Neo-Paganism 201 -- Community


	Neo-Paganism 201 Mentoring Elders

	Introduction Table of ContentsCommunity


	Community - 6 / 11 / 2024 common - belonging equally or shared equally [AHD3] community - a group of people with similar interests, that bring them into regular contact [WD] community [see Paradigms & Worlds] a group having shared interests, beliefs, or identity modern mass society increase in division of labour specialists "rugged" individualism privacy & secrecy zero-sum competition treats each other as means to ends with no intrinsic value use people and are used by people for skills possessed don't value people as whole persons don't even know the values of others dealt with pseudo-community traditional community generalists communalism relationships & openess co-operation regards each other as whole persons of intrinsic significance core values held in common trust in relationships sense of wholeness or oneness of community life accidental community geographical / location limitations on early travel legal restrictions, lack of roads, wild animals & outlaws ethnic identity—Beatniks / Slackers racial—Rom / Gypsys ideological—Jews intentional community choice common interests co-operative philosophical / ideological political religious / spiritual proposed intentional community three generational groups within a community by generation - the time between birth and recognition as an adult children are the future / are valued have input, but limited decision making adults recognized by their actions mature humans responsibility & obligation sharing & generosity self-discipline & self-direction leaders best for the task at hand focus on present & near future have long-term input, make most day-to-day decisions elders recognized by their actions have time & experience keepers of the values and beliefs of the community cyclic discussion & critical re-evaluation - of core values, beliefs & behaviors / practices focus on far future have day-to-day input, make most long-term decisions organizational structure relatively small an inter-related web everyone knows everyone an extended "family" multi-generational a broad river (not a pyramid) flowing into the future all children are expected to become adults all adults are expected to become elders no one is "indispensable" everyone is expected to be a generalist multi-talented / cross-trained core values, beliefs & behaviors / practices shared core values, beliefs & behaviors / practices consensus not 100% agreement the vast majority achieve an agreement -and- the rest agree to abide by it until they can convince the rest otherwise egalitarian all adults share equally in the responsibilities all share equally in the benefits establish group identity communitas (not private) a Latin term meaning 'a relatively undifferentiated community, or even communion of equal individuals' "Communitas is what happens when a whole group of people cross a threshold and together enter liminal time and space—that is, an in-between time that is neither past nor present and a space that is neither here nor there. In that threshold space, they experience a bond, and it is not like any bond they may experience in their ordinary structured lives." - Rev. Sarah York / U.U. / http://www.sarahyork.com/ sharing - see that everyone has enough to survive generosity - raise others to your level responsibility - do what needs to be done obligation - return energy / support to your community self-discipline - hold true to your values / community / self self-direction - act from within (without having to be told) trust grows from knowing each other not "belief without supporting evidence" respect treat everyone as an individual acknowledge our interdependence with each other with our environment & those we share it with cooperation willingness to compromise if it can be done without committing violence - to the core values, beliefs & behaviors / practices seek harmony willingness to seek reconciliation of conflicting views stress reduction within the community time sense / patience deliberate everything in its time value diversity within the communal identity diversity improves viability of community value wisdom / experience establish a culture of wisdom place community before self NOT a zero-sum game - winners & losers win-win game - both together win more than either could individually by defaulting - betraying the trust of another NOT destructive self-sacrifice community is only as strong as its members all members strive to become healthy / fit / strong functions / benefits improves members chances of survival provides support physical emotional psychological spiritual helps maintain a high level of trust helps maintain a high level of respect helps reduce stress acts as "vehicle" for carrying your values, beliefs & behaviors into future composed of adults all members are expected to become adults those who choose not to become adults are expelled ostracism - the temporary /permanent banishment, by group consensus, of a member considered dangerous to the community adults 6 traits of true adult: responsibility obligation sharing generosity self-discipline self-direction elders [see Elders] wise counsel having wisdom or discernment for what is true, right, & lasting good judgment in practical matters knowledge acquired through study knowledge acquired through experience unusual & creative discernment & perception deep, thorough, & mature understanding the condition of having spiritual & intellectual insight all adults are expected to become elders decision makers on issues that affect the entire community decisions made with future generations in mind the "long view" 7 generations children highly valued the future / next generation must be instructed in community values importance of community commitment to education / training community values diversity variety of community and individual experiences respect for diversity affirms the value which can be derived from existence recognition understanding tolerance of difference expressed through religious ethnic political gender interdependence recognition of obligations and commitments to others recogniton of the inter-connectedness development of a society that is both cohesive and diverse equity a commitment to ensuring equality of access to resources to structures to decision-making processes more than just equality equity implies justice, but justice dictated by reason, conscience, and a natural sense of what is fair to all concerned [AHD3] the adoption of actions to secure and maintain these objectives culture traditions elements of the community / culture a mode of thought practices rituals rites of passage [see Rites of Passage] a mode of behavior establishing a symbolic boundary around a class of people us / insiders similar to each other them / outsiders different from us others [see Communication] FCE community building guidelines Foundation for Community Encouragement (FCE) - http://www.fce-community.org