The #2 Reason to Live Together

Certainly it can be said that the ideals and values of a community are premised on you becoming a better and more ‘authentic’ person – more in tune with yourself, with others and with the world. This process of personal betterment might come about as a conscious decision to begin to walk a path of inner development, or it might just happen by itself as one of the many benefits of community living.

 

Though not necessarily – you will experience as much of the shadow side of yourself (parts of you that you prefer to keep hidden) and the shadow side of others in any intentional community just as you would anywhere else. But nonetheless, there is an in-built expectation that you will become a better person and, in many cases, this is also the reality.

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What makes this easier in an intentional community than elsewhere is that you are living in an environment that encourages conversations and activities of  personal transformation.​  And there is a good chance that, when the shadow side of human nature becomes all too obvious, there are other people around to share this with and support you through the process of learning to deal with it in a positive way.

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Community is also a great place to learn – not just about yourself but a whole range of skills and knowledge. There are many other women around with experience and wisdom to share and somehow it can be a safe place to make mistakes and grow in the process. Living in community requires that you develop extraordinary levels of acceptance, empathy and forgiveness. Alongside these trust is perhaps one of the most vital ingredients of communal living and if you don’t experience this - or if you don’t develop it - with those who you share your life with, then your experience of community will never be complete.