Matinee meeting Monday 19 of July 2009

Family AND/OR Community

Hernán

In intentional comunities the bonds are intense. Yet even if they are true and authentic, they are only for the moment. I guess they are transitional. In blood family this is different, that bond lasts forever.

This topic brigs up the issue of fear for the future. When I am old, or if a have a desise that takes my energy away or any disaster happens to me, are my partners in an intentional cammunity going to take care of me? Who wants to take on that burden? Yet my nuclear family will take it, so it seems to me it's the stronger bond. My sister, mother or brother, they woudnt leave me onmy own!

But maybe the solution to the contradiction family or community hase to be expresed diferent. That could be family within community, trying to consolidate the family bond with love but living sorrounded by other people, sharing social life with others. That's how it was for milenia by the way. At least in western civilization, nuclear families within wider communities, as in traditional villages.

Carol

Has family become broken by consumer society? Did this happen deliberatly? If we are not connected to Spirit/God, not conected to our own blood, then we are vulnerable to thinking that material goods can satisfy us, buying things that really cant satisfy our spiritual needs.

My own experience is that building community is even harder than family. I know my family love me. I would give my loving energy to those who give and recieve lovingly. But it's difficult to give to an intelectual idea that remains on the cerebral realm—community as I understand it.

My family is very small, I was able to help create security, love and loyalty wich will give the family members strength to live and that they could take with them for their lifes.

There is somehting very powerful with the family bond. This bond surpases conflict. Conflict with family can run deeply because their betrayal can seem a violent injustice to spirit.

Freddy

At what stage are people not able to be supported by the community?

In any group or family where people become old enough that they need spetial care they have to go into nursing homes; special needs require specialised care.

Duty, responsability to others...where does it come from?

Jann

Family and community are not the same. My ideal is to have both.

IN community you meet people by chance, changes every day (its a place where people come and go), family is different, more permanent.

As a senior I woulnd't like to live in a nursing home. My project would be one that I can choose other people to live with in a comun place, and bring younger generations to look after us.

Jock

My blood family: I always felt an alien from outer space. I either conect with either of my perents and my sister was constantly strugling with each other for power and status within our group. Horrible experience, I wanted to get out as soon as posible.

I don't believe in "blood conection". In my life the deepests conection have always came from chemistry. Also, a comon vision doesnt gurentee conection, however I still prefer to work and live with people sharing a comon vision becaose I believe only together can we create an Holistic new world.

I never liked the idea of being part of a group I didn't choose to be part of, such as a religion I was born into.