning since ‘lockdown’, to share how we are feeling, ask if anybody needs shopping or help
of any kind, and often hold a meditation, sing or practise Qi Gong. Only 2 of us are still

working, so the rest of us have plenty of time to work in the garden or just sit on the lawn
and socialise – again always at safe distance. We also live in the country, so have plenty of
open space to walk in (with or without dogs)
without getting into the car.

Disadvantages are that we no longer have our
twice weekly shared meals or our daily
meditation in the meditation room in the
communal farmhouse, and even our monthly
business meeting has turned into a “non-
meeting” in the garden. The farmhouse has been designated the family home of the 3
residents who rent rooms, and thus other community members are excluded. We have had to
cancel all our events, some of which bring the community a small income, as well as enabling

interested visitors to come and check us out. Fortunately we have no vacancies at present, so
this is not a pressing issue…! We do have to be extremely careful when handling surfaces in
the shared laundry, freezers, door handles, field gates, etc., and I think we all have a secret
fear of being ‘the one’ who brings the virus into the community, especially as we do have 2 or
3 residents who may be considered very vulnerable. On the plus side, life is generally more
relaxed and there seems to be more of a feeling of community, so that sometimes the world
‘outside’ seems quite surreal.

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