Community COHERENCE
Coherence or Crucifixion?
When present in a community, coherence creates a healthy culture and social ecosystem.
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The Community Coherence Model (CC) is best shown by the symbol of the cross. The cross symbolises both a deeply aligned coherence, and/or, the challenging experience of crucifixion! Where there is no coherence, there is crucifixion!
In the CC model, the X Axis of the cross is the foundational structure of the community vision and its cultural principles for living - the What.
The Y Axis is the ever evolving journey of social design, e.g. the systems and practices of training, schedules and structures, conflict resolution and therapeutic practices - the How.
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The three key components to find coherence in, are the Vision, Cultural Principles, and Social Design. As three concentric circles:
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X 'WHAT'
Vision &
Cultural Principles
Y 'HOW'
Social Design
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1. The vision is the first component, which could be the outer circle, as it contains everything, or the innermost one, and runs through every layer of design in the community, from the landscape, to building designs, schedules, and so on.
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2. The vision produces the cultural principles for how people live and operate within the community.
3. The principles inform the social design, the practices and systems of which will determine the health of the community dynamics.
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Now we'll look at the Coherence Model with an example, as well as recommendation for a NEW Culture Ecovillage:
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1. the VISION
THE FOUR WIND VISION
The Vision for the community should completely inspire the members, and align with their purpose.
The 'Four Wind' Vision, offers a template based on the wisdom of the four directions:
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South (outwards, radiating energy)
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West (inwards turning energy)
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North (present moment, stillness energy)
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East (moving, airing energy).
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WEST - Protecting the future generations & land within
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1.
SOUTH - Being a torch to the world & spreading the message
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NORTH - Living the experience of paradise now
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4.
EAST - Evolving through cultivation of the principles
2. the CULTURE
NEW EARTH WAYS = NEW Culture
The five ‘New Earth Ways’ (NEWs) are a set of Cultural Principles that would serve the Vision. The NEWs are a fusion of yin and yang, matter and spirit, tradition and innovation: the birthed wisdom child of the Permaculture Principles and the ‘New Time Energy.’
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They are designed to create the best chance of coherence and unity within a culture. Shown here as a five-pointed star, seen commonly in various seeds and the centre of an apple, the pentacular geometry has always been associated with nature as it has perfectly harmonic golden mean - fibonacci proportions, a ratio which can be found everywhere in creation.
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1. Stay Tuned in – living from deep awareness, listening, and trust in 'what wants to happen'
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2. Respect Energy – cultivating a deep respect for yours, others’ and nature’s energy
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3. Honour the Circle – trusting the regenerative wisdom of balance and cycles
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4. Embody the Vision – operating responsibly from one’s heart, truth and purpose
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5. Celebrate Individuals – valuing the diversity within a symbiotic social ecosystem
3. the SOCIAL design
THE FOUR ELEMENT SOCIAL DESIGN
The Social Design offered here, uses the four elements - again extracting the wisdom already present in nature to design social infrastructure.
The first three may prevent a large extent of potential conflict from ever arising, leaving the last element of air to clear the remaining conflicts and extract the elixir of learning and growth.
4.
AIR - Conflict Resolution Practices
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3.
EARTH - Structures & Teams
1.
FIRE - Training, Enquiry, Practice
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2.
WATER - Therapeutic Practices
The Author
'NEW culture points to a reality where individuals are fully actualised, empowered, aligned, living their truth, and leading a new world in regenerative initiatives.'
- Karen Aiyana Birch.
Karen, a conscious catalyst and ‘keeper' of Mother Earth, is dedicated to finding and creating new ways of living, that create health and harmony for ourselves, each other, and the Earth. She sees the unifying of ecological regeneration and consciousness expansion as imperative.
Karen is founder and director of The New Earth School, an exciting new educational and community platform; and the British Isles regional branch of the Global Ecovillage Network, named GEN WISE for Wales, Ireland (RI &NI), Scotland and England.
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