Group Process  Even “non-spiritual” groups can benefit through a multitude of simple practices that deepen participants’ connections with themselves, one another, and the sacred.  At New View Cohousing, practicing consensus, navigating illness, and simply
sharing lives are continuing spiritual exercises.  While expert at understanding ecological connections, permaculturalists often founder in relating with one another. Applying permaculture principles to group dynamics can help us work together more effectively.  Lost Valley Educational Center avoids collapse and reinvigorates itself by applying a new approach to governance combining the best of diverse models.  When a cohousing group's honeymoon ends, and economic stress dictates selling units to any willing buyers, can a community's core values and connections endure?  Relationships don’t exist in a vacuum. Through a culture of communication and support, communities can create the healthy container which relationships need in order to flourish.  With loving help from others, the old emotional distresses that can sabotage both our mental health and our relationships in community can be cleared and permanently resolved.  To make best use of nonviolent communication and co-counseling, avoid these traps.  Howling, shouting, cries of despair, and The Pierced One greet a parent on her first visit to her daughter’s adopted community. Luckily, through lots of talking and listening, things improve.   The founder of Enright Ridge Urban Ecovillage describes what it’s like to be criticized, marginalized, stripped of leadership responsibilities, and given the opportunity to explore a new role.  In a healthy community, leadership and followship are equally important roles, each with vital skill sets that can assure effective teamwork.  The author identifies additional leadership skills, cautions against blind followship, and reflects on the many types of power in cooperative groups.  A community member transcends a feeling of powerlessness when he inadvertently comes up with a brilliant idea about how to organize cooking groups, and others join him in implementing it.  Some saw this radical environmental education program as a “cult,” others as an intensely focused experience of challenge and growth. Had participants lost their individuality, or gained a new sense of self?    Though “baby having” had not been a consensus decision, a small community embraces a newborn, survives his infancy, and bonds like any other family: doing each other’s dishes, snuggling on the couch, and fighting over who gets a shower before the hot water runs out.  Participants in NFNC’s Summer Camps explore intimacy, transparency, freedom of choice, personal responsibility, sexuality, and new ways of being, teaching, and learning. Three group-process experts answer the question: "Please tell us a story of one of the best meetings you ever attended (as participant or facilitator). What was great about it? What do you think made it turn out so well?” A community confronts economic adversity by remaining constant in relationship, holding financial losses in common, and working together in fundraising, educational programs, and new projects. After living in the PRAG House collective for 25 years before running for office, a Seattle City Councilor recommends that anyone entering politics consider experiencing intentional community first. An informal survey raises several compelling questions: Can communitarians
learn to focus on larger-scale politics as much as on internal politics? Should they? What’s proper political etiquette in community? And have you ever met a communitarian who is not left of center? What can you do if some people in your group seem to have more power than others? Our consensus trainers and group process experts respond. Our consensus trainers and communication and process experts advise what to do about inadvertent "minority rule" in community. Our consensus trainers and communication and process experts advise what to do about "repeat blockers" in community. Expert advice from five community process and communication consultants. Natural building teacher Mark Mazziotti looks at how what could have been a stellar intern program went awry.
| 
