Any community, as with any individual, is only as strong as its weakest link. To be fully sustainable, every community must be composed of individuals who are themselves sustainable. This means individuals who take full responsibility for themselves at the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social levels and who are self-governing and self-healing. These self-responsible individuals must be able collectively to meet all of their personal and community needs in ways which will allow them, their community and the planet to thrive. People need to know how they can best give to their community so that they can then receive back what they need in a balanced and harmonious way. This giving must meet the self-esteem of each individual as well as serve the totality of the community. In other words, people must be empowered to do what they love.
Just as there is a need for Self-Healing Education Centers, there is also a need for Entrepreneurial Schools, where people can learn how to serve their community in meaningful and worthwhile ways. This is known as the art of right livelihood. Each of us has been endowed with at least one God-given gift. The art is to recognize what is that gift and then turn it into a way to contribute meaningfully to the wholeness and well-being of the community.
The Center for Community Building is a research and teaching institute as well as an inspirational showcase of sustainable possibilities. The six basic needs of any community are healthy food and water, non toxic clothing, sustainable shelter, love, energy (including power, money and transportation) and the beauty to hold it all together in a way that feeds the soul. The Center conducts research into the means to meet the totality of the needs of every member of a community, including but not limited to urban organic gardening practices, sustainable textiles, green building techniques, alternative energy sources and implementation, emotional intelligence and spirituality. »
| home | contents | links | contact us | 29 of 50 | < previous | next > |