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Edjengi The Manifesto

PROJECT

Part of: Edjengi The Documentary

A Manifesto for Community

This is Edjengi The Manifesto's page Edjengi The Manifesto

About

Animas Way

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

John Dalberg-Acton

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”

Albert Einstein.

“You never change something by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”

Buckminster Fuller

“The first person who, having enclosed a plot of land, took it into his head to say this is mine and found people simple enough to believe him was the true founder of civil society. What crimes, wars, murders, what miseries and horrors would the human race have been spared, had someone pulled up the stakes or filled in the ditch and cried out to his fellow men: "Do not listen to this imposter. You are lost if you forget that the fruits of the earth belong to all and the earth to no one!”

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

THIRTEEN INVITATIONS

equality rather than hierarchy

collaboration rather than competition

inspiration rather than coercion

collectivising rather than owning

gifting rather than bartering

organically rather than synthetically

flowing rather than fixed

communally rather than individually

practically rather than theoretically

sharing rather than hoarding

locally rather than distantly

wondering rather than knowing

open rather than closed

“Animas Way”
is an agreement,
a vision,
For LIFE

This agreement outlines a way for people to live together in community, unified by a common guiding vision.

You are invited..

“To enjoy a meaningful life which prioritises the wellbeing of all future generations, and the environment which supports them.”

This agreement is a continuous work in progress

All participants are invited to contribute

Introduction

These pages are the primary guide and resource for people living together in a particular kind of community. There is no limit to the number of people who can exist under this agreement, nor the amount of communities which can overlap and merge as one. The aim is to find a way for people to live together harmoniously with each other and their environment, with shared values and goals, using wisdom and insights from around the world, past and present.

The community structure outlined here aims to be strong enough to offer clarity in any given situation yet holds the capacity for adaptation and renewal as contexts and insights change over time. The layout is in rough alignment with a format known as the Chaordic Commons, a container which is firm yet malleable - a fusion of chaos and order.

The main reason for formalising such a document is in response to numerous existing communities’ stated wish that they had agreed on certain practices and principals in advance of their coming together. It is much harder to make structural changes when people are already living in community and when personal issues can become obstacles that are difficult to remove or reconcile. This agreement supposes that the more that can be anticipated and predetermined the better, even if this makes for some dry and heavy reading ;-)

This agreement has several parts, starting with the overarching Guiding Vision which unifies all members under a simple but all-important statement. In a sense, this is the group's unifying purpose and must be fully understood and embodied by all, for it will be at the heart of everything that follows. The Guiding Vision supersedes all else and is the principle around which all community life revolves and forms the main arbitrating factor for any dispute. It can only be altered by a complete consensus of the whole community.

After the Guiding Vision comes the Pillars. The Pillars are a collection of values, beliefs and theories chosen to best serve the implementation of the Guiding Vision, and as much as possible should be thoroughly engaged with and agreed upon by all community members before joining. The Pillars can only be adapted by a pre-agreed procedure involving the whole group. (procedure to be decided)

Next comes the Practises which outlines the currently-used tools and methodologies to best guide the community to align with the Pillars and, in turn, the Guiding Vision. Some practices will be relatively regular while others will be rarely, if ever, used. The idea is to have everything clearly articulated in advance of any foreseeable situation so as to provide a pre-agreed-upon framework to minimise confusion, dispute or denial.

The Practises section includes decision-making, conflict resolution, spiritual, healing and other rituals and procedures. This is the most malleable section of the agreement and all community members are encouraged to constantly hone and adapt practises in relation to changing environmental circumstances and fresh insights. Practises can be adapted by a pre-agreed procedure involving the whole group. (procedure to be decided)

Guiding Vision

“The first step is to define, with absolute clarity and deep conviction, the Guiding Vision of the community. An effective statement of vision will be a clear, commonly understood statement which identifies and binds the community together as worthy of pursuit. When properly done, it can usually be expressed in a single sentence. Participants will say about the vision, "If we could achieve that, my life would have meaning.”

~ Excerpt from the Chaordic Commons

The vision must be so simple and universal that it can be understood and adopted by anyone anywhere, and be strong enough to stand the test of time.

The Guiding Vision of this agreement is:

“To enjoy a meaningful life which prioritises the wellbeing of the future generations, and the environment which supports them.”

This vision might seem at first to be obvious and second nature, but on deeper analysis, it is far from that. To truly live by such a vision requires constant work and attention to all aspects of life, and when fully understood and embodied it can bring clarity and unity.

It is not expected that any community when it first forms will be able to abide by the guiding vision in every aspect of life, for the web of the existing wider society and most peoples existing way of life works against this statement in so many ways. Untangling oneself from the negative aspects of our destructive ways of being will be complex and could take some time.

But the important factor here is everyone’s continued strivance toward the aims of the Guiding Vision and their willingness to be held accountable to it when necessary, showing tangible improvements toward over time.

The Guiding Vision statement may have many interpretations depending on the particular beliefs of the founding members and how they would set about achieving the vision. A consensus of the best ways to serve the vision should therefore be agreed upon before the community can fully come into unison. These will be like the pillars which best hold up the vision.

The Pillars section outlines the thoughts, beliefs and values which might best bring the Guiding Vision into existence and will require much work indeed to find consensus.

Pillars

“Once the vision has been clearly stated, the next step is to define, with the same clarity, conviction and common understanding, the Pillars by which those involved will be guided in the pursuit of that vision. Pillars typically have high ethical and moral content, and developing them requires engaging the whole person, not just the intellect. The best will be descriptive, not prescriptive, and each principle will illuminate the others. Taken as a whole, together with the vision, the Pillars constitute the body of belief that will bind the community together and against which most decisions will be made.”

~ Excerpt from the Chaordic Commons

The Pillars are akin to beliefs; they are the agreed upon foundations from which everything is built upon.

The best way to discern these Pillars is to dissect, unpack and release all previously held cultural, religious, social and family beliefs, in order to truly assess, without prejudice, how best to serve the Guiding Vision moving forwards.

Solid Pillars enable a strong community and can provide a framework which can be returned to when conflict and disagreements arise.

The following pillars are conversation starting-points for the founding members to discuss and refine for the initial community, while remembering the continued expansion of the community and its relationship to the wider whole. All that follows is up for debate and nothing is sacrosanct. For example, if egalitarianism is deemed not to be the best way to fulfil the guiding vision then it can be reevaluated accordingly, as with everything else.

Equality and Egalitarianism

Human societies can be divided into two very distinct types: those that are created along hierarchical lines, and those that are not, with the non-hierarchical, or egalitarian societies being humankind’s most resilient and harmonious ways of living together.

Competition, centralised power and hierarchy almost always leads to subjugation, oppression and aggression. Egalitarianism, if practised well, and widely adopted, can lead to a reduction in societal aggression, stress and poor mental and physical health.
Centralised or fixed power is perennially prone to becoming corrupt and self-serving. Power and authority, if required, must ebb and flow and never remain in one place.

Leadership is best when invited and should never be permanent.
‘Equality’ is not ‘sameness’. Here, the term equality refers to that of equal value, power and influence, while also acknowledging and celebrating the many differences between individuals and groups.

For true equality, no person or party should ever have more say or receive more reward than another.
Everyone is encouraged to speak out to power, coercion, hoarding and showing off, whenever such things emerge.
The wellbeing of the wider environment is directly related to the wellbeing of the group and the individuals within it.

Children are considered as sovereign and as equal a member of society as any adult.
All forms of coercion or force, however slight, are considered contrary to the ethos of equality and individual sovereignty.
It is common to identify oneself with the feelings of oppression from those more powerful than ourselves, but it is less common to identify with the privileges received from our own oppression of others, especially if those others are out of sight, such as through institutional means.
The entire paradigm of power and hierarchy places us all somewhere on the spectrum of victim and oppressor, and the result of this is that we all too often end up projecting our subconscious ‘shadow’ anger of our own moral deficiency outward onto others. This can be seen very often in the actions of those who are waking up to the ills of the system, but have yet to acknowledge their own part in the problem.
The cycle of winners and losers which is built into the paradigm of hierarchy means that a winner one day may lose the next. Violence and aggression are inherent to this way of being.

It is recognised that replacing structural hierarchy with egalitarianism will not necessarily eliminate interpersonal power struggles. Therefore the community must strive towards the empowerment of each individual member, with the understanding that whilst the community provides the stimulus, space and potential for this to occur, the decision to initiate change internally is ultimately each members own responsibility.

The paradigm of hierarchy and power imbalance also leads to a constant striving throughout society to produce and accumulate more money, power, fame and possessions in the understanding that this will bring more comfort and security and the false belief that this will bring more happiness.

The paradigm of inequality and hierarchy is, quite possibly, the root cause of the environmental problems of the world, for almost every person on the planet is striving to improve their lot, and to keep up with those perceived to be more fortunate and materially wealthy. Clearly there are simply not enough raw materials on the planet for this ever to happen and yet this cycle will never cease while we are all trying to fulfil this status need. In a society which works to minimise individual ownership and centralised power, such drives can be drastically reduced

.

Nature

Biodiversity is considered key to the flourishing of life. Actions that reduce biodiversity ultimately limit the well-being of the whole.
Flexibility, self-sustenance, diversity and fluidity are keys to human resilience.

Empathising with all things, and considering them as alive, invites a deeper connection with nature, which, in turn, helps balance our ecosystem and limits the wasteful use of resources.
Believing humankind to be exalted above all else has the potential to cause deep disharmony in nature, and ultimately in ourselves.
Localism supports resilience. The more society can fulfil its needs from its immediate surroundings, the more robust it will be in times of strife.

Respectfully and humbly engaging with the ‘resources’ available in the immediate surroundings can help to promote a regenerative relationship with nature.

All beings are engaged in the cycles of life and death. Taking life, be it animal, vegetable or otherwise, can sustain the life of another. But the balance of what lifeforce to consume, how to take it, and how much is necessary is a vital question that requires careful and constant re-evaluation in relation to the whole.

To truly respect nature one must question the act of domestication and dominion in all its forms. If it is considered essential that a plant, animal or landscape be subjected or controlled in any way, then it must be done with reverence, respect, love and gratitude.

Healing

Humans require certain things to happen and others not to happen for a balanced development, especially in the early years of life. When a child is deprived of some conditions or receives strong influences that are outside of a loving nurturing environment, the result can be wounds that will negatively influence their behaviour until healing takes place.

Healing of all wounds is possible, and beneath the layers of cultural and family conditioning, unresolved traumas and a disconnection from nature, peace can be found.

A myriad of tools from around the world are available to assist those on the healing path to find peace in this lifetime.

Addictions and negative behaviour patterns are subconscious strategies to avoid the pains of trauma and disconnection, and regarding them as simply innate, ancestral or karmic can undermine the necessary work for healing.

To find the deeper inner harmony we are all capable of, one must first learn to feel more deeply. This requires a willingness to open oneself to all feelings, including uncomfortable ones.

A good working sense of empathy must constantly find the balance between being overly sensitive which can lead to overwhelm and the incapacity to act, and so closed that one’s actions become inconsiderate.

Spirit

Beliefs and rituals can become a unifying communal force when shared within the group.

To avoid dogma and misinterpretation, all beliefs and rituals should be available for discussion and reassessment where necessary, to find what best serves the guiding vision.

All life exists from the death of another, and no lifeform is more sacred or valued than another.

It is possible to find guidance from connecting to that which lies beyond the self. It is always best however to check this guidance against good principles of life and what is best for all.

Community

The balance between the needs and desires of the individual versus the needs and desires of the collective requires constant assessment. Freedom and choice is clearly desirable, as is the need to see one’s actions in the light of the whole, for all our actions impact one another. Ideally, every person is given unlimited freedom, and with that freedom, each chooses to serve the collective. Fully individual and fully collective, fully sovereign and fully bound to the whole.

Putting one’s life’s meaning in service of the wellbeing of the whole and the environment which supports it is not only a worthwhile pursuit for life but can bring great blessings and happiness too.

Everyone is encouraged to participate in all aspects of community life, especially in those providing the day to day nourishment of the group.

The group’s relationship with the local and non-local environment is a key consideration for deciding whether or not to expand the group numbers. It is clearly easier to monitor this relationship when most of the community's needs are met locally.

Prioritising the wishes and wellbeing of mothers and their maternal wisdom is central to a healthy society - including the wishes and wellbeing of Mother Nature herself.

Community members are encouraged to attend meetings when possible and are required to attend those meetings which have been designated by the group as compulsory.

It is understood that everyone's contribution to society is equally valued, be it physical, spiritual, artistic and so on, but it is also accepted that the physical work required to provide for the basic necessities of group life be prioritised.

It is generally acknowledged that the work of interpersonal and environmental healing is endless and all are called to attend group sessions as often as possible.

Any community relies on its surroundings to nourish it, and this includes the other human societies which may not be living by the same guidelines. Constant effort must be made to maintain good relations with all neighbours in the local area.

All sovereign beings have a right to defend themselves when under attack, and this can include attacks on an environment, even from far away, provided the pillars of respect and understanding are always upheld and that there is no other course of action.

If, after considerable community processes, a person remains disharmonious toward the rest of the group and the environment, that person can be asked to leave the group. The hope is that this threat is enough to help heal any situation, but the details for enacting this procedure can be found in the Practices section in case of their need.

Land

Having a deep love and empathy for the land helps in balancing our relationship with it.

Great care should be taken to ensure that, as much as possible, all things taken from the land should be sustainable and regenerative, in the local area and beyond.

The best way to know if something is regenerative is to harvest it yourself.

Land cannot be owned, although for the sake of fitting into the prevailing paradigm, land can be ‘owned’ by a trust representing all those living in community in that place.

As communities grow and new generations emerge, great care must be taken to ensure that the land is not stressed. If the numbers of the land need to be reassessed, mothers should be afforded most protection in their needs to care for their children.

Ownership

Parenting

Education

Money

Trade

Accountability

Relationships

Leaving the Community

Participants

With clarity about the Guiding Vision and Pillars, the next step is to identify the participants whose needs, interests and perspectives must be considered in relation to the community. As drafting team members pursue their work, their perceptions of who constitutes a stakeholder will typically expand. They now have an opportunity to ensure that all concerned individuals and groups are considered when a new organizational concept is sought.

The aim of this constitution is to provide an online open-source working agreement that can be used anywhere a group of people wish to come together and live to this higher vision and by these guiding Pillars.

Participants include all communities which adhere to this agreement and all individuals within each community.

Participants agree:

Each new member of a community undergoes a probation period after which they can be invited to join the community as full members.
The process to invite new members into the community after their introductory period is outlined in the Practices section.
Movement and sharing between separate communities who follow the same agreement is to be encouraged, provided certain criteria are met.
Participants are encouraged to live together in accordance with the principles of the agreement, paying special attention to the capacity of the immediate environment to hold and sustain the population size.
When deciding on the sharing of produce within the group, it is hoped that all will receive equally, regardless of their perceived contribution.

Organizational Concept

When all participants have been identified, drafting team members will develop a general concept for the community. In the light of the Guiding Vision and Pillars, they seek innovative organizational structures that can be trusted to be just, equitable and effective with respect to all participants, in relation to all practices in which they may engage.

Land

The land is communally owned but should be thought of as not owned at all, etc…..

Ownership

The highest ideals are no ownership, but this will take some time and probably some gradual steps (maybe generational steps) to get there. But it's worth putting in the constitution and we will...

Money and Funds

The highest ideal is that the whole group shares from a communal pot, but once again it is acknowledged that this will take some time to get there and will need some steps over time to achieve this aim.

Our team

Bruce Parry

Admin

Bea