Living The Ascended Life--The Benedictines

ASCENDANT LIFE IN COMMUNITY

SURVIVAL IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY

BY COOPERATION

by M. Emily Cragg, B.S., M.A.,

Pesterton Condominium/ Co-Housing, Wherever USA/UK

April 2005

Self-published SPRING 2005

Table of Contents

Surviving in a Hostile World,
Physical Orientation of the Condo
Condo Rules Begin
Types of Community Personalities
Dealing with the Troubled
Qualities of Leadership
Mosaic LAW, basis for Just Law
Leading by "Walking the Walk"
Including the Powerless
Being Responsive to Others
"Consent," Behavior By Choice
Becoming a Consenting Resident
Accountability for Skills
Accountability for Motivation
Accountability for Consent
Accountability for Disability
Living by Free Will
Issues Require Effective Listening
Connecting to the Divine in Prayer
How Living Together Works Out
Dealing with Attitude Problems
Dealing with Those Expelled
Families
Community Roles
Community and Private Ownership
Distribution of Goods
Serving in the Kitchen
Food and Diet
Principles of Survival
Cultivating Silence
Correcting Faults
Duties and Responsibilities
Travel, Homecoming and Guests
Rules we Hand Our Guests
New Enterprises, New Leaders
New Members
Acceptance and Release

~*~ THE PATH OF LIFE & ASCENSION ~*~

~*~ 80.80 -:- COMPASSION FOR LIFE ~*~

The reason knowledge is finite is because any and every mind's choices in time are finite. It is true that the amount of information in the Universe is INFINITE; however, all the Beings in the Universe put together could never perceive nor store all the information there is to store--yet alone cohere and value.

Alpha--the Holy Spirit--comes as close to Perfect Thought as a Being can approach--yet She Chooses which information to store, and which information to delete, as we do on our hard disks. Discernment then is limited to what minds choose to retain and remember.

Subjectivity is another matter. Subjectivity also includes what you term Make Believe, what you Imagine, what you Visualize, and these are infinite. Possibilities for constructing alternate realities which will never really exist are inexhaustible, even as they are exhausting. One can spend lifetimes and lifetimes in make believe simulations and never deal with a single real discernible fact.

Yahweh states: "My point is, this planet and galaxy move through space and resides now in the dan of the Aeonians, wherein Thought stays in the subjective and never comes home to real physical cause-and-effect. That is why I run my galaxy My Way and They run Theirs Their Way. And this is also why Eternal Aeonians discern Me--not as a challenge, not as a threat, not as something real, but as simply another interesting idea; and until recently, They left my worlds pretty much alone."

COMPASSION

"Seek not to spread My gospels, and entice followers unto this, or that, saith Jehovih. Neither go about preaching, saying: Thus saith Jehovih! Let all men hear Me in their own way. No man shall follow another. I will have no sect. I will have no creed. I am not exclusive; but I am with all My living creatures. ... As to thought and as to knowledge, this hath been a great labor. ... to those who choose Me, practicing their all highest light, I am a shield and fortification against all darkness, and against all evil and contention. ... Thou shalt not establish Me by man's laws, nor by the government of man, saith Jehovih. Nor establish by man's laws or government any book or revelation, saying: 'Behold, this is Jehovih's book. To keep man from interfering with man, this hath been great labor. To teach man to comprehend liberty, especially as to thought and as to knowledge, this hath been a great labor." OAHSPE, copyright 1882, Oahspe Publishing Association, New York.

"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak." Scofield Version of the Bible, Eccl. 3:1-13.

"The more complex civilization becomes, the more difficult will become the art of living. The more rapid the changes in social usage, the more complicated will become the task of character development. Every ten generations mankind must learn anew the art of living if progress is to continue. And if man becomes so ingenious that he more rapidly adds to the complexities of society, the art of living will need to be remastered in less time, perhaps every single generation. If the evolution of the art of living fails to keep page with the technique of existence, humanity will quickly revert to the simple urge of living--the attainment of the satisfaction of present desires. Thus will humanity remain immature; society will fail in growing up to full maturity." The Urantia Book, 1772, par 4. MERCY.

~*~ 8228 -- FAITH : FOCUSING THE MIND ~*~

245---What's Fair is that each individual has three Ways of Thinking to choose from at all times, that are Justifiable by Yahweh: by Effect, by Law and by Grace.

545---Identifying with only One Way of Thinking puts limits on one's Opportunities.

555---What works or is likely or possible for one Individual is not necessarily okay for another.

565---Each Individual receives a unique form of acknowledgment from God the Father.

575---But remember, you are being challenged, not indulged;

585---And what you initiate is what you want praise for.

596---Select the mental mode which will get you what you need to manifest.

608---The way to adopt expansiveness and inclusiveness is to relate to God's Will [Yahweh].

810---The Way to harmonize what is good is to relate to God's Spirit [El'ohim].

008---Yet there is but One YHVH God who adopts diverse characteristics, due to a positive [expansive] Will and a doubtful [open and particular] mind.

828---To keep your mind FREE of encumbrances, you must understand ways of thinking.

838---Mental competence has more than one tool for the mastery of your soul.

848---Achieving certainty is a long process of inputs--never a snap decision.

AN ESSAY ON ALIENATION

Why join a religion, anyway?

"Conversion" is not a matter of tolerance; it is a matter of the outcome you want to produce.

This planet has been covered by five "covenants" with its Sovereign God Yahweh--

1. The Covenant of Adam had to do with stewardship and harmlessness [no killing at all].

2. The Covenant of Noah had to do with community-building.

3. The Covenant of Abraham had to do with blessing all the nations of the earth [by utilizing reading and writing to archive a form of historical record], and thereby developing reckoning and reasoning.

4. The Covenant of Moses had to do with establishing Law and beginning a process of redeeming people who were learning what "sin" is and what mistakes are.

5. The Covenant of Yehoshua [Jesus] enlarged on the Mosaic Covenant by providing a means for forgiveness that did not and does not demand a death as a propitiary sacrifice, as an outcome.

Each of these Covenants has a different outcome that you might want to think about, before you decide to join up, or stay joined up.

People who stick with the Covenant of stewardship usually associate with incarnate angels and nature spirits.

So long as they remain harmless, their [spiritual] memories are archived, upon death, and they are justified for a resurrection to the Subjective [Heaven] but not necessarily EVER back into the Physical [Earth].

Those who stick with the Covenant of Abraham are Muslims and Moslems. They have a written record to which they must demonstrate complete loyalty, to the death. If they are successful, these too are justified for a resurrection to the Subjective, not back to the Physical.

People who live by the Mosaic Law and who resist and repudiate all additions to it [the Talmud, etc.] are justified for anywhere they want to proceed to, throughout the Universe.

People who live by the Mosaic Law and adopt the Talmud also [which is behavioristic thought-control] are, like Muslims, restricted to Subjective experience.

Believers in the Christ who mind their own business and refrain from judging others, like Lawful Jews, may proceed to new experiences anywhere in the Universe.

But believers in Jesus who utilize His messages to confine, limit and enslave themselves and others to fears around Hell, Damnation and Guilt--as other Fundamentalists--limit themselves to experiences in the Subjective dimensions.

Freedom occurs in inverse proportion to ownership--except for the Rich who take it all.

Ownership brings costs--taxes, insurance, maintenance and repair-whatever it is you possess.

Even monasteries must compromise the vow of poverty in order to keep themselves intact and afloat.

Yet the lilies of the field don't pay taxes; and neither do the foxes nor bears or beasts.

How can a planet work, that does not generate human effort via taxation?

By love. By love, foresters care for their wooded domains.

By love, biologists care for the species of animals they treasure.

By love, doctors go out to undeveloped nations and treat the people.

Byy love, extended families used to take in "their own" when trouble came.

Love is always possible where money is short.

And this is how God Himself operates--not with money, not with price, but with Love.

And that's HOW YOU KNOW when you have met up with Him--when healing CAME TO YOU FREE.

What pleases God is progressing the Spirit while harmonizing the Will.

Everything in the Universe moves. Galaxies move in their way; sun systems move around their galaxies, planets move; even moons appear to move.

But souls get STUCK. Souls prefer satiety; they prefer comfort; they prefer stasis, status and calm. Souls want it easy.

God is a Mover and a Shaker. Being the Father of ALL Spirits, God incites each soul to Love and to Change.

Where are you? is a question-not about location. Rather, it is a question about the condition of your soul in time.

"The soul that is sinning, it itself shall die," is a statement about the outcome that getting stuck in bad effects, produces.

God does not desire the end of experience for any soul; all His Children deserve to gain and gain and gain.

But times are like mechanical clocks. There are a lot of pieces moving at once. You stop a few pieces, and the whole thing comes to a halt.

The American economy is built on the synergy of cash and presumed "needs."

Killing the planet Herself, "Economics" scars Her with concrete, asphalt; strips the ozone from its protective perch; fills the air with noxious fumes and the water with poisonous chemicals.

The Economy has formed an image of a soul's role as predator, dangerous to our lives.

Mercantilism will be stopped--one way or another--by choice or not by choice, but it will stop, says God Who carved the planet into a water-bowl, Who assembled the DNA-strings that comprise ALL living cells.

It is Yahweh God who mounted the land on rock-masses that withstand the stresses of time.

"Consumerism" will stop because humans do not have the right to ransack the work of their Progenitor Race. It is a matter of Law, that it will stop

Without natural limits and boundaries to its predations on health and well-being, the US economy will come to a full stop, is what God says, so My Planet may live on.

People who persevere, count.

It's so easy just to let everything sliiiiide right by. ...but those who dare confront problems of dishonesty and corruption in business or government get caught up short, for their trouble.

Whistleblowers, they're called, get fired, sued, killed, run out of town. They don't get invited to stay.

They threaten the "status quo"; so their lives are solitary.

Yet, without someone to expose wrong-doing and evil, there would be no way to correct or return the nation to Just outcomes. Thus, it is by the strength of the Will of God that these courageous ones move and breathe and have their day--not by the power of their own might.

Assumptions about planetary stasis ... are incorrect.
Geologists realize that most land masses experienced drastic variations in climate--sometimes submerged, sometimes forest, sometimes arid.

It doesn't make sense that earthquakes we experience have NO final outcome, purpose or effect.

I notice on the USGS web-site that most quakes lately are at the same depth, about 33 kilometers; and that would indicate to me that a whole stratum of rock is shifting at once.

When that one finishes falling, probably the next one Higher will fall; and then the next and the next; and finally the Shift will become visible to human eyes.

Theoretically anyway, with a cooling core, this planet's crust should also be cooling and contracting periodically.

You would expect USGS would notice and talk about the progress of this visible geological process. [shrug].

Why Fairness either works with Justice, or nothing works at all.
....Fairness means, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." It means, the rules operate the same way for everybody. It means, there are no privileged exceptions or exemptions.

What the United States has lost hold of is its command of "liberty and justice for all"--Fairness.

Government agencies serve THIS population or THAT population. Markets serve THIS niche or THAT niche. Churches serve this group or that group.

Everybody assumes everybody gets served. But a third of the people--good people, competent people--fall through the cracks when times are hard.

Jobs are moving overseas and leaving more and more of our people to work at minimum wage service jobs or scrambling for local building trades. Yet, barter options are few and seldom. Sharing or helping occur only among those having cash reserves, instead of those having none.

The outcome is untold anxiety and stress, unemployment, under-employment, immobilization, drug addictions, somtimes theft, aggression, prison life or suicide.

But, who is on the page that says, "We are all one and we all have basically the same needs"? You need something, Brother? Here!"

Fairness must work to provide all our same needs with equivalent resources, so all humans might simply LIVE. Who can we put UP? Who can we feed? Who can we clothe? For whom can we provide the experience of honest work?

It's all WORTH the effort, when we put each other to work, without money and without price.

From that point forward, we can do with our Lives, what we will, so long as we continue to share necessities with each other.

Let the Book of Isaiah Chapter 58, be our guide to hospitable living. Even if the rules say we can't do anything to help others survive, let us do so, by the Will of God and the Love of mankind, anyway.

What we DO--not what we think about--is what we ARE.

It doesn't matter what our hopes are or were.

Even thugs have High Intentions-"to purify," "to establish order," and "to return to normal." But they are thugs nonetheless---IF they use control without responsibility, avoidance or violence to bring about ends they seek.

Censors who seek to purify the media are--themselves--The Thought Thugs.

Attorneys who seek to force individuals to conform to Law, are themselves Lawless in the sight of God. God works by Justice, not by arbitrary rules.

Personnel managers who seek to "identify the one best candidate" are thugs, because they have crawled over all the other candidates, with cleated boots, to get to the one they wanted.

Doctors who seek refuge in their paperwork and ignore the suffering of their patients are working cross-purposes to healing. They are letting disease take the upper hand. They are thugs who favor methods over results, effects and outcomes.

.And the list goes on. How many of us carry scars from years of going through fruitless motions?

What places people in a gang mentality is adopting means and rules, not conversant with the purpose of human life. These "means" may be as simple as throwing unanswered letters in the garbage can or as complicated as denying health care coverage.

What constitutes thug-behaviors are threats to persons' futures embedded in rules--the ransackng judgments propounded to "help people straighten themselves out." Such arguments are worse, more violent, more objectionable than the very behavior they seek to correct or relieve.

What is powerful is expectations. Only the people who act as if they expect Good will ever SEE Good. And those who act as if Good does not exist will not only never see it, they will also hide it from all other onlookers.

Predators cull the stupid.

PREDATORS "put an end" to what they don't prefer; "prejudge" others' values; they are frustrated by the need to negotiate.

Predators prefer and admire overwhelming others' interests as their main way of "doing business."

Is THIS what the U.S. is reverting to?

Time was--200 years ago--when the people who established this nation had other ideals in mind for people coming to this land wanting to be "free."

They exercised humility and overcame themselves before they worked on other people. Notice the writings of the Quakers. They envied no one.

They were able to specify the results, effects and outcomes they wanted to establish.

They stated a point-of-view first, and THEN acted; they had no need to pre-empt other people.

They became advocates for people who were less ambitious, less knowledgeable, less skilled then themselves.

It appears a resurgence of "pure capitalism" is changing America into a place where only predators have a chance.

It is time for a resurgence of idealism, so that predation may be relegated to the animal kingdom, where it belongs.

Witchcraft operates and negotiates from the perspective of Doubt.

Being a "wisher" [also called a "witch"] was evil when the "ordinary life" was judged to be "good."

But now that the medical/insurance/hospital complex has corrupted healing for its own profits; and education is teaching conformity to established rules; and industry says, "What's good for our profits is what's good for the people,"-now,

the defense people have left is reverting to wishing for what they cannot achieve, in self defense.

Wishing, like wondering, is a powerful mental tool, that creates thoughtforms around what doesn't exist-namely, in this case, good experiences and memories.

If ever there was a time to invoke witches to come out and wish for a new reality to come into being, now is it-to wish for chaos, wish for undoing, wish for events that unstick the misery in which half the planet is stuck.

So, make a wish!

Steward health.

Relating people to an awareness of "health" is what doctors are supposed to do.

Money is not an issue, because rarely or never does an intervention actually improve a person's access to being healthy.

One may survive a surgery, survive cancer treatments, survive drugs; but ordinarily, these intrusions do not result in a longer-lived or more-fully-experienced life.

Naturally, doctors LIKE to point to the exceptions to this observation.

What recreates health is "take two aspirin and call me in the morning" [after some rest].

This society does not permit the people who work to rest, nor does it permit the people who are not able to work, to challenge themselves or do anything BUT rest.

Neither of those situations serves to steward health or longevity. Overwork is not health-giving; idleness is not good either.

No longer are children permitted to play-at-will. They only get a few minutes of recess at school each day.

No longer are elderly permitted to have a say in what they want to eat or how they wan to live out their last days: professionals pre-empt their every desire.

This is not stewarding health. Thriving is not what the current "way of health" is obtaining.

YET "the health care industry" expects to continue to receive inflated payments? I doubt it.

Fear of being disowned.

We see it all the time--the homeless, the lost, the kids with leather on their backs and steel piercing their skin. People are disowned.

School children talk, uh, like uh, man, you gotta go get some stuff, you know, man, and we parents feel disowned.

Elderly patients stare out at us from their wheelchairs and we watch them eat their tasteless meals and watch television, and they are disowned from their identities.

Babies sit in daycare centers and look up for Mama but she's not there, and they feel disowned.

[Thirty years later they come back to you and tell you how they felt disowned.]

Administrators stammer and explain, "We don't do that here, I don't know where they do DO that, you'll have to look in the Yellow Pages." And we feel disowned.

Telephone-mail-jails keep us on hold half an hour while we're at work trying to do a good job for our bosses. Finally somebody picks up and says, "You'll have to call back. We're at lunch now," and you feel disowned.

You get a good job and work hard and your boss calls you into the office and says, "We don't have enough work for you to do. It's not your fault, but this is your last day," and you feel disowned.

What does a person have to do in this society not repeatedly experience being disowned, disowned, disowned?

Where do people realize nothing is more important than being with and relating to others? Not here, not at this time.

The rules of Righteous WAR--when disowning is appropriate.

What is forbidden in righteous war is lacking intention to win.

God empowers those who do not stand to gain anything at all, in and by an engagement. If they win, they get nothing; if they lose, they sacrifice everything.

For each one that dies in the line of duty, ten take his/her place by the Will of God. In this way, the stakes get amped up until evil is overwhelmed by the Innocent.

There is no tolerance for "figuring things out for oneself" in war. All good comes from inspiration and not from skill. Thus, the "skill" of war is redundant and wasted.

Yahweh God does not train people to be killers by night and peaceful citizens by day. And the Law says, "Thou shalt not kill," so there is no learning War, to any benefit.

Forgiveness is the only experience you need to remember when the War is won. This is because humans are always subject to the Subjective and its passions.

Finally, blaming nations for the wars they pursued is appropriate behavior, because souls who pursue war return in the Resurrection and start it up, over and over again.

Every nation must become vigilant and resistant to the call for War; yet when it comes each one goes without regret to defend the True and the Right. The pursuit of Truth itself is War, and prophets are loath to give themselves up to error.

Labels don't help anymore.

Labels talk about intentions. How so?

What liberal is liberated from a belief that "things need to be "controlled better" [as if "control" had any form that was better than liberty]-- ???

And what conservative actually is engaged in conserving any thing? Conservatives advocate consumerism-which is the opposite of conservation.

As a group, they believe in using punishment to limit demographic diversity. They say it deters crime, yet Mideast suicide bombers are at work everyday to install their ideology of fear; and their deaths do not deter anything, least of all, rage.

What I think is going on is that people are too busy to really give it any real thought. And we're all just acting crazy from fatigue and discouragement.

What is "dominion" and why is it missing now?

The cost of "being separated" from one's true vocation is not only the opportunities one loses.

The number of people who can exercise dominion over their own lives, in terms of mobility, glut and/or access and influence are few. They are the people with dollars.
Everybody else is busy lacking.

People exercising Dominion seek to embrace and abide with leadership. They are the people with power to get things moving. Everybody else is busy running in place.

People want to have dominion over their breeding, their families, their homes and the education of their children.

Government seeks to control costs of each of these domains of experience.

Government compromises individual dominion by allowing hospitals to switch charges from non-paying constituencies to paying patients, so bills that paying patients get are 1000's of percent higher than the charges they themselves incurred.

Government's interest in education is in the standardization of knowledge of employer recruits--not in maximizing individual potential of each child. This means parents must fight the education system at each and every turn, if they have exceptional children. This fight is a drain.

Government mandates certain types of very expensive or very crowded housing, based on the profitability to builders and developers. They routinely neglect time:distance and distance:cost issues for families. Thus, families have to chase all over the place to put together a "life." All the chasing around is exhausting.

Government also plays both sides of the drug cartels--subsidizing drug lords and enforcing anti-drug laws-as well as both sides of financial markets-propping up currency with oil charges and then devaluating savings of small investors by permitting silent inflation to eat away at the value of hoarded cash. No wonder people don't save. It doesn't pay.

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are more difficult when Government creates obstacles.

Imagine! 290 million people living "by common consent"
Of course not.

This is why the Christian Biblical idiom is for a sharing "community," not a sharing nation.

National politics do what national politics do. Christians and Jews live everywhere. They live under dictatorships, monarchies, democracies and in chaotic situations.

It is not the job of the Kingdom of God to make over the world. It IS the job of the people in the Kingom of God to make themselves over despite where they live, by living together and sharing in common--no matter what the prevailing philosophy or political status of their nation IS.

NO, we're not here to fix the world; we're here to gather ourselves into a community so we can fix ourselves, in love, trust and piety.

The power of God is not wasted.
This nation prays, "one nation under God." but its leaders practice contempt for Law.

The pledge of allegiance avers to God's Sovereignty, but bureaucracies practice one-up-manship, media-domination and avoidance-of-responsibility.

Who thinks God doesn't notice, that we speak out of two different sides of our mouths?

And who thinks God is not near enough to act upon the discrepancy when we say one thought and activate a different one?

It is sufficient that God's Son died once for all time that errant men might live to be corrected.

It is sufficient that a Church was organized and built upon the Rock of Peter that Charity and Mercy would be established forever, in practice.

But practices are limited to the already faithful, and charity is at arms-length. Bureaucracies exist for their own justification, and politicians speak only for their own constituencies, not for all.

Therefore, let it be that God's Hand comes to be shortened, and the issues and problems this nation faces come to be felt palpably as isolation and reproach. Withholding the sense of sin, no resolution can come about.

For the Power of God is NOT to be used for mendacity, expediency and waste. It is here to save the trusting; to enable openness; to facilitate heaing.

The Nature of God is to be merciful. But failing Mercy, the alternative comes down to wrath and disgust.

The writer suffers without respite, the people she observes suffer without contingency, and the nations about suffer without end.

What effects does Islam create, to deal with?
Various religions, due to a variety of reasons, have become distorted and mixed with made-man ideas.
The allegation that teachings are distorted over time implies that physical Truth is evil.

Muhammad was sent with the Last Guidance, Revelation and Testament, the Holy Qur'an (koran) to amend and correct the changes and corruption made to the the "Torah" which was sent to Moses and the True Gospel of Jesus.

The charge that corrections need to be made is further limited by the judgment that the God of the entire Universe needs to be limited to the doctrines of One book.

To say the truth, God preserved all the other Holy Books plainly by preserving His Last Book the Holy Qur'an (koran) which contains the right and the truth of all that was changed in those other Books.

The belief that this book is the last and only TRUE correction is suspect. Violence and war that have characterized Islam belie the intention to be godly.

God promised that since Muhammad is the last of the series of the Prophets and Messengers and since the Holy Qur'an is His last Book of Guidance to humanity, He Himself will guard it from any changes or corruptions till the Day of Judgment.

The Day of Judgment of results, effects and outcomes is here. Now, let's look at the record.

Islam teaches us that we can pray directly to God without an intermediary and that no soul can bear the burden of another. The Qur'an teaches us that only God can forgive sins, punish or reward and we did not inherit sin from Adam. Each soul comes into being free of sin and inclined toward goodness and is capable of doing good and unless taught against its nature, will incline toward good deeds. The teachings of Islam guide mankind back to our pure nature through knowledge of God.

The oneness and universality of God's message requires that people accept all the messengers of God. Rejecting one of them amounts to rejecting them all. The Jews reject Jesus's mission and Muhammad's mission; the Christians reject Muhammad's mission; whereas the Muslims accept them all, but reject incorrect historical interpretations and human elements in these missions.

Jews and Christians will answer for their sins. Let's just talk about Islam now.

As the Qur'an is the final revelation and Muhammad is the final prophet, humanity is obligated to accept it: "If anyone desires a religion other than Islam, never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost all spiritual good" (3:86).

Does the pear tree say to the apple tree: "I hate you 'cause you're not LIKE ME!?" Does the green grass say to the sky so blue, "I'm GREEN! WHY aren't YOU green too?"

Who that is sane can believe they are the only people on the planet with spiritual good? May I please acquaint you with Baha'is and Quakers. They teach Peace.

~*~ INITIATION and ASCENSION ~*~

919---The Initiate's Life is a reflection of his/her Thoughts: there is no fantasizing or wishing at work.

929---The Initiate's Life is a Practice of confronting Discrepancies between what is Coherent with God and Good, and what is chaotic in one's Life.

939---The Initiate's Life is focused on sustaining and continuing a Function that God deems to be Good.

949---The Initiate's Life is based in Lawful Experiences before any Outside Task is taken on.

959---The Initiate's Life comprises and abides with the Selection of Experiences that God makes.

969---Initiates must withstand and acquire new skills and traits.

979---Initiates learn to include the Inner Life in the expression and articulation of the Outer Life.

989---What becomes essential in the work of an Initiate is conveying solutions and remedies to God, and placing new options at His right hand for physical and worldly problems.

990---God gives His Initiates the tools they need to complete their missions.

000---Restoring Self-Sufficiency to All the Peoples is Yahweh's immediate Goal. Destroying the People is no part of that Goal, so Earth Changes are minimized and stabilized quickly. All the doctrines that say mankind is in danger from Without are simply mistaken. No one will rain on Yahweh's Parade, and Initiates have nothing to fear except Fear itself. No human leaves in one piece, in any case.

~*~ THE GODHEAD ~*~

80 80--Strength is in relationships.

80 50--Love is by design.
50 20--The approach of love
20 00--is a sufficient
00 99--frame, to preserve
98 97--and convey what is Sacred.
96 95--What people acquire must be honed.
94 93--Activities, to persist in Time,
92 91--must confront the thoughts that sent them out.
90 89--Strength increases
88 87--as Leadership becomes realized.
86 85--Points-of-view can initiate change,
84 83--only if their processes are competent to do so.
82 81--Everyone must know and agree, what is forbidden.

The Godhead consists of 50 initiated and ascended humans who died with their Perspectives of Integrity intact. They progress to New Levels of Understanding, and move on; and new Ascenders are moved into their Places.

The Godhead relates only to This Planet; each Planet has Its Own Godhead that gradually attrits and is replenished by Those having Experience in the Material and the Subjective Dimensions.

There are no quotations surrounding the Godhead and the Trinity which articulate their Domains of Experience with this Clarity, so None are listed here.

~*~ INSPIRATION ~*~

"I made thee that thou shouldst receive inspiration, not only from the world external to thyself, but inspiration from the members of thy body. My impression upon thee is inspiration; but thou must realize My inspiration, in order to know Me. An idiot holdeth fire in his hand, and it giveth him pain, but yet, he knoweth not the cause, nor whence the origin of the pain. So, also, I come to thee, and give thee inspiration, but thou discernest not Me. Another man discerneth My Presence, and My inspiration. He heareth Me speak; he seeth My Person. Yet, I am with both alike. One man openeth his mouth to speak, and behold, My words come forth. And yet another saith: No man know Jehovih; none have heard Him. One man is sensitive, as a plate for a picture, and he catcheth My Light instantly, and knoweth it is from Me. Another one saith: A sudden thought struck me! But he discernest not whence it came. OAHSPE, Book of Inspiration, Ch. III, v. 14-23.

CONDO HANDBOOK FOR AN EGALITARIAN COMMUNITY

For millennia, intentional communities—particularly religious communities—have set up successful economies and properties. A survey of their life practices reveals, however, they have had little patience with a free will life given by God because they realize, nothing is free.

A ROLE to fill?

You can, if you work at your life.

A place to build your own home?

You can, if you can invest capital and sweat equity.

A place to educate your children?

You can, if you become an active community member.

A place to grow old in safety and dignity?

Yes, if you are willing to follow your heart—not ideology.

Are the rules the same for everybody?

No, rules we live by differ according to goals we seek: Those who want an easy life or who want to do their own thing get an easier set of rules … but they do not qualify for leadership, and they are not considered permanent residents.

Does everyone in a family live by the same set of rules?

Of course not. Family members serve different roles, and so it is, they also live by different rules and outcomes. If this sounds "natural" to you, perhaps you will want to stick around. If not, then let us bless you and help you be on your way.

What follows are Rules for corporate living that permit Free Will options and taking turns at individual choices, yet invoke a Higher accountability principle for those who want to attain to higher spiritual values of sacrifice and forgiveness. People invoke whatever accountability principle they choose to invoke.

Just as oxygen and hydrogen—both dangerous and explosive elements in and of themselves—combine to produce life-giving WATER; so too Laws that permit predation [some having more than others] combined with Grace [allowing permissiveness also] can, if it is utilized appropriately, produce Peace with Reason.

If one is interested in being part of a community living situation in which the members are economically tied to each other’s free will sharing, then perhaps you will want to read further. It is Christianity-in-action adapted from "The Rule of Benedict."

Listen and take the rule seriously. Listen carefully, my child, to my instructions, and attend to them with the ear of your heart. This is advice from one who loves you; welcome it and faithfully put it into practice. The labor of obedience will bring you back to God from whom you had drifted through the sloth of disobedience. This message of mine is for you, then, if you are ready to give up your own will to your community--at least some of the time, until the Kingdom of God is redeemed from Chaos.

First of all, every time you begin a good work, pray to God most earnestly to bring it to perfection. In God’s goodness we are already counted as God’s own; and therefore we should never grieve the Holy One by leaving Him out of our plans. We must obey our leading at all times, that we may never refuse to follow the way to glory, wisdom and joy. We are not sorrowful ascetics: Life is good and we are joyful people.

Open your eyes to the Light that comes from God and get up at long last, for the Scriptures rouse us when they say, "It is high time for us to arise from sleep" [Rom. 13:11]. Open your ears to the voice from the heavens that every day calls out: "If you hear God’s voice today, do not harden your hearts" [Ps. 95:8]. And again, "You that have ears to hear, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches" [Rev. 2:7]. What does the Spirit say? "Come and listen to me; I will teach you to reverence God" [Ps. 34:12]. "Run while you have the light of life, that the darkness may not overtake you" [John 12:35].

Seeking workers in a multitude of people, God calls out and says again: "Is there anyone here who yearns for life and desires to see good days?" [Ps. 34:13]. Of you hear this and your answer is "I do," God then directs these words to you: If you desire true and eternal life, "keep your tongue free from vicious talk and your lips from all deceit; turn away from evil and do good; let peace be your quest and aim" [Ps. 34:14-15]. Once you have done this, my "eyes will be upon you and my ears will listen for your prayers; and even before you ask me, I will say" to you: "Here I am" [Isa. 58:9]. What is more delightful than this voice of the Holy One calling to us? See how God’s love shows us the way of life. Clothed then with faith and the performance of good works, let us set out on this way, with the Gospel for our guide, that we may deserve to experience the Holy One "who has called us to the eternal presence " [1 Thess. 2:12]. Do not isolate yourselves. Where God is in need of workers is where people have problems—in their midst. But first and foremost, do not add to the problems of people by your behavior, effects and results. Keep your modesty and your discipline.

"And in the days of those kings the God of Heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin … It itself will stand to times indefinite." –the Prophet Daniel.

If we wish to dwell in God’s tent, we will never arrive unless we adopt what is good for all. But let us also ask the prophet: "Who will dwell in your tent, O God; who will find rest upon your holy mountain?" [Ps. 15:1]. After this question then, let us listen well to what Yahveh says in reply, for we are shown the way to [God’s] tent. "Those who walk without blemish and are just in all dealings; who speak truth from the heart and have not practiced deceit; who have not wronged another in any way, not listened to slanders against a neighbor" [Ps. 15:2-3]. They have foiled the evil one at every turn, flinging both the devil and these wicked prompts far from sight. While these temptations were still "young, the just caught hold of them and dashed them against Christ" [Ps. 15:4, 137:0]. These people reverence God, and do not become elated over their good deeds; they judge it is God’s strength, not their own, that brings about the good in them. "They praise" [Ps. 15:4] the Holy One working in them, an say with the prophet: "Not to us, O God, not to us give the glory , but to your name alone" [Ps. 115:1]. Sons judge wisdom correctly, who are mature and experienced in all forms of disarming treachery.

In just this way Paul the apostle refused to take credit for the power of his preaching. He declared: "By God’s grace I am what I am" [1 Cor. 15:10]. And again Paul said: "They who boast should make their boast in God" [2 Cor. 10:178]. That is why it is said in the Gospel: "Whoever hears these words of mine and does them is like a wise person who built a house upon rock; the floods came and the winds blew and beat against the house, but it did not fail: it was founded on rock" [Matt. 7:24-25] and on a witness based in wisdom and effects of experience.

Loving God extends the productive lives of behavers. With this conclusion, God waits for us daily to translate into action, as we should, His holy teachings. Therefore, our life span has been lengthened by way of a truce, that we may amend our misdeeds. As the apostle says, "Do you not know that the patience of God is leading you to repent?" (Rom. 2:4). And indeed God assures us in love: "I do not wish the death of sinners, but that they turn back to me and live" (Ezek. 33:11).

Now that we have asked God to dwell in His holy tent, we have heard the instruction for dwelling in it, but only if we fulfill the obligations of those who live there. We must, then prepare our hearts and bodies for the battle of holy obedience to God’s Law. What is not possible to us by nature, let us ask the Holy Spirit to supply by the help of grace. If we wish to reach eternal life, then—while there is still time, while we are in this body and have time to accomplish all these things by the light of life—we must run and do now what will profit us forever because in this way we complete our earthly knowledge.

Therefore, we intend to establish a place of God’s service in which we practice Grace.

In drawing up its regulations, we hope to set down nothing harsh, nothing burdensome. The good of all concerned, however, may prompt us to a little strictness in order to amend faults and to safeguard love. Do not be daunted immediately by fear and run away from the road that leads to Eternity. It is bound to be narrow at the out set. But as we progress in this way of life and in faith, we shall run on the path of God’s Law Commandments. Faithfully observing God’s teaching in the community until we die, or, if we decide to do something else, only by patient sharing in the sufferings of the Christ, may we deserve also to share in the eternal presence. Amen.

b). Active, observant, competent "Anchorites" and conservative reflective "Hermits" having temporarily opted out of activities to be emptied due to dealing with wishing or issues. Half the community serve as Anchorites, and these work by rules of fairness: "Do unto others."

c). Flexible, changeable and liberal--"Sarabaites" and "Givers"--they adopt and relinquish evil easily. They can abide with and articulate different points of view; or they can use agreeableness to agree to what they like and call whatever they dislike, detestable and forbidden. One quarter of residents-—no more-—can be accepted to work for Justice [or the community is in chaos] even while they abide with fairness, truth and trust themselves.

d). "Gyrovague" Drifters, having either taken a vow of poverty and relying on God exclusively as early disciples did, or appearing to take such a vow and sponging off whatever community will consent to house them, these can serve as selfless troubleshooters, manifest amazing gifts, attain pure clarity. They can also become parasitic if led to security and ease. Less than one in ten members can "drift" because they are very unpredictable by nature due to the fact they adapt to any and all sets of values.

"How Do We Know Whom We’re Getting?"

Wait on God. We ONLY interview people for places and roles in the community who happen to show up out of the blue.

By our prayers we manifest a harmonious body—not by control, not by wishing, not by making up stories.

Dealing with the Aggressive

Among those who show up to test our mettle are people who would do injury in an effort to prevent something [else]—usually being taken advantage of. Yet, being able to remember—or being reminded—how to perform correctly works better than pushing someone around in order to "get your way." What a person forgets how to do correctly becomes a test for them to learn to clarify in Time and in Relationships.

For the member-host, what needs to be resolved is an outsider’s intentions, because transferring the chaos of the Outside to the peace of the Inside simply will not do.

So, what our practice is, is having new recruits write down what they want to get, derive, achieve and/or attain by approaching the Community.

The person who can’t write may be silenced temporarily, but perhaps not if he admires the ability to write and wants to learn. Moreover, if his testimony comes to change over time, that becomes quite obvious to all.

Dealing with an Off-Balance Individual

When someone flips out in our presence, we make him comfortable and keep him comfortable until he [or she] opens up. If he or she is crazy, they’ll never get comfortable enough to open up: it’ll all be preferences, demands and explanations. Yet, because we have opted for silent assent, we shun loud egos, "reasons" and excuses.

People of Ego are sent on an errand to get or derive what experience it is they need to further prepare themselves for Community Life—which is, relinquishing Ego itself. However, those showing signs of suicidal tendencies will be assigned to a living group and allowed to stay.

Individuals who are possessed, starving, idle or pretending will be referred to the Welfare Department. If they can’t get there on their own, we will give them a short stay and drive them there Monday morning.

Those who are temporarily sick or helpless, victims of an accident or crime, homeless, compulsive, lost, unemployed, wrongly accused, jailed, grieving or temporarily disabled will be attended to, temporarily. As soon as they can be restored to health and strength, they will be encouraged and challenged to move on toward the option they prefer over the poverty with which we live.

But individuals who are unable to care for themselves, left behind, presumed upon and used up, overwhelmed; witness to crime or abuse; political targets; the forgotten, the panic-stricken, the bereft—these are the people whom we consider potential members and friends, to stay on.

Camp Life: Notes on Dealing with our Guests

Without guidance, people usually mess up. And once having been disowned, their practice is to demote everyone else by their speech. Pressure pressurizes people having no safety-net. It seems as if everything they derive or get fails them, and whomever they invoke, writes more rules over their head. Their very lacking limits them. These are our friends who come to live with us.

Encouragement tends to produce expectations in such individuals. Having lived as slaves, they are stupefied. Pretending to be amused, they are actually empty and disinterested in what is going on around them. Hopelessness has produced wants and needs, but accidents always seem to intervene between the cup and the lip. Failure is one effect of undoing active people. Authorities presume people fail because they were not correctly prompted. We have no such illusions. We see a potential in everyone; yet not every Guest can comply with our ways. Those who cannot are prepared and provided for freedom. The Limits in camp are the Laws of the state and county in which we reside.

"Those who lead must be the servant of all."

To be worthy of the task of governing a community, the Leaders must always remember what the title signifies and act accordingly. They are believed to hold the place of "disciples" in the community. Therefore, they must never teach or lead or suggest anything that would be unlawful or have unholy effects. On the contrary, everything they teach and lead from should, like the leaven of divine justice, percolate through the House without visible resistance. And whereas they will lead in judging the fruits of the labors of their brothers, their judgments will be about actions, behaviors, and effects on the House until and unless an intention to harm is clearly present. Then, judgment becomes final, that is exercised against someone doing harm. Communicants who break the rules three times or who keep creating bad situations become candidates for a facilitator’s assistance to leave.

Let the Community always remember that at the judgment of God, not only their teachings but also the community’s obedience to its Law will come under scrutiny. All must therefore be aware that the "leaders" will bear the blame whenever the "Owner" of the household finds that the sheep have yielded no profit. Still, if they have faithfully led a restive and disobedient flock always striving to cure their unhealthy ways, it will be otherwise: the leaders will be acquitted at God’s judgment. Then, like the prophet, they may said to God: "I have not hidden your justice in my heart; I have proclaimed your truth and your salvation (Ps. 40:11), but they spurned and rejected me" (Isa. 1:2; Ezek. 20:27). Our leaders understand Law, Justice and Fairness and live what they understand, or they retire.

Use of Language

The name of God—Yahveh—is Holy and Sacred. Treat it so. [Those who cannot speak the name of God with reverence do not belong here.]

Using speech to revile, swear, curse, slander or libel is refusing to hold positive expectations or to trust. There is no place for people in community who are not open to change or not open to the possibility of improvement.

Let your "yes" mean yes; and your "no," no. There is no place here for people who have a need to misinform, twist the appearance of effects, or prejudge matters.

All stealing is presumption, a belief that our community is unfair or stingy. We expel thieves.

All misrepresentations are presumptions acting out the belief the community is incompetent to distribute goods fairly or judge appropriately. Expel those who keep two sets of books, who do not tithe for the poor, or who cheat.

All covetousness is a presumption that "wishes," "wants" and "desires" are beyond the Community’s capacity to satisfy. We expel those who envy [badmouth] and discount what we are able to achieve with thanksgiving.

Anyone who loans money to another and demands interest when the other party is in dire straits, must be expelled for despising the shame they cause a borrower.

Anyone who holds back his First Fruits or tithe so he can make a quick profit on the outside, expel for faithlessness.

"Use" of Relationships is not for One’s Own Gain

Honor your father and your mother; tolerate your siblings; patiently forebear the socialization of your mate.

Keep free from false charges and mob rule.

Adultery abuses the Spirits of everyone concerned, not merely the physical bodies of the participants. It divides spirit against spirit. Expel those who abuse it.

Selling someone else’s time means establishing slavery, and slavery is not appropriate for a free people. If you want to indenture yourself, make sure you have a contract that frees you within seven years, or your kin will have to come and redeem you. Expel purveyors of slavery.

If a person creates harm beyond his ability to restore, let him go sell himself into slavery up to seven years and make restitution, before he can be accepted back.

If an animal harms a human, destroy the animal and waste its flesh, protective dogs also. If the animal kills a human, expel its owner.

Relationship to God

Since "Yahveh God" can only be represented as a "living light," make NO physical representations of God, of angels, of spirits, of saints or of teachers. Let the assembly of God be in Spirit and not by sight. Leave atheists alone.

If you build G-d an Altar, make it of earth, so it must be constantly [annually] renewed and whitewashed.

Do not give gifts of things [that corrupt], only of experiences, acknowledgments, honors, recognition and musical delight. Let no mere thing or money become a bribe.

Let the Community Treasury handle the weight of measures and the profit of all its business, and let each person keep his and her own Journal. If ever the Treasurer or Purser is found to keep two sets of books, expel them and take their houses as restoration of the Treasury.

Use of Time

Any person obsessing over sexuality (with pictures, animals, children, prostitutes, etc.) must be expelled due to demon possession--the absence of an abiding spirit.

Anyone making a sport of the hunt, or looking for objects to destroy, or antagonizing to a fight—expel. Such a will-minus-spirit has no place in community.

Anyone personally "collecting" objects, hoarding commodities, serving as "packrat" or curator of a "pigsty" must be expelled because they create hazards of fire, theft and corruption. Let ALL re-cyclables be stored in common warehouse; all tools be kept in a tool Library; all books in a reference Library; all fabrics and craft materials in the work space for which they apply; all tapes and videos in a media Library, catalogued for checking out and re-archiving.

Wherever the Law said, "kill" or "stone," substitute the word, "expel." Expulsion is the most extreme form of punishment this community will adopt, unless it is bodily attacked. Training in martial arts is good for boldness and fitness together.

Allow the observance of the Festivals G-d designated: the "feast of unleavened bread," Pesach [first full moon after the spring equinox]; Pentacost [40 days later]; the "feast of harvest," Rosh Hashana [first full moon after the fall equinox]; and a midwinter Retreat for the ten days after the winter solstice, all to satisfy Gratitude for Life.

No one in community consume flesh of unclean animals; of those that died "naturally," or the blood thereof.

Everyone in community will "kick back and rest" one day of the week, or be expelled for obsessing. [If there is an emergency on the Sabbath, everyone will pitch in and help out, and then a new Sabbath will be designated.

Every animal, every garden, pond, bird, reptile and field will enjoy a day without necessity or threat. Every seventh year all fields will lie fallow and residents will gather only what happens to grow there. Planter boxes in the greenhouses will be rotated so soils are always fresh, always producing fine food.

During annual Festivals, residents follow sanitation guidelines and achieve meticulous cleanliness so no one is infected by food, sexual activities or communicable diseases.

Unclean animals are forbidden at all Festivals so bacterial contamination and risks are confined and limited to menu items containing clean meat and/or fish. Mushrooms and wine are only served with meat. Bread and beer are only be served with dairy products or eggs.

Animals clean for eating have cloven hoof and chew their cud. That does not include swine, especially because swine are intelligent animals, inappropriate for confining to pens or for slaughter [better suited to guard duty with geese and dogs]. Birds and fish that eat green vegetation are also "clean" for table, but not those which are "omnivorous" or "bottom feeders." Farm-raised fish are best at this point.

Animals for eating must be killed in a painless and humane manner, unaware that they are being sacrificed so their meat is not filled with fear hormones.

Cleanliness serves a barrier to disease and simplicity serves as the barrier to Ego. No two different fibers are woven together [for ease of cleaning], and a desire for simplicity will adapt our religious communicants from this community to an identifying attire of white cotton undergarments and black wool outer garments, ornamented only by optional blue tsit-tsit, stitchwork, tucks or ribbons embroidered with scriptures, headbands or bracelets. If people of the nations indulge in using polluting dyes and synthetic fibers, we don’t have to do that.

A home kept clean is a home furnished simply. Windows are to let in light and air--not support fancy curtains. Furniture is for sitting and handling matters--not for hoarding and gloating over "stuff."

Personal Hygiene

A spa facility enables each resident to bathe and shampoo regularly with plenty of hot soapy water. Menstruating girls and women enjoy a special ceremonial bath two ["clean"] days after the end of their monthly menses in preparation for a return to normal activities, in acknowledgment of the special gift of child-bearing and, when they marry, a return to their husband’s attentions. [It is understood marital relations are unclean and inappropriate during a woman’s menstrual period. Moreover, the eight-to-ten days waiting period before resuming relations is seen as healthful and restorative for ALL women, not just Jewish women. It's also conducive to the lessons called "postponing satiety" and "bearing chastity." Let them wait.]

The matter of family planning is not an issue; however, no woman is expected to deliberately abort a live fetus unless her own life is at stake--with concurrence of her doctor or midwife and her husband. After all, a child is a child of God.

Menstruating women have an option when necessary to go On Retreat for up to three days to recover strength and spiritual balance. If young children are in the household, sisters, aunts and cousins may be available to pick up the slack. This provision is particularly helpful to nursing mothers with older children. Time is spent at rest and in simple crafts and meditations, creating apparel for practical use, not for admiration and delicacy. Fabrics are for warmth and wicking away moisture--not for strutting and gloating.

Male infants are circumcised on the eighth day of life, as in Jewish culture, as a cultural identifier and to promote cleanliness.

Men and boys go On Retreat in-between large projects, after the harvest and during the cold of the winter, to face the silence and the dawn outside the community, in renunciation or in silence.
By adopting God’s Holy Law, we have defined what "civilized" means to us. Thus, a "sinner" is one who has violated one of God’s Laws and needs to return to it.

The Two-Fold Teaching: By Word AND works.

By precept and role-model, they must point out to members all that is good and holy more by example than by words, proposing orderliness to the community with words, but demonstrating matters by living example. Again, if they teach the community that something is not to be done, then neither must they do it, "lest after preaching to others, they themselves be found reprobate " (1 Cor. 9:27), and God calls to them in their sin: "How is it that you repeat my just commands and mouth my covenant when you hate discipline and toss my words behind you?" (Ps. 50:16-17). And also this: "How is it that you can see a splinter in another’s eye, and never notice the plank in your own?" (Matt. 7:3). Our leaders must answer to to the least of these, our brothers, in their charge.

Leaders and facilitators avoid all favoritism.

Founders are not to love one more than another unless they find someone better in good works and obedience. One born free is not to be given higher rank than one born into poverty who accepts a role, except for some other good reason. But leaders are free to change anyone’s rank as justice demands. This means, those achieving good results in balance and industry prosper their roles. Ordinarily, all are to keep to their regular places, because "whether slave or free, we are all one" (Gal. 3:28; Eph. 6:8) and share equally in service, for "God shows no partiality among persons" (Rom. 2:11). Only in this are we distinguished in God’s sight: if we are found better than others in good works and in humility. Therefore, leaders show equal love to everyone and apply the same discipline to all according to their merits, hospitality and generosity. There is never "cause" to favor the articulate over the troubled; or, to favor profane Law over Justice. Holy Law will be successful in creating a "kingdom to time indefinite."

Community leaders and facilitators "use argument, appeal, reproof" (2 Tim. 4:2).--This means that they vary the means of discipline to suit the lapse—-coaxing by turns--stern, at times devoted and tender. With the reluctant and the new, they use firm argument; with journeymen, they appeal for greater virtue. But as for the negligent and disdainful, we charge the leader to use reproof and rebuke (and expulsion if need be). They should not gloss over lawlessness of those who overstep; nor sins of those who err, but cull them out while they can as soon as bad effects show up, remembering the fate of Eli, priest of Shiloh (1 Sam. 2:11-4:18). For the upright and perceptive, the first and second warnings should be verbal; but those who are evil or stubborn, arrogant or disobedient can be curbed only by harsh duty and physical exertion or expulsion. It is written, "The fool cannot be corrected with words" (Prov. 29:19).

The Bitter and the Better.

Leaders must stay with difficult and demanding burdens they have undertaken until relief is forthcoming. Directing souls and serving a variety of temperaments demands the ability to coax, reprove and encourage, as these are appropriate. They must so accommodate and adapt themselves to each member’s character and intelligence that they not only keep the flock from dwindling, but will rejoice in its increase.

Above all, leaders wielding authority must not show too great a concern for fleeting and temporal things of this world, for in doing so, they neglect or treat lightly the welfare of those entrusted to them. Rather, they should keep in mind that they have undertaken the care of souls for whom they must give an account. That they may not plead lack of resources as an excuse, they are to remember what is written: "Seek first the reign and justice of of G-d, and all these things will be given you as well" (Matt. 6:33), and again, "Those who reverence the Holy One lack nothing" (Ps. 34:10).

Accounting for souls in their charge.

Whatever the number of members Leaders have in their care, let them realize they cannot control everything so they must "Let go and let God." In this way, while always aware they will be judged by God and men, they will never fear Him nor dwell on their own salvation, but give themselves freely to the Community. While helping others to amend, they themselves achieve the amendment of their own faults.

The community should, for all intents and purposes, be self-reliant, self-contained and self-sufficient. Clean water, a mill and gardens must be contained or on the roof, and the various crafts practiced within its walls, which encompass three our four floors deep into the ground with light shafts and glass atriums all the way down to the furthest basement [as you see in illustrations provided].

Communicants roam outside when they are gathering the day’s food, when they run with the dog or fly the kite with the kids, but all work and tools and business occurs within the walls that insulate, protect and keep everyone safe. There are but 2 outside entrances, on ground level.

Going "outside" and communicating with God is the same activity, because there are always dangers outside, always experiences outside, always relationships outside for which God is the only Mediator and Savior. Being sent on a journey, one may ask to be prayed over. All absent members should always be remembered at eventide. When they come back from a journey, they should, on the very day of their return, be given opportunity to pray over their experiences [in case they were tempted] and to read from their journal of written experiences at meals, as relief from ordinary readings. They may also ask for the prayers of the people for healing some special issue that comes up during the trip.

As often as anything important is to be done in the community, the leader/facilitator shall call the whole community together and explain what the business is. And after hearing the concerns and advice of the members in turn, let them ponder it and follow what they judge the wisest course. The reason why we have said all should be called for counsel is that the Spirit often reveals what is better to the younger. Community members, for their part, express their opinions with all humility and do not become obstinate. The decision is the Leader’s to make, so that all will follow. Nevertheless, just as it is proper for disciples to obey their teacher, so it is becoming for the teacher to settle everything with foresight and fairness.

Accordingly in every instance, all are to follow the principle of the rule, and no one shall rashly deviate from it. In the community, members are not merely to follow their heart’s desire. They shall not presume to contend with the leader defiantly or take their case outside the community. Remind them they have come to do service for a time; and to assume defiance is to ask for reproof and eventual expulsion. Should any member presume to do so, let them be questioned about their views, to infer their motives. If less important business comes up (2% or less of the day’s gain), let any three members agree on how it should be transacted and dispatch the matter and get on with the day’s work.

Yet it may occur that someone will be assigned a burdensome task or something they cannot do. If so, they should, with complete self-control, accept the order given them, and try it. Should they see, however, that the weight of the burden is altogether too much for their strength or skill, then they should choose the appropriate moment and explain patiently to the head of that function the reasons why they cannot perform the task. This they ought to do without pride, obstinacy or refusal. If after the explanation, they receive a refusal, they may go to the Facilitator and seek his help if they are weak, or they may trust in God’s help and, in love, simply obey.

An old Jewish proverb teaches, "When you have no choice, don’t be afraid," and a modern counterpart argues, "There’s no way out but through." Sometimes we are tested.

What Good Works consist of—-"Love your God with your whole heart, your whole soul and all your strength, and love your neighbor as yourself" (Matt. 22:37-39; Mark 12:30-31; Luke 10:27). Then: "You are not to kill, not to commit adultery; you are not to steal nor to covet" ( Rom. 13:9); "You are not to bear false witness" (Matt. 19:38; Mark 10:19; Luke 18:20). "You must honor everyone" (1 Pet 2:17), and "never do to another what you do not want done to yourself" (Tob. 4:16; Matt. and Luke 6:31).

Each one must renounce himself in part to follow the example of sacrifice in community. (Matt. 16:24; Luke 9:23) Discipline your body (1 Cor. 9:27); "Do not pamper yourself, but love fasting." You must relieve [and relive] the lot of the poor, "clothe the naked, visit the sick" (Matt. 25:36), and get dirty. Bury the dead; go help the troubled; console the grieving. A humble heart is not just a good heart; it is good for something. It is to be engaged in the great enterprise of acting for others in need, in the place of God.

Our way of dealing and acting should be different from the world’s way. The world’s way is to exclude the powerless. Here, one’s reverence for life must come before all else. You are not to act in anger or nurse a grudge. Rid your heart of all deceit. Never give a hollow greeting of peace or turn away when someone needs your love. Bind yourself to no oath lest it prove false, but speak the truth with an open heart.

Every precaution must be taken that one member does not presume in any circumstance to defend another in the community or to be their champion, even if they are related by the closest ties of blood. If a conflict or dispute has settled to the level of open warfare, then the Leaders need to meet and decide how to create permanent separations.

In community every occasion for presumption is to be avoided, and so we decree that no one has authority to "throw out" or strike any member of the community, excepting by the "due process" of the community itself. "Never do to another what you do not want done to yourself" occasionally may mean that two people each feel they need to be physically restrained at the same time.

If it is deemed necessary that two people need to "fight it out" in physical terms, that is a decision just as sober on reflection as any other ruling by the Leaders, and no other members may pre-empt a "due process" decision to encourage fighting, or they themselves will summarily be expelled, having shown a rebellious spirit against the Law.

"Do not repay one bad turn with another." (1 Thess. 5:15; 1 Pet. 3:9). Do not injure anyone, but bear injuries patiently. "Love your enemies" (Matt. 5:44; Luke 6:27). If people curse you, do not curse them back but bless them instead. "Endure persecution for the sake of justice" (Matt. 5:10). Learn to bear the paradoxes of life, that good and bad exist together; and then rebuke and expel those who refuse to amend their ways toward the Good.

Obedience is a blessing when it works one-to-one with each and every soul with whom we come in contact. Every person alive knows something that no one else knows. As it is written in the Tao:

"If you want to become whole, let yourself be partial. If you want to become straight, let yourself be crooked. If you want to become full, let yourself be empty."

At times a person may, having been reproved for some very small matter, feel one of the elders is angry or disturbed with them. This is not a matter to be dismissed; it is painful. When it occurs, what works to dispel the feeling is for the suffering soul to remain absent from the rest at meals and remain in solitude during mealtimes, until the feeling passes. The Cook [who provides food for all] will then inform Leaders of his absence, and they can come perform their ministries of reconciliation or leave the sufferer to God.

"You must not be proud, nor be given to wine" (Titus 1:7; 1 Tim 3:3). Refrain from too much eating or sleeping and "from laziness" (Rom. 12:11). Do not grumble or speak ill of others.

Place your hope and faith in God alone when faced with danger. If you notice something good in yourself, give credit to God, not to yourself, but be certain that the evil you commit is always your own and yours to acknowledge.

Be here now. Day-by-day, remind yourself that you’re going to die anyway, today might as well be a Good Day. Hour-by-hour keep careful watch over all your thoughts, aware that grace is upon you in every situation. As soon as an unkind thought comes to mind, disclose it to your spiritual guide and set it aside for work later. Guard your lips from harmful or deceptive speech. Examine your heart to see if you have outlived your vows. Don’t let your form of reflection become a form truly empty of real joy.

Prefer moderation in speech, and speak no foolish chatter; "Not every heart that laughs is cheerful" [a Jewish proverb] and "Fools raise their voices when they laugh, but the wise smile quietly" (Ecclesiasticus 21:20).

Listen readily to serious reading and devote yourself to meditating and prayer. Every day with tears and sighs confess your new-found sins and change yourself, always towards perfection-in-Truth.

Do not aspire to be called holy. Live by the Commandments every day; treasure chastity, harbor neither hatred nor jealousy of anyone, and do nothing out of envy. Do not love quarreling; shun arrogance. Respect elders and love the young. Pray for your enemies out of love for humanity. If you have a dispute with someone, make peace with that person before the sun goes down.

And never lose hope in God’s mercy. These then are the tools of the spiritual craft. When we have used them without ceasing day and night and have returned them on the day of judgment, our wages will be the reward we have envisioned: "What the eye has not seen nor the ear heard, [was] prepared for those who love Him" (1 Cor. 2:9). The workshop where we are to toil faithfully at all these tasks is the enclosure of the community and stability of community relationships.

Humility

Humility: the first step is unhesitating obedience, which comes naturally to those who cherish God above all. Because of service they have professed, they carry out the orders and necessaries of community as if the command came directly from God. The Holy One says of people like this: "No sooner did they hear than they obeyed me" (Ps. 18:45); again, God tells teachers. "Whoever listens to you, listens to me" (Luke 10:16). Such ones immediately put aside their own concerns and their own will [temporarily, for now] and lay down whatever they have in hand, leaving it unfinished. With the ready step of obedience, they follow the voice of authority in their actions. Almost at the same moment, then, as the teacher gives the instruction the disciple quickly puts it into practice out of reverence for God; and both actions together are swiftly completed as one.

It is love that impels us to pursue eternal life; therefore, we are eager to take the narrow road of which God says: "Narrow is the road that leads to life" (Matt. 7:14). They no longer live by their own judgment, giving in to whims and appetites; rather they walk according to community decisions and directions, choosing to live as one. Members of this resolve unquestionably conform to the saying: "I have come not to do my own will, but the will of the One who sent me" (John 6:38). They do this, or they do not stay.

This very obedience will be acceptable to God and agreeable to people only if compliance with what is "appropriate" is not cringing or sluggish or halfhearted, but free from any grumbling or any reaction of unwillingness. For the obedience given to Community is given to God who said: "Whoever listens to you, listens to me" (Luke 10:16), the disciples’ obedience must be given gladly for "God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Cor. 9:7). If disciples obey grudgingly and grumble, not only aloud but also in their hearts, then, even though an order is carried out, their actions are not acceptable because the effect is discouraging on others. Members who incite discouragement need to be "somewhere else," so the Body is not subject to shame.

Let us follow the prophet’s counsel: "I said, I have resolved to keep watch over my ways that I may never sin with my tongue." (Ps. 39:2). Manipulation and domination should be curbed so that one is not isolated or shunned for sin. Indeed, so important is modesty in speech and silence that permission to speak must be considered a privilege for the mature. "In a flood of words you will not avoid sin" (Prov. 10:19); and elsewhere, "The tongue holds the key to life and death" (Prov. 18:21). Speaking and teaching are the teacher’s task; the disciple is to be silent and listen. Therefore, requests to leaders and facilitators should be made with all humility and respect. We absolutely condemn in all places any vulgarity, gossip and talk leading to derision, and we do not permit a member to engage in words of that kind—not here.

Divine Scripture calls to us, saying "Whoever exalt themselves shall be humbled, and whoever humble themselves shall be exalted" (Luke 14:11; 18:14). In saying this, therefore, it shows us that every exaltation is a kind of pride, which the prophet indicates must be shunned, saying: "O God, my heart is not exalted; my eyes are not lifted up and I have no walked in the ways of the great nor gone after marvels beyond me" (Ps. 13;1). "If I had not a humble spirit, but were exalted instead, then you would treat me like a weaned child on its mother’s lap" (Ps. 131:2).

Accordingly, if we want to reach the highest summit of humility, if we desire to attain speedily that exaltation in heaven to which we climb by the humility of our present life, then by our ascending actions we must set up that ladder on which Jacob in a dream saw "angels descending and ascending" (Gen. 28:12). Without doubt, this descent and ascent can signify only that we descend by exaltation and ascend by humility. Now the ladder erected is our life on earth, and if we humble our hearts God will raise it to heaven. We may call our body and soul the sides of this ladder, into which our divine vocation has fitted the various steps of humility and discipline as we ascend.

We keep "the reverence of God always before our eyes" (Ps. 36:2) and never forget it. We must constantly remember everything God has commanded.

Being Responsive to Others

We learn to be attentive to nonverbal cues and to judge what we will perceive, listen to, watch in silence, shun; with whom we will shake hands and consent to deal.

Listening. We lend ear to what is upbuilding—

Elements and factors of knowledge, wisdom and understanding

Principles of operation, of integrity and of devotion;

How to provide encouragement to others;

Measurements, limits and boundaries to abide by.

Role-expectations, achievements and attainments.

Current issues in community and in the world;

Whatever dealings we personally like.

At times what we witness is not according to our own judgments; and silence is our best way of dealing with it. At these times we may feel it is appropriate to offer solace after such an event takes place. This too is a matter of sound and mature judgment.

When someone is reacting to another’s resentment;

When someone is being weakened by stress who is already struggling with it;

When someone is being accused and is temporarily confounded by the accusation;

When someone has been reduced by indifference or presumption of another [not to be confused with shunning].

When someone is grieving over having been told to remove himself because of refusal to consent;

When someone is silenced for taking a stand on an issue;

When someone was essentially tricked into being expelled.

As for the instigator of Nos. 1 through 7 above, the appropriate and wise course is to shun such an instigator.

Silence is also appropriate at other-—moving-—times:

When your gifts are presumed upon;

When people act stupidly, out of ignorance, pretensions, prejudice or amusement;

When another empties you of all your best and working judgments [cuts you down];

When you yourself are working on a claim, "building a case" for or against a practice, changing your mind; wondering, speculating; in prayer.

When you feel you have run out of options: this is the time for silence and prayer.

When you are making love, there is nothing to say.

CONSENT : THE ETHICS OF BEHAVIOR-BY-CHOICE

Living in community demands a measure of self- and mutual understanding that is not necessary out in the world. This is because Trust is what holds the intentional community together—not local, state or national laws; not value-based rules; not personal preferences. Trust is built on common knowledge. This document sets out the common knowledge base that defines us.

There are five areas that need to be consented to, in order for all of us to trust all the rest of us. And these are—

That we consent to a shared concept of Truth in relation to each other—and we thereby eschew psychic possession, prejudice, domination, manipulation, control, interference, slander, libel, betrayal, persecution, pressure, proselytizing and all manner of pretenses and wishing. What is, simply IS.

We consent to a shared notion of Poverty [because we’re all in the same physical boat together] that precludes 1) stealing; 2) buying or trading meat of unknown origin, sugars, sodas and other sweets; 3) squandering money on alcohol, stimulants, depressants and inhalants. [Although we may choose to organize a winery or a brewery, we will do so by consent, not by fiat.]

We agree to live by a shared notion of Thrift that precludes and excludes collecting and obtaining mere Goods and novelties for which we would have to provide transportation, storage, and maintenance so we can fulfill our mission—which is Charity.

We abide by some form of Chastity [stand for the right to make and keep personal promises] that defines with whom we sleep and share toilet until and unless a matter or issue of separation is brought before the body and made official. The aim in bringing up issues of chastity before the Body is to make sure all rights of vulnerable parties are acknowledged, and personal sacrifices are recognized.

And, finally, we share a sense of Clarity [viz. Charity] in which our mission to extend a hand to help those in need means we entertain guests even when there’s not enough to go around for ourselves. Whatever is left over after our expenses are paid, we are rested and warm, our children are educated and trained, goes for that.

Not everyone will want to consent to all five of these issues. However, only the people who—-in writing—-consent to four out of five holy values will be considered as leaders, facilitators and managers in the community.

This also means, anyone who gives written consent and then at a later date—-backs OUT-—will be subject to demotion, expulsion from favored quarters, or outright dismissed. This is to show the value of Trust to all onlookers as the correct example-—inside and outside.

Becoming a Consenting Resident

It’s so easy to say, "Sure I’ll do a, b, c, d, and e!"

It is not so easy--here. Joining as a Cenobite, Anchorite or Sarabaite takes five seasons, roughly fifteen months, of continuous acceptable service. During that time, entrants live in camp, consent to work at tasks of their choosing, hobnob with permanent members, take relationships, do some business, contribute new ideas, skills or crafts. This is all to the good.

Being a resident takes commitment. During each season, entrants are asked to focus on an issue being presented in community at the moment. This is because the entire community addresses these five issues year-round, in community problem-solving focus groups.

New entrants are encouraged to sign up to discuss Consent and complete the Consent form by the initiation of the new season—which begins as a Festival, Fair or Retreat, depending on the time of year. At the end of each season [on the solstice or equinox], the query goes out, "Who—this season—wants to consent to [Truth, Poverty, Simplicity and Thrift, Clarity/Charity or Chastity]?"

Those who consent to Truth are eligible to work in our retail businesses, musicians, crafts, building trades, recycling center and kitchen servers, cooks.

Those who consent to Poverty work as messengers, as purchasing agents or scouts for essentials; security guards.

Those who consent to Simplicity and Thrift serve as gardeners, teachers, librarians, tutors and other autonomous roles.

Those who consent to Clarity serve as nurses, guides, drivers, healers, speakers, moderators, facilitators, managers, accountants and bookkeepers.

And those who consent to Chastity live in congregate housing because their promises and commitments are reliable; so elderly and disabled persons are not intruded upon; so the community can assure its continuity from generation to generation.

The Innermost Step.

The prophet shows that our thoughts are always present to God, saying: "God searches hearts and minds" (Ps. 7:10); and again: "The Holy One knows our thoughts" (Ps. 94:11); likewise, "From afar you know my thoughts" (Ps., 139:3); and "My thoughts shall give you praise" (Ps. 76:11). That we may avoid thoughts creating bad effects in our experience, we must say to ourselves: "I shall be blameless in God’s sight if I guard myself from my own wickedness" (Ps. 18:24).

While we guard ourselves at every moment from sins and vices of thought or tongue, of hand or foot, of self-will or bodily desire, let us recall that we are always seen by God in the heavens, that our actions everywhere are in God’s sight and are reported by angels at every hour. And when our will is to sin, let us beseech God for gentle guidance, for He wastes not nor withhold any experience from us, necessary for our good.

Accountability : Skills and Education.

Accordingly, if "the eyes of Yahveh are watching the good and the wicked" (Prov. 15:3), at all times and, "the Holy One looks down from the heavens on us to see whether we understand and seek God" (Ps. 14:2); and if every day the angels assigned to us report our deeds to God day and night, then we must be vigilant every hour or, as the prophet says in the Psalm, God may observe us "falling" at some time into evil and "so made worthless" (Ps. 14:3).

After sparing us for a while because God is loving and waits for us to improve, we may be told later, "This you did, and I said nothing" (Ps. 50:21). It is not perfection that leads us to God; it is persistence.

The way to a civilized life is through accountability-- the ability to record events, the ability to measure and assess effects, and the ability to remember outcomes.

Rule One: Accountability for Skill

Being educated is a matter of having access to structured and coherent data so community knowledge can be retained as remembered, "the true facts." The process of education begins when a child can read, record, save and retrieve his or her thoughts, on paper.

Reading books about the thoughts of others does not educate—-it only teaches or trains. And we can train a mammal or bird to "behave" and even to respond to symbols and to notice and respond to certain conditions. Yet you can only educate a human child or a reptile. These only learn from their own hard experiences—-seldom from someone else’s prior teaching. Herein lies the failure of modern education--to teach from real experiences and not out of old books.

That being the case, if the primary writer of importance is also the student of what is written, then reading and penmanship are the primary skills any child must attain. Penmanship keeps the recording process simple and cheap; its only required tools are notebook and pen. And what its structured use provides is everyone’s access to the causes and effects of real experiences. Thus each and every person in the village has and uses a journal and opens his or her journals to others.

People govern themselves by creating written agreements, statements and testimonies to events, results, effects and outcomes. This is why we place a Guest Register at the door. Effects can then be perpetuated or truncated according to matters at hand, the people involved or the outcomes desired. Truth is what is paramount; its abuse is forbidden and expulsion for the violation of Truth is the outcome of demonstrated written perfidy.

Deviating from Truth is the only grounds on which a person and/or his family can be expelled.

Rule Two: Accountability for Motivation

We all expect to live reasonably comfortably. Those who feel emptied will always tend to slacken their hand in work and in making commitments to effort. Hope itself is an ego trait that even the wise evoke when they bumble occasionally and lose their grip on effects they want to keep.

The way we accomplish a comfortable level of life for everyone is to invoke the 80/20 Rule—-to facilitate fairness and accountability—-not to give advantage to any one family or working person over any other.

We notice what most working people tend to do is to have a prominent vocation (80% of their time) and a hobby (20%). But they derive half their income from each activity if they are good at what they do. So,

Rule Two goes like this: Whether you have one vocation or two or more, all revenue your work generates is to be kept in journal, compared and acknowledged by the Cellarer’s office Purser.

Work consists of time-in-service to others evidenced by notes of acknowledgment, thanks and recommendations; market value of materials or produce grown, harvested, salvaged, remaindered—-but not stolen. [Items brought in from outside must accompany a receipt.] For new residents who have not yet completed a year’s work, the coupon scripts for work consented to not yet completed are to be tallied and compared with similar situations obtained in recent history.

Running tallies are kept by the Purser so he/she can identify people for new and innovative opportunities from among those who quickly "create something out of nothing in no time." Members who shirk work can mess around all they want--but they will never live in congregate housing--only in field tents and camps.

Failure is not a personality trait; it is an outcome called "poverty." God utilizes poverty to direct our thoughts and disrupt the presumptuous--not to destroy people He loves. It is to save people from problems they create for themselves that poverty serves as good discipline. It is by embracing simplicity and community that problems of obtaining and need are resolved. And it is because mankind avoids the practice of accounting according to essential needs that populations have had to face scarcity and privation.

Ants and bees are intelligent enough to warehouse provisions for themselves so as not to be undone by predictable seasons of scarcity. No one can stand for his home who is dead from hunger or cold, and there is no way to delegate scrambling for food. Thus, the human test becomes how to divide food stores and put them away and also when and how to dispense with those not used or needed. In all, sharing is what works best.

Note: every "wish" is a claim on the community. Someone’s presumptuous insistence on "purity" only violates others’ spirits; limiting and lacking indulges the sense of having failed and it converts one's testimony from hope to despair. We have a right to our feelings, hopes and preferences so long as they do not threaten the community physically. [If the hopes of one individual threaten a community’s sense of balance and well-being, that community needs to be re-worked up from the ground or divided anyway.]

Dissociating from "bad people" only serves to cheat and compromise the very provisions needed to create security and well-being. Thus, each community must remember to factor in and depend on all sorts of people and only offer certain privileges for certain kinds of gifts and skills. It doesn’t work "to give away the store" to everyone who shows up. Neither does it work to deprive residents for the sake of principles. We can deal with all sorts of restrained spirits and allow comfort in moderation.

Rule Three : Accountability for Consent

Residents must give a true accounting to the Purser of their total gains and losses in revenue they produce out of the vocations they serve. Having done this, the choice remains how to participate in community—as a Member-In-Equity (retain 20%) or a Member-In-Situate (retain 80%).

Members-In-Equity claim 20% of gross revenue back at the end of the year as their "income." For the 60% they relinquish, after two years of service living orderly in camp, they obtain rights to a quiet and private, 2.5 story, sun-warmed townhouse, patio, garden plot, with planters and window-boxes to utilize. They have access to clean and hot water, sanitary facilities, baths and showers, barber and beauty services, communications and computers, library, clinic and two meals a day [plus whatever work clothes they need]. They can borrow a Community car or van as needed. They are full-fledged residents if no compromises exist with Truth, Effort or Accountability. Conflicts-of-interest are expected to occur; accountability means we deal with the conflicts as they come up.

"Equity children" are schooled in Reading, penmanship and journalism; Arithmetic, accounting and mathematics; Ecology, geography and navigation; Physical culture, hygiene and nutrition, History and comparative ethics; Problem-solving and communications are the core subjects in school.

Members-In-Situate are those who want to retain 80% of gross revenue and keep title to their income themselves. These members work in the community and live in camps, campers or quarters outside the congregate village. In-Situate members do what they want and they school their children elsewhere. [However, their children are favored for obtaining their own "Member-In-Equity" status at age 14.]

~*~ 9192 ~*~ I N T I M A C Y ~*~

While enjoying and being open to appropriate participation, what's "appropriate" is what is "safe" and "effective," in Truth.

Intimacy implies that Truth is the on-going process of choice.

It means that everyone is participating; but intimacy do NOT lead--
to acting out when participation doesn't occur.
People who are intimate hope all things.
They endure all things; they never give up.
An investment in Intimacy is not financially profitable;
rather, it's an investment in experience.

FOR WOMEN:
Deal with Awareness. Be open and show up.
A person who is focus gives what she wants to Get.
What is Physical needs to be articulated.
What is Visible relates also to Reason.
It's good to harmonize thoughts and practices.
But Sharing is a Choice that inspires its dealings with its commitment to Love.

FOR MEN:
Devote yourself to what is True. A commitment is a commitment.
Be aware of your gifts [as well as blind spots liabilities].
To intend to give satisfaction, respond with gratitude to what you get.
What's delightful is also profitable if you remain with the options you have.
Who knows what pleasure is possible if you actually acknowledge what's good?
Remember, you are being challenged, not indulged.
Initiate what you want to receive praise for.
Limit your own Getting, so Satiety and Boredom aren't at work.
Thrive Discernment--not Ego.

From Scripture: "So ought husbands to love their wives as they do their own bodies. He who loves his wife is loving himself; for nobody ever hated his own flesh, but one feeds it up and keeps it warm." Eph. 5:28,29.

~*~ 8991-- GENDER and SEXUAL HEALTH ~*~

Life is never Just a Bother. Experience is never just something to avoid.

Deserving Honor and Virtue cannot be attributed to those who have simply refused to act at all.

Take care that contemplation is not just a way to stay out of Life's Business.

If you're not in Life's Way, you cannot develop strength.

If you are not truly vulnerable to pain and loss, you cannot empathize with God's acceptance of you, and you cannot learn to forgive yourself and others.

You are here to live life, not just to TALK, TALK, TALK.

The Divine Banquet is the experience of the Whole Subjective Dimension in your head.

It is hearing the Angels' call to you, to consider a new Thought, without instantly identifying with the thought.

It is hearing interpretations about your current feelings, without casting interpretations as Expectations or as Doubts for the future.

It is hearing that you need to enlarge your responsibilities, without adding the Expectation that you will enlarge your Privileges.

Right now, new Subjective experiences will continue to add depth and variety to your physical experiences, including increasing your ability to spontaneously respond.

This is the Will of God and your Will working together. Misery is not a good substitute for Virtue.

If you're not getting your needs met, you're not getting your needs met.

So, what are you going to do about it? Make God feel guilty for calling you to love?

If you're not suffering for My Sake, why not just love yourself and provide for your own needs as well?

But IF you deny your own needs, then I--God--am made to look like a gloating Monster, and your heart withers from the Shame of it.

But, if you are called to work with me so our Wills are One, I will gladly give you the Desires of your True Heart, because I love you.

II

Most People don't deal with what's Holy; they deal with the appearance of what's Holy.

In terms of outcomes and consequences, sexual activity has never had a Holy doctrine--that is, a doctrine based on causes and effects, costs and outcomes.

People are squeamish about sex because sex is messy and smelly, sticky and juicy.

Within the marriage bond, sex improves the energy adaptation of both men and women, including increasing their ability to respond if they utilize their energies harmoniously.

The fact is that sexual experiences are energizing or calming, in and of themselves, depending on which partner is energized and which is passive.

And sex doesn't have undesirable consequences attached to it, unless disease or boredom are at work.

Masturbation is the perfect example of a practice that can promote either Good or Evil, depending on the individual's knowledge of energy states, gender and timing.

When an energized individual (usually male) masturbates and activates an emission, His bodily energy is reduced and relieved for a time with no harmful effects (if cleanliness is actuated).

BUT, if the person cultivates the appetite for and attachment to this type of release, it becomes an addiction, like any other, with a fixation on the release of energies rather than the resolution of issues.

Occasionally, such a release truly helps an energized male who has made the commitment to celibacy and Solitude in service to the Lord.

But, what if the male is not energized, is yin, and lacking energy? Does that mean he should desire the energy of another male?

Never may that be the case! I am the One Who provides freely to All that ask! I will energize the passive, yin male, if he will but ask me.

Should the yin male desire the energy of a yang female?

Now, this is a good question, and the answer depends whether the yin male has an occasional problem or a constant problem.

If the problem is occasional loss of energy, I will happily provide.

If the man's energy is in a major depression, then he and I have work to do, to seek knowing of his True Will, and with that, My Will for him.

If his True Will is that he should marry and get regularly adjusted by regular sex, that can be one outcome.

If he's in the midst of great Passion, but doesn't want to compromise his commitment to the single life, He must confess to his Lover this Commitment, and he must limit his consensual activity to cuddling and/or oral sex.

This sounds shocking, but it has a true empirical basis.

Oral sex has fewer long-term outcomes and consequences than Honored Sex:
1. No children are produced.
2. It teaches trust in a very conscious way.
3. It relieves the Great Passions of a temporary nature; and
4. It provides the space and time for true contemplation of God's Will about long-term Decisions.

[Naturally, the person suffering from Passion is not rationally thinking about birth control.]

If he or she is contemplating 'just sex,' then real passion is truly absent or control is the real issue.

If sexual practice continues for more than a few short interludes, and does not produce a movement toward Marriage, a problem of attachment to appetite has become manifest; and such a problem can now be dealt with directly.

Birth control is Good Practice in marriage for the careful and appropriate Spacing of Children in the family; but birth control for the purpose of profane and recreational sex diminishes the pleasure for sexual expression by increasing its frequency beyond the natural limit of desire.

III

There are no shortcuts to Harmony. Harmony means Good Results.

Each and every step of your path has been traveled before. The Path is shorter and simpler than you can Guess.

It is simply Trusting Me to provide everything for you--even sex, even pleasure.

In the midst of and your commitment to love me--not in spite of that commitment.

Your Path is like a rock thrown across the expanse. Not a motion is lost.
There are no spinning wheels and there is no energy deficit. All 'side tracks' are part of the program.

Sex is not the problem: Obsession is a problem. Obtaining is a problem. Consequences are problems.

But you will get all the energies you need to fulfill My Mission for you.

And we will work through the details together, because I have visited that Space time and time again; and I know how to work you through it.

IV

Sin, in the past, meant lack of discipline and the bad consequences that arose therefrom.

Now, sin has a new meaning. A person who is immobilized and clutching at whatever he or she can [get at] is said to be 'in sin.'

When in Sin, the individual doesn't perceive that any choices are available, but feels that all the good options are already taken by others [zero sum];

or that naturally deserving Honor is impossible because of the Judgment that Sin Causes Death.

The fact is: Life causes Death and Sin just makes Life harder.

'Favoring' an individual means that God is putting up with and attending to him or her now.

If God is favoring you, then your struggles are visible to Him and your deserving honor is visible also.

Just by the colors of your Aura, He sees everything that you are feeling and thinking.

You are absolutely transparent to God. Nothing you do, think, feel or notice escapes His Friendly Attention.

V

Now, if a female is yang (having a surplus of energy and a logical mind), what should she do?

The Principle of Androgyny operates in the Physical : Each person--to Deserve being Honored by others--must live out the gender into which they happen to be physically born regardless of whether their Spirit is Dominant (male) or Doubtful/Faithful (female).

This means, a dominant female has a surplus of energy and a rational mind that CAN cut most men to pieces.

If such a woman disdains the weak men of her day and craves serving God, then it would help her to masturbate to equalize and soften her energies so she can remain autonomous.

Any capable woman can give herself more pleasure than any fumbling male can ever produce for her himself.

If occasional release is not enough, she should seek a mate having Strong Integrity (or she WILL cut him to pieces) from among those men who are Passive.

This is because such a woman needs Space to Operate which a Dominant Male will never permit her to exercise.

She must hold the Passive Man in Honor as she would hold a Dominant Man in Honor, because he is truly filling her needs to relieve her excessive energy.

But, should she take a female, submissive partner? Never! lest the children's concept of Role, Doctrine and Trust be confused and confounded.

Remember--it is the effect on the children of every Doctrine that determines whether an outcome works or not.

Children are the reason for love, sex, and pair-bonding.

Children are the reason for the need for energy-sharing.

Children are the reason for the need for Discipline and Role-Modeling.

Now, if the woman is passive and has little energy, look closely to see whether she thrives that way, or she is seriously repressed or depressed.

A woman who is always or mostly yin may be physically exhausted or spiritually exhausted.

Let her come to God for help in discerning her own Will and to harmonize her Will with Mine.

VI

From this discussion, All can see there are no excuses for long and lonely faces.

I will provide the relationships you need to thrive in your work While I am in the process of locating your Right Place, you always have the option of providing your own [temporary] pleasure.

That is a better and safer alternative than recreational sex with profane lovers or--worse yet--family responsibilities that are not appropriate to your true Vocation.

For those of my Children who love and serve Me, the cost need not be Will-sacrificing abstemiousness.

Such is not a reflection of God's True Love.

Rule Four : Accountability for Disability

No one wants to admit they "can’t cut it anymore." Ravages of disease, aging, birth trauma or defects or simple neglect of good health practices break us down eventually, and it is not counted to us as a fault or character defect. ALL members—In-Situate or In-Equity—receive the benefit of shelter, food, clothing, medical attention, hygiene, transportation, socialization and hospice care if one’s reputation in the community has remained strong or if at least two members are working in community in good standing, who are expected to continue in service indefinitely. [What tends to occur is families’ alternating generations inside--for security--and outside--for freedom—-in the congregate community].

Choices.--When a Member-In-Situate decides to create his own Equity, the date from which tenure is calculated is one year after written Consent is obtained.

If a Member-In-Equity chooses to alter his commitment from retaining 20% to retaining 80%, a judgment is made that a change in status is at work and an expectation is set that the member will leave the Household within two years.

If a Member-In-Situate cheats on accountability principles, he loses his job and he has up to two years to move out of Camp, in case he can regain his senses.

The next step of humility is that we pursue not our own will nor take pleasure or satisfaction of merely temporal desires; rather we shall imitate by our actions that saying of Christ’s: "I have come not to do my own will, but the will of the One who sent me" (John 6:38). For this reason we submit to the community in all obedience for the love of God, love of our members, and love of our soul, imitating the Christ, of whom the apostle says, "Christ became obedient even to death" (Phil. 2:8).

Endurance Under Trial

The fourth step of humility is obedience under difficult, unfavorable or unjust conditions. The heart can quietly embrace suffering and endure it without weakening or seeking escape if chastity or a moral principle is at stake. For Scripture has it: "Anyone who perseveres to the end will be saved" (Matt. 10:20), and again, "Be brave of heart and rely on Yahveh" (Ps. 27:14). Another passage shows how the faithful must endure everything for the sake of the Holy One. "For your sake we are put to death continually; we are regarded as sheep marked for slaughter" (Rom. 8:26; Ps. 44:22). We can be so confident in our expectation of the continuity of life in God that we can continue joyfully and say, "But in all this we overcome because of Christ who so greatly loved us " (Rom. 8:37) Elsewhere, Scripture says: "O God, you have tested us, you have tried us as silver is tried by fire; you have led us into a snare, you have placed afflictions on our backs and you have placed others over our heads" (Ps. 66:10-12). Sometimes our circumstances reprove us, and we must endure effects we don’t like. Counting trials as experiences that yield "a real answer," a valuable lesson, and a new light on Truth holds us to our teachings and practice as more sacred than our own mere preferences.

By continuing to follow through we fulfill the command, "When struck on one cheek, turn the other. When deprived of their coat, they offer their cloak also; when pressed into service for one mile, they go two" (Matt 5:39-41). With the apostle Paul, they bear with "false companions, endure persecution and bless those who curse them" (2 Cor. 11:26; 1 Cor. 4:12).

The reason we can turn the other cheek is: Our ways create peace. God is faithful. He will not allow us to be tested beyond our ability to endure the test. (James 3)

Thoughts ARE Things

Set aside, thoughts have no physical effect. We discipline effects only--not thoughts. Toxic shame, repression and thought-control are not merely ungodly; stuffing feelings comes out of obsessions and half-baked judgments. Effects are fruit which reveal good and evil. Let members reveal their thoughts to God. "I was exalted, then I was humbled and overwhelmed with confusion" (Ps. 88:16). And again, "It is a blessing that you have humbled me so that I can learn your commandments" (Ps. 119:71,73). But by revealing our approaches and manners to the leaders and facilitators, we come to agreement about taking turns.

Taking Initiatives (Turns).--The nature of God is to take good initiatives on behalf of the helpless and hopeless. Let us do likewise, and let the community set aside essentials and minister to the poor who come for aid. At the same time, "It is better to ask the way ten times than to take the wrong road once," is a Jewish proverb.

Humility and Silence.--The ministry of listening to others goes on much more smoothly when the person in greatest need is led to do the talking and we merely listen. "In a flood of words you will not avoid sinning" (Prov. 10:19), and "A talkative person goes about aimlessly on earth" (Ps. 140:12). These verses imply that people who chatter and babble, joke and poke are busy running from their own souls. So, speak gently in all humility, and without raucous laughter, seriously and with becoming modesty, briefly and reasonably, as it is written: "The wise are known by few words."

The Tao teaches this:
The best people are like water
They benefit all things,
And do not compete with them.
They settle in low places,
One with nature, one with Tao.

Humility and One’s Physical body and manner.

We must always manifest humility in our bearing no less than in our hearts, so that it is visibly evident to all. Whether sitting, walking or standing, and although we may be physically strong and graceful, we must be willing to cast eyes down, make way, take the last seat, hold the door for someone else, help shoulder the burden, attend to the lame and the pauper, and either meet a stranger eye-to-eye or avert the gaze, if the other would be offended by direct eye contact. Not touching another person without their audible permission in the presence of witnesses, will save us from accusations and slander, except when life itself is at stake [and then that situation is obvious for all to see]. "I am bowed down and humbled in every way" (Ps. 38:7-8; Ps. 119-107) reflects on a "humble attitude" as what is appropriate.

Casting out fear.--Now, therefore, after ascending all these steps of humility, we arrive at the "perfect love" of God which "casts out fear" (1 John 4:18). Through this love, all that we once performed with dread, we will now observe without effort, as though naturally from habit, no longer out of fear at all. All this progress God will supply by the power of the Holy Spirit graciously manifest in us now cleansed of vice and sin [unless and until by weakening our hold on Truth, we fall into compromise and must begin at the beginning, yet again].

The PRACTICE OF AROUSAL
-595--What is unpleasant must always be subject to limits. Thus, a Lover would never do anything to hurt or harm the Beloved.
-585--One would never want to initiate what is degrading. Thus, a Lover must be aware of the Beloved's deepest feelings.
-575--Force will always fail. So, Patience is better than force; because it wins out.
-565--But complaining is impossible to deal with, sexually. So, stick with what works, and look for future "opportunities."
-555--What's impossible is impossible. And what's possible is probably available, with tact.
-545--Doubt is very self-defeating and isolating. So, just smile and have a good time, whatever form works.
-535--Getting irate doesn't work. Encouraging Happiness doesn't demand concessions.
-525--Detachment is a prediction of failure. So, respond positively or explain why it won't work out just now.
-515--In any case, humiliation will fail. But being evocative and responsive will create Good Expectations.
-504--Demanding a performance weakens true feelings. It's better to forego a performance than become detached.
-494--Watch out, that the appetite for Comfort isn't actually a distraction from some other issue.
+484--What's certain is that the Feelings wax and wane, whether they come back for you is easy to identify.

"As you do to these—-the least of my people—-so you do to me," [Matt 25]
is what Yeshua told us about our relationships to each other. In general, we follow Yeshua’ admonition to treat each other out of the utmost love and respect. However, confronting problems also treats others with respect because it contains the expectation that people don’t always KNOW what it is they are doing or not doing that affects others.

In general, we follow the Angels’ example of showing encouragement, thankfulness and praise toward all good. However, when what is NOT good shows up, we have to know what to do about that also.

OBSERVE ISSUES.—

Give encouragement to someone-—

who is overwhelmed by their circumstances;

who is not mature or competent enough to reckon experiences according to what is appropriate;

who is pretending and restraining themselves;

who is empty and judging against themselves;

who is hopeless, in denial and in ego--but without options;

who is sick because they’ve been foolish

who is failing because they "didn’t get it."

Give thanks to God and your community—

when you "get a turn" at what you want to do;

when you learn something new and unexpected;

when you meet someone new you like;

when you are given the role to represent others;

when you shake hands on a deal;

when you realize you are overwhelmed by gratitude;

when you experience joy, enjoyment or rejoicing.

When a valued opportunity comes up

When you locate somebody you want to care for.

Give praise to God and contributing members, guests, children, elders and specify what praise is for

A well-founded point-of-view

that someone catches on quickly;

that one accepts and acknowledges an agreement.

effective leadership [enjoyable experiences];

right, appropriate judgment, discernment and wisdom;

consideration given with feedback and criticism.

effective governance [orderly conduct];

confirming, validating and vindicating Truth;

upholding feelingss of others;

enjoying life. "Wow!" "Cool!" "Groovy" are all praises.

receiving praise for oneself;

healing sickness and injury;

justifying and supporting a leadership position

becoming a judge in the community

trusting and being trusted.

Rebuke whoever is speaking out of turn When—-

someone reneges on consent without speaking up beforehand and in some detail about its problems;

someone "in-the-know" is silent about a matter and decisions were made without their counsel.

someone is attacking, berating or presuming upon a person of good reputation.

someone is refusing to take their turn or unwilling to let someone else take their expected turn;

someone is ordering others around.

Prayer

People pray according to their need. The working person prays, "Give us this day our daily bread"; the teacher prays, "Bless these children you have given into my hand." A manager prays, "Let me find the best way to do this set of tasks" and the minister prays, "Let these people be blessed with understanding so they can carry on." But for the prophet, the priest, the gyrovague monk and nun, the pope, prayer is unceasing, and every step of the life’s path is articulated as the prayer: "Not as my will, but as Yours be done." And so it is there is no simple way to describe prayer, except that a person’s Role has more to do with how much you prayer you engage in, how much a person actually seeks God than any rule, policy or requirement set down.

We pray because God attracts us and we pray only because God is attracting us. We are not, in other words, even the author of our own prayer life. It is the goodness of God, not any virtue that we might develop on our own, that brings us to the Heart of God. And it is with God’s help that we seek His Company in prayer.

On Saturday [the Sabbath] or First Day [Sunday] a community should be at rest, in prayer or at Vigils. In these Vigils. Yet there must be moderation in quantity: this is not a workday and we're not exercising our prayers, as in a bicycle race.

An arrangement for Services should be followed, summer and winter, unless—-God forbid-—the members happen to arise too late. In that case, readings or responses will have to be shortened. Let special care be taken that this not happen; but if it does, the one at fault is to make due satisfaction to God in the scullery.

The prophet says: "Seven times a day have I praised you" (Ps. 119:164). We [adults] fulfill this sacred number of seven if we satisfy our obligations of service: "At midnight I arose to give you praise" (Ps. 119:62). Therefore, we should "praise our Creator for just judgments" whenever circumstances warrant and entice our praise. [We realize parents of small children are not living at a right time for middle-of-the-night devotions—-this is as it should be. Parents need their rest.]

Manners in the Presence of God.

Whenever we want to ask a favor of someone powerful, we do it humbly and respectfully, for fear of presumption. How much more important, then, to lay our petitions before the God of all with the utmost humility and sincere devotion. We must know that God regards our purity of heart and tears of compunction, not many words. Prayer should therefore be short and pure, unless perhaps it is prolonged under the inspiration of divine grace. In community, however, prayer should always be brief; and when a leader or facilitator gives the signal, all should rise or sit together.

Delegating headship.--When the community becomes rather large, it should split when it reaches 150-00, so that no one ever feels lost our unaccounted for. Leaders delegate Deans to take care of their groups of ten, managing all corporate affairs according to the commandments of God and demands of consensus, leader, prophet and/or facilitator. Anyone selected as a dean should be the kind of person with whom a leader can confidently share the burdens of office. They are to be chosen for virtuous living, wise teaching, and temperament, not for rank, position, class or "endowment."

If perhaps one of these deans is found to be puffed up with pride and so deserving of censure, they are to be reproved once, twice, and even a third time. Should they refuse to amend, they must be removed from office [returned to the ranks] and replaced by another who is worthy. We prescribe the same course of action to a leader or facilitator also.

Congregate Sleeping Arrangements

Single members sleep in separate rooms (3x7 meters) and beds; married members as singles together or a couple to a room (3x10 meters). They receive seating and bedding as provided by Housekeeping suitable for community life and comfort. For young singles, a dormitory of six members is sufficient to teach humility, silence and respectful consideration of others.

ALL sleep in clean soft cotton and ungirded, but with a robe nearby for intrusions and interruptions. Thus, members will always be ready to arise without delay when a signal is given; each will hasten to arrive at the Conjunction before the others, yet with all dignity and decorum. Younger members should have their dorms interspersed among elders. On arising for Vigils they will quietly encourage each other, for the sleepy like to make excuses.

"Attitude problems."

Members who are found to be stubborn, disobedient or proud, grumbling or despising and neglecting community responsibilities should be rebuked in private by those whom they offend. If they do not amend, they must be rebuked publicly in the presence of everyone. But if even then they do not reform, let them be asked to leave by a convening committee provided they understand the nature of this punishment. If however they lack understanding, give them a hut in a nearby field, and let them stay there until by prayer and supplication, they regain some understanding.

There ought to be due proportion between the seriousness of a fault and the measure of excommunication or discipline it invokes. One way to assure "like-for-like" is to cooperate with other like communities and trade "cases-to-judge." This works better than permitting ill will from creating a community judgment that is "out-of-scale" with respect to the infraction that was committed.

Socially separating a "guilty one" from the rest of the body only serves to harbor anger and separation anxiety. Withholding responsibilities serves to harbor laziness and indolence. Withholding privileges is appropriate if the guilty one is obsessing over his privileges and lording them over other people, but not if he doesn’t care anyway.

Those guilty of breaking a rule should be dealt with very differently from those guilty of breaking a LAW. Generally, breaking a rule creates an effect in that it inconveniences someone else. Since no one in community owns much of anything except their own toothbrush, hair comb and clothing [what is in physical contact with the body every day], there is nothing to steal, and stealing isn’t an issue. Taking up peoples’ time also, should not be a legal or civil issue, except as a matter of ruling against presumption.

"There is no failure except in no longer trying," it is said. Yet, even depression, anger, anxiety and grief can be relieved if a soul is willing to accept a hut in the field for a period of time, and with prayer and supplication return to the fold with a clearer mind after a year or two of renunciate service.

Breaking a Holy LAW comes up if a person injures or harms someone else. Murder, assault [physical, verbal or sexual abuse], stealing from an outsider, slander, blackmail and perjury are crimes against people that must be investigated and the guilty party [restrained and] turned over to civil authorities. For this reason, all members should practice martial arts, to know how both to defend themselves and defend the community against lawless persons. Civil crimes—-against profane agreements, partnerships, businesses and marriages—-must be handled as matters to be mediated and brought to a Just and Fair resolution. Also, the families of persons who commit lawless deeds deserve to come to the community for help in settling remaining issues of custody, support, legal guardianship and patronage. These matters are best attended to in their own community, whereas the crime itself will be attended to in a local civil or district court.

Dealing with the Expelled.

Kindness is the only measure that makes any difference. Gentleness is the only example that resonates with a repentant soul. Any other attitude or inflection merely infuriates and ignites more anger and self-resolve. "But when someone strikes you on the left cheek, give him the other cheek," is the way of the Savior. That doesn’t mean you support him, or agree with him, or like him, or dine with him, or indulge him, however. The purpose of excommunication is to enable a person to get life in perspective and begin again, with a new heart.

The leader must exercise the utmost care and concern for the wayward because, "It is not the healthy who need a physician, but the sick" (Matt. 9:12). Therefore, they ought to use every skill of a wise physician and send in mature and wise members who may confidentially support the wavering sister or brother, urge them to be humble as a way of making satisfaction, and "console them lest they be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow" (2 Cor. 2:7). Rather, as the apostle also says, "Let love be reaffirmed" (2 Cor. 2:8), and let all pray for the ones who are absent from you.

The Tao Te Ching reads: "If you realize that all things change, there is nothing you will try to hold on to. If you aren’t afraid of dying, there is nothing you can’t achieve."

Where there is Life, there is Hope

Readmission of Members who have left

If a community member follows their own mistaken ways and leaves but then wishes to return at a later time, they must first learn to make promises, and then they must make the promise to make full amends for whatever inconvenience they caused, whatever loss they incurred and whatever Law they broke. And then let them be received back, and as a test of humility let them be given the last place. If they leave again, or even a third time, they should be readmitted under the same conditions. After the third time, however, they must understand they will be denied all prospect of return to community and would be limited to living as a Renunciate in a hut on one of the nearby fields.

Reproving the Young.

Every age and level of understanding should receive appropriate discipline and treatment. Physical, verbal and psychological abuse for any reason always results in resentment and lack of Trust. The harder resentment becomes, the more difficult it IS to move an erring person back to repentance. What brings anyone to repentance is revealed in prayer to God, to those earnestly seeking that one’s healing, salvation and blessing. Upon the prayers and laying-on-of-hands of two or three, every member can be dealt with amicably and come to a full knowledge of his own true effects, appropriate restitution and continued hope for Eternal life. [What is often true is that the hardest cases become God’s most Beloved hardy souls, also.]

Family : The desire to Breed and Convey an inheritance.

Chastity means, keeping one's promises. What is destructive is gossip, because it becomes impossible to restore expectations of purity, sincerity and intention. Also, isolation is always the felt outcome of a sexual tryst or trick. Lust is thus not profitable at all; it disgusts people and sets a person aside. Only by chastity and reserve does a person strengthen a relationship until it can blossom fully in physical and sexual union that supports bringing up a family.

Yet, effects bring wisdom. The fact is, people learn from the experience of pain. What is most enlightening and actualizing is also what is most distressing. At the same time, being in community and coping with only one point-of-view does not favor learning how to prompt oneself to be chaste when being tempted.

Therefore, the rule favoring chastity serves to attach people to the community who can do it. But what is just is that understanding must come from experiences outside the safety of the community because safety does not teach chastity. Thus, those who live by chastity live here, and those that can’t do that, must live somewhere else. A member is allowed one "indiscretion"; and if they come to marry that mistake for all time, they will receive forgiveness and the matter will be forgotten.

Marriage

is the state in which a person must challenge the self every waking moment to be at the service of [an]other person or people. It is very similar to living in heaven. Physical intimacy has the purpose of energizing and relaxing people who are under great stress. Thus, those who live in community are those who can accept an intimate relationship with God and a friendly relationship with people and only marry to serve as a family head.

Marriage and community contain opposing loyalties; yet, the person[s] devoted to God and Peace are inclined to challenge themselves completely, and this is one way to do that. A married couple in community have not a moment of their own that they do not intend and set about to create for themselves. And so it is also in heaven, that souls must create the space in which they interact with each other.

Iconoclasts are good parents and rear children well, one-at-a-time. But if they marry, their status changes because their focus is no longer on God, but on a mate.

Single parent and child[ren].

Single parenting sets parent against child in terms of time and resources. This is why it teaches cynicism and Zero Sum Game. It is the manner of living of predators in the wild, and it leads to less-than-human behavior in the child due to their being neglected.

The remedy that community has for the single parent of integrity [not a licentious one] is that the parenting role comes to be shared by other members of the community and the child is able to learn to lean on and profit from the prompts of trusted "others" besides the mother. If the single parent is licentious, the children will learn that sex is a commodity to be traded for survival.

Every child learns a role from people in relationship. Here are some of the roles with which a child will interact in community, that will inspire or inhibit the child’s Spirit, Will and [together] Soul experience.

Community Roles

Community Cellarer and Purser.--As keeper of the goods, there should be chosen from the community someone who is wise, mature in conduct, temperate, not obsessed with eating or drinking, not proud, excitable, offensive or wasteful, but God-fearing and like a parent to the whole community. The cellarer will take care of everything, but will do it all as if it were his own.

Cellarer and Purser should not "react." If anyone happens to make an unreasonable demand, the cellarer should not reject that person with disdain and cause distress, but reasonably and humbly deny the improper request. Let cellarers keep watch over their own souls, ever mindful of that saying of the apostle: "They who serve well secure a good standing for themselves"

(1 Tim 3:13). The cellarer must show every care and concern for the sick, the young, guests, and the poor, knowing for certain they will be held accountable for outcomes. The cellarer will regard all utensils and goods of the community as sacred vessels of the altar, aware that nothing is to be neglected. Cellarers should not be prone to greed, not be wasteful or extravagant with goods of the community, but should do everything with moderation and order. Above all, let the cellarer be humble. If goods are not available to meet a request, the cellarer will offer a kind word in reply, for it is written: "A kind word is better than the best gift" (Sir. 18:17). Cellarers should take care of all that the community entrusts to them, and not presume to do what is forbidden to others. They will provide members their allotted amount of necessities without any pride or delay, lest anyone be led astray.

If the community exceeds 200 souls, it should initiate a process of breaking into two, and a second cellarer must be chosen, initiated and established for the second community.

Goods and Tools of the Community.--Keeper of Soft Goods of the community—-that is, bedding and pillows; intimate clothing; outer and severe weather coverings; sandals, shoes and boots; gloves and protective coverings; shawls, sweaters and afghans; socks and tennis shoes—-all these items should be entrusted to a member elected by the community due to her temperate manner and honest dealings.

Warehouseman of the community—-that is, Keeper of work and carpentry tools, garden tools, tarps and tents, backpacks and hand-carts; machine tools, batteries, generators, protective visors and glasses, hand-trucks, pump-trucks, wheel barrows, drum containers, etc. All these items should be entrusted to a member elected by the community in recognition of his skills as workman and honest dealer.

Cook--Keeper of Kitchen supplies, containers, pots and pans, utensils, dishes, bowls, table linens, and portable drinking vessels and fountains should be entrusted to the care and keeping of the kitchen Cook, who will also care for and preserve food stocks in cold storage [underground], in crocks, by drying, and sealing in glass jars.

Keeper of the colors--In charge of paint supplies, he should also be familiar with poisons and toxic dangers. He should mix colors and oils; tar and tree resins to preserve wood and waterproof stone. He should supply the potter, the weaver, the cordwainer and the carpenter with fixatives and dyes. He must be learned in chemistry, botany and geology, a master of materials.

Mason--Builder to collect, sort and consolidate materials for building, berming, paving, landscaping and brick-laying. He will utilize outer-perimeter spaces for storing, protecting, measuring and transporting materials to building and gardening sites. In charge of both re-cycling materials and waste, he must understand and utilize natural decomposition processes to determine which materials are best suited for which purposes.

Metal-smiths to collect, sort, accumulate, consolidate and store metals for use by the community and its unborn and untold generations. Metal storage must be kept dry underground and in caves for [much] later use. Smiths will also forge, hammer and form metal for use in the community as--grates-for-walkways that permit light to pass; metal stoves for heating water and tanks for storage; jewelry commemorating marriage and inheritance; metal tools for working wood, stone and other metals; knives and pots for the kitchen; but no drinking goblets will ever be made of metal-—only glass will be used.

Glass-smith to utilize recycled glass, sand, rock and fire to forge and shape glass for every use—-clear and decorative windows and glass bricks to let in light; drinking glasses and serving dishes, bowls and flower containers. Instead of utilizing mirrors to see themselves, members will correct each other’s appearance gently and with tact. Women will braid each other’s hair and the barber will shave a man on his wedding day [so his wife can see his face, perhaps for the first time].

Barber and Midwife.--These healers care for the health of the people, test for purity of the water and oversee both decomposition of waste and mulch and the cleanliness of "public" areas. They must also teach the Law as given to Moses, with respect to handling food and personal hygiene.

Veterinarian.--with the assistance of angels, will help animals in their infirmities and pains; whelp and assist. But they will leave burying dead animals to the Groundsmen.

Woodsmen and ornithologist.--Responsible for the care and keeping of all trees on the community’s property. He should plant ten trees for every one he takes down, and his main duty will be to provide water-courses so orchards and shade-trees are watered by gentle rains and not only by gully-washers.

Woodsmen’s assistants.--Carpenters should know how to utilize every scrap and shred of the tree that is taken down or falls down, particularly as houses for birds.

Shepherd likewise is responsible for care and keeping of all bovine animals; and at the death of an animal, he will know how every part of that animal may be used to benefit the community so nothing is wasted. Shepherds are also responsible for newborn calves, for milking cows, goats, sheep and llamas "in due season," for protecting both the calves and mothers’ milk supply so surplus can be directed to the human table.

Prospering a herd has a price: when animals breed vigorously and there is not sufficient food in wintertime, it serves a kindness to cull the herd so no one starves—-neither the animal nor the people.

From bovine herds come skins, wool, milk, meat and bone that can be carved into implements. Thus, the Herdsman becomes a source of hair for Weavers, meat for Cooks, leather for Cordwainers and bone for Carvers. Animals are precious and must not be wasted, neglected nor abused.

When an animal is chosen for sacrifice to eat and remainder, naturally it will be a sound, clean, fine animal--one that everyone will regret sacrificing. For this reason, it is appropriate that a prayer be said by the community over the animal, in preparation for its painless death and in remembrance of the gifts that the animal conveys to its community.

Weavers, Cordwainers and Carvers.--Artisans utilize their skills to keep the community warm and dry with skins for outerwear; wool for shirts; silk next to the skin if they can cultivate silkworms; down padding and pillows if they can prosper geese; and bone or shell buttons. There is always a new skill to learn and from which the whole community can benefit. Naturally, artisans must learn their coloring skill from Keeper of the Colors, so all dyes and pigments are certified safe for use.

The Cellarer is the one who keeps lists of all provisions, stores and equipment from generation to generation for all work; and whoever fails to keep things belonging to the community clean or treats them carelessly should be reproved and corrected by the Leader, the Facilitator, the Cellarer, and any or all the workmen.

Farmers and gardeners.--Responsible for growing food for the community, they care for all food-bearing plants and spores, seeds, flowers, bushes and trees. Their preferred method of gardening is "permaculture" rather than annually sowing and reaping single crops; and they favor container gardening in a pyramid greenhouse over working in exposed fields. As many food crops as possible are grown in the community itself in planter boxes, rooftop greenhouses, sunlit hallways, stairways and atriums. Food is a necessity; flowers grown are a hobby.

In community each person humbly gathers his own family’s preferred foods each morning for the day and brings them to the kitchen to be prepared with all the others’ for the day’s meals.

Primary food crops are green [and other] soybeans; pungent roots [onions, garlic and horseradish], multiple grains [unnamed and all collected together to minimize allergy] ground together and baked as bread; annual tubers, squash, tomatoes and corn for cooked meals; and sunflowers, olives and flax seeds for oil; dried and fermented berries and grapes; fresh and dried tree fruits and nuts; citrus fruits, avocados and fresh garden greens in the greenhouse.

Musicians and ornamental Artists.--Both a blessing and curse, these require so much freedom to do their best work, yet a community would be in poverty indeed without the beauty that music and art conveys. As a compromise with the "workers," simply set a percentage [10%] of the group to serve as artists and let them go, do their thing so long as it pleases and enhances the community. If their "art" receives no patronage, they should move on or go back to a trade.

Community and Private Ownership.--Whatever a person touches and moves around with every day is his or hers. If it has to be picked up by more than one person and carried or it's immobile, it belongs to the community. The reason private ownership must exist in community is the presence of bacteria and viruses on peoples’ personal items and intimate belongings. It is not necessary to spread disease just to insist that humble people are not acquisitive and "obtaining" is not the point of life in community. On the contrary, it is appropriate for people to "own" their underwear, handkerchiefs, head coverings, toothbrush, hairbrush and hair-clips, shoes, stockings, shoulder-bag, bedding, remedies, notebook and pen, journal and personal papers. There is no point in stripping a person of all meaning of the word, "to belong," and then command that same person to feel loyalty and exercise devotion to a community.

It is good to remember that on the journey to heaven, things tie us to the earth. If one can’t move to another city because of a large mortgage on the house in this one; if one can’t take care of a sick neighbor because of being too busy taking care of hedges, we are taking things, hoarding things and giving things control over our lives. They clutter our space; they demand maintenance and care. Benedict said the answer is that we not allow ourselves to have anything beyond life’s simple staples in the first place and we not use things to restrict the life of another by giving gifts to tie another person down. Simplicity then, is not a deprivation: it frees us for all of life’s surprises.

Porters of the Community.--At the entrances to the community should be placed sensible solitary people who know how to take a message, deliver a reply, and whose wisdom keeps them from roaming about. Each porter will need a room near an entrance so visitors will always find someone there to ask. As soon as anyone knocks or a poor person calls out, the porter replies, "Thanks be to God" or "Your blessing, please," then, with all the gentleness that comes from reverence of God, provide a prompt answer with the warmth of love. Let each porter be given one of the younger members if help is needed. People not knowing appropriate responses will probably not know other appropriate behaviors either.

Distribution of Goods according to need.

It is written: "Distribution was made as each had need" (Acts 4:335). By this we do not imply that there should be favoritism—-God forbid—-but rather consideration for weakness. Members having fewer needs should thank God and not be distressed, but those who need more should feel humble because of their weakness--not self-important because of the kindness shown them. In this way all the members will be at peace.

Clothing.--Distributed free to residents and pilgrims, it should reflect "form follows function." Attire needs to be simply-cut, focused on comfort, appropriateness and economy and kept clean. "Cold days people wear more; hot days, people wear less" is a commonsense approach. Providing two or three complete sets of clothing is suitable where laundering is easy and climate is not forbidding—-too cold to launder frequently.

Women have 3 short 2-pc undersuits, ["green" cotton or silk] chemises, 2 natural wool or linen tunics 12" off the floor, belted; 2-white and 1-black [cotton] aprons, cold-weather cowls [wool and cotton turtlenecks], coats [cotton/wool]; black or white stockings, black boots, shoes and sandals; hats—cap, patterned scarf or shawl or hat of cotton, plain straw or wool—no logos.

Men get 3 unionsuits [undyed cotton or wool], wool and cotton turtlenecks, surplus military trousers and leather tunics with broad belting for tools and lifting, a black cossick for meals; great coat, boots, shoes and sandals and a black hat for meetings and travel.

Children have sufficient underwear and vegetable-dye-colored play clothes until they reach puberty; then they revert to undyed or black-and-white clothes like their parents. When clothing are outgrown and replaced, garments still serviceable should be cleaned and returned at once to the cellarer to be kept for the poor.

First and foremost, there must be no word or sign of the evil of grumbling, no manifestation of it for any reason at all. God is a bountiful Giver, and He provides for us all. And if anyone is caught grumbling, let them undergo a sound discipline.

Likewise, if the Community is blessed with strength and endurance, let it serve, help and bless another community plagued with weakness and timidity. Let it provide essentials, teach discipline and model tolerance. And by thus it attains a standing in the eyes of God and men. If on the other hand, one’s community is weak and timid and always short of help and provisions, then 1) it must stop indulging ease and invest more labor in its enterprises, more teaching for its children, and more good food on the table.

Serving the Kitchen, by the Week not the weak.

In the community rectory, everyone serves and everyone washes their dish and utensils and returns them clean and intact for the next person’s use, so love becomes the fulcrum of community life.

Members serve one another family-style. No one is excused from kitchen service unless they are sick or engaged in ministry. Service increases reward and fosters love. Let those who are not strong have enough assistance so they may feel helpful. And let everyone receive help as the size of the community or local conditions warrant. If the community is large, the cellarer should be excused from kitchen service because he or she serves all the time anyway; but let all the rest serve one another in love. Gyrovagues eat in silence, separately, to rejoice in the silent thoughts of God and still the ego.

Reading at Table.

Reading should always accompany meals, to substitute for idle chatter, some edifying thoughts. Each reader should not be one who just happens to pick up a book, but someone who will read with expression and with power for a whole week, a selection of his own choosing, starting on Sunday beginning with a blessing, "O God, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise" (Ps. 51:17). If it is deemed appropriate, the Reader should take a sip of wine and bit of cracker before his time to read, so he is fortified.

Let there be complete silence during reading—-no whispering, no speaking—-only the reader’s voice should be heard. Members should by turn serve one another’s needs as they eat and drink, so that no one need ask for anything. If however anything is lacking, it should be requested by an inaudible signal of some kind rather than by speech. There is time enough for casual chatter during cleaning up the kitchen.

In general, the privilege to read should be given monks and nuns according to their ability to benefit their hearers, with feeling, power and conviction. Desirable subjects include matters appropriate for investigation, reflection and prayer.

Food.

IN-GATHERING.--Regular staples are on hand in the kitchen larder and cooler, but that the Community shares in in-gathering seasonally out of our church farm, "glebe."

Grains for Bread.--Grains are seeded together and harvested as a community outing, with at least a third of the village participating during the harvest. Only about 85% of the harvest is brought in, to leave sustenance for animals and the poor for gleaning.

IN USE--In the larder a helper will have set grain seeds sprouting, rinsed every six hours for 36 hours, and these will now be ground up, formed into loaves with a little honey and oil and put to bake in a slow oven until they "jell."

Dairy milk.-—If there are cows on the property or dairy milk is available for trade, mix it—-all clean kinds-—together [to minimize allergies] in sterile vessels. Separate the whey for children’s beverages, and with the curds make cheese.

Soy Products.--[Local berm-harvested] Soybeans must form the basis of the village’s food supply and must be cultivated crop-after-crop in secure organic greenhouses at all times and in all seasons. Non-dairy milk, tofu and shoyu must always be available for cooking, so the kitchen will supervise and maintain adequate supplies of soybeans at all times and in all seasons, to feed all the people who come to the village for any purpose. Dry soybeans are easily stored in dry containers; but the young and tender green [edamame] varieties must be growing fresh. The kitchen should set up a place where regular processing of soymilk, tofu and shoyu products is carried out hygienically and on schedule.

Greens.--In greenhouses there should always be fresh sprouts, green leafy vegetables and a supply of stored tubers and roots brought in from perma-fields. The Cook should figure 1 cup of greens, 1 cup tubers per person, per day, with olive oil and garlic, tomato or cheese as accompaniments. Animal will forage on whole hay, berm grass and bean vines.

Dried Beans.-—If there were bones from the previous shabbos, these should be cooked down with beans and roots (garlic/onions/ginger) and salt and/or kelp; or cooked and mashed with olive oil and lemon.

Tubers, Squash and Tomatoes-—IN-Gathered daily. Every household shows up at the perma-fields or greenhouses and selects, digs and washes the family’s daily portions of vegetables. These are brought to the kitchen before noon, so no laborer ever has to harvest our fields while members stand by and watch. What is not selected serves as bird food, a tithe to the poor, and/or fertilizer.

COOKING IN SHIFTS

Simplicity multiples the value of time and money. When gardening consists of occasional activities that result in free food, a community achieves self-reliance by producing its own food products as a cooperative effort. The Kitchen then becomes a place where every member works for the benefit of all—

Processing soymilk, tofu and shoyu;

Sprouting mixed grains for loaves of bread.

Washing, chopping and preparing vegetable and fruit;

Sacrificing, butchering and remaindering an occasional animal;

Stocking, farming, gathering, storing eggs, fowl and fish.

What meets the Cook at the kitchen door each day is a collection of fresh fruits and vegetables that residents went to the trouble to get, according to their kinds to place on the "smorgasbord table" that day.

Tubers.--Depending on the number of tubers brought IN, they will either be roasted individually or cooked altogether and mashed, with gravy, goat cheese, sour cream or onions sauteed in butter as accompaniments.

Fresh fruit.--In-gathered as a social event when it ripens, it is dried or chopped into salads or blended into smoothies, or eaten whole. If there is no fresh fruit, then the Cook will look in his larder for dried fruits and serve them separately or make a cooked compote.

Annual Squash, Cabbage, Tomatoes, Cauliflower.--As these are brought to the kitchen, the Cook prepares them as the donor requests: steamed, stuffed, raw with oil or sauced.

Desserts and "treats".--Since festive food is loaded with fat, oil, sugar and salt, these are "saved up" and are only prepared in anticipation of special events, festivals, holidays, fairs and graduations. Maybe we’ll keep bees.

Wine and Beer.--"Everyone has personal gifts from God, one this and another that" (1 Cor. 7:7). It is therefore with some uneasiness that we specify the amount of food and drink for others. However, with due regard for the infirmities of the sick, we believe that a half bottle of wine a day is sufficient for each. But those to whom God gives the strength to abstain must know that they will earn their own reward. But, "How shall we ever get better," the disciple asks, "if we have no goal to adhere to [like abstinence]?" The master says, "Change that is real is change that is not willed. Face reality and unwilled change happens." Cosmetic "change" in the name of "purity" is just window-dressing. Rather, let us live whole-souled and honestly.

Food Is Holy

People thrive when the food they eat nourishes their individual cells according to real energy and evacuation needs—-namely, carbohydrates with dairy proteins in the summer and heavier proteins with fats and fiber in the winter. When we dine on seasonally available fresh food, we feel better.

Principles of survival determine whether we can endure a harsh winter. These are:

When there is nothing at all to eat, drink lots of water to liberate whatever food stores remain in the body.

Mammals’ milk is usually only available in the spring and summer and it creates mucus in the body during winter, so limit the use of dairy products to warm seasons and avoid mucus problems.

If human food is gone, but there are animals that still have food, keep feeding the animals and go hunting. But if the animal has no food, kill and eat the animal.

Hunters who don’t kill the largest game animal can easier bear the carcass home and leave the larger ones to breed.

When meat is scarce, nuts, seeds and bone with bean soup fortify the immune system.

All whole grains are compatible. Develop fewer sensitivities by sprouting and grinding them all together for bread.

At winter’s end, as new crops are being planted, people who give away surplus to the poor in anticipation of God’s blessing receive bountifully in return.

Hoard roots—potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, turnips, garlic, onions, ginger, ginseng, horseradish—and enable a secure winter and/or items for trade.

Utilize iron pans for grains and dairy products, but broil meat or cook it in glass, for the sake of sanitation.

Principles of nutrition determine a community’s baseline stature, longevity and immunity.

If you want large aggressive, strong people, serve meat and milk together. But if you want small, timid, long-lived people, never combine milk with meat.

If you want to promote psychic gifts and ungovernable behavior, give NO animal products; but get stamina from horseradish, peppers, ginseng, garlic and ginger.

If you want to promote purity [for one reason or another], make everyone eat the same diet.

If you want to promote longevity, serve sweets, salts and fat no more often than once a week; and serve meat only weekly in winter and spring.

Eating fresh fruit alone (particularly melons) minimizes the amount of digestive effort; but drinking juice after eating to slows the sugar rush.

Drinking milk alone should produce no gas. But, If that’s a problem, perhaps soy, almond, rice, oat or goat milk will serve better.

Combining fresh fruits and fresh vegetables at the same meal produces painful gas cramps, so serve these at different meals.

If cheese or rice or pasta are the protein foods available, eating it with lots of tomatoes and peppers will keep it from becoming very "binding."

On a vegetarian day, serve nut bread and lentil soup meal with a starch like potatoes or yams and a fruit OR vegetable salad.

Eating meat, fish, fowl, game and eggs with greens {cooked or raw], squash, peppers, cooked beans and dried fruits and berries provides bulking so food in the gut doesn’t become rancid.

Times For Meals

Eat breakfast [8 am] like a king, supper [noon] as a prince, and dinner [4 PM] as a pauper, to keep fit, lean and strong. Meat is given in wintertime twice a week at Sabbath; in summer, only at holidays. Life, in other words, is not of our own preferences; rather, all matters are regulated.

A form of spiritual awareness is clearly rooted in living an ordinary life with extraordinary awareness and commitment, a characteristic, in fact, common to monasticism both Eastern and Western.

Cultivating external silence.

Silence has three functions--

Silence develops a sense of interior peace and balance that clarifies one’s thoughts and makes clear the distinction between soul and ego.

It is the way to develop "the ear of the heart" wherein Guidance comes by God’s Spirit. And,

In a frazzled external world, the people who are silent have fewer difficulties and problems that they create, with which they must then contend and resolve.

A View on dealing with Tardiness, which is presumption.--How a grouping is set up determines how disruptive the stragglers are. If a meal seating must occur all at once because a reading is scheduled, then everyone who comes on time sits in adjacent seats toward the rear, and all the stragglers must come down front, disturbing everything and calling [non-verbal] censure down on themselves.

One mild way to accomplish at-once seating is for everyone to convene at the ringing of a bell at the entrance to the meal and file in, serve and be seated all at once. Straggling in and straggling out is appropriate for mothers with small children and for those burdened or weak.

Responsiveness.--An ability to respond instantly to a "call" is important in case of an emergency and to facilitate regular business. By setting aside whatever one has in hand at the signal to assemble, and by going with utmost speed to an assignment with gravity and not frivolity, a member signals he is fully engaged in service. Those whose habit is to be slow and late will get back a certain slowness in obtaining interesting assignments, experiences, privileges, and challenging roles.

Time to Reflect, Pray, Ponder.--It is impossible to be fully human without actively resisting the latent and nascent animal nature in each of us. What is easy is to give in to resentment, anger, indolence, ease, habit and prejudice. What is hard is to ponder, reflect, question, evaluate and wonder. Without a form of meditation and/or prayer, none of us can access Cosmic Thoughts that transmute immaturity into a fully cosmic and peaceful mind. Thus, it must be that the community will encourage, promote and prosper every individual’s attempts to meditate, worship, open themselves to the Thoughts of God in whatever form these might come.

According to ancient ritual practice, people progress their souls who stop their own thoughts seven times a day to reflect on the Presence of God and their Place in the Universe. What makes this practice easier is that we all pray together before meals and at sundown. This makes four times. Thus, it is left up to the individual to initiate three other appointments to "visit with God."

Most initiates have found 3-4 a.m. is a sleepless time, and many others feel that dawn is also a moving experience that evokes a sense of awe. I personally have found my best reflections come to me while I am walking on the road, ironing a load of linens or digging in the garden. For this reason, newbies do physical labor to validate their need to be in community.

When there is a pressing internal issue and a person is meditating, it is imperative he get the silence and internal focus he needs to attend to his issue. For this reason, all members should be quiet afterhours, so the ones who may wish to pray, meditate or do focused work alone will not be disturbed by insensitivity of others.

No resident is expected to be a nice person when he or she gets here; however, that effect IS expected to develop over time and with effort.

Faults committed and what they reveal.--If a member commits a fault while working in the kitchen, in the storeroom, in serving, in the bakery, in the garden, in any craft or anywhere else—either by breaking or losing something or failing in any other way in any other place, they must at once come before their "head" and of their own accord admit their fault and try to make it right. By doing so they secure their intention to serve. If the fault is made known through others, they come to be known as "immature," and as needing building up.

Faults known only to the Individual.--When the cause of a latent sin is known only to its owner, lying hidden in the conscience, that one may bring it to the Leader or to the Facilitator, and have them pray over him and have this thought expunged; or they will counsel him that it is okay and appropriate, and he will change his course of life to conform with his true will.

What we need are people in our lives who care enough about us to lead us through the various stages gently. If we choose spiritual people for friends and leaders and if we respond to their wisdom; if we want growth more than comfort; if we are willing to reveal our true selves and let the Light of Truth cauterize our Egos, we will finally come to the humility that brings real peace .

Duties and Responsibilities of Every Member.

Pay attention to good and bad effects that come up. If someone is hungry, feed him. If someone is energized, help him get going at his job. If someone is sick, get him to bed rest.

Take notes and keep a journal in your pocket. Write down what you observe that needs attention and bring it to the next community meeting, for discussion. Write down the progress you observe, and changes that the community makes, in service, in cleanliness, in devotion and in honor. Don’t expect "the others" to pick up your "slack."

Keep yourself and everything else clean and warm, and thrive thereby. Establish underground paths that don’t convey mud; build glass barriers to keep out the wind and snow. Group residences and berm them 2/3rds of the way to the roof. Snuggle together, where possible.

"Waste not, want not." Don’t waste heat, light, fresh air: contain them all in glass enclosures. Don’t accumulate "things"—only raw materials for the future.

Idleness is the enemy of the soul. Community members should have specified periods for real manual labor [just call it "exercise"] as well as for reflection. On Saturday or Sunday [whichever Sabbath is adopted], no one is to be about working at all, just hanging around and eating what's handy, or taking a nap.

If someone is so remiss, unwilling or unable to study or to read, they are to be given some work in order that they may not be idle, yet get put in touch with their weakness and indolence.

When someone is absent from the group, pray for their prompt return, lest they get lost in the shuffle.

Members at a Distance or Traveling.--Members who are working or traveling so far away they cannot return for meals at the proper time should observe their prayers and reflections where they happen to be. But if members are sent on some errand and expect to return that same day, they must not presume to eat outside, even if they receive a pressing invitation, unless the community has sanctioned it. This is because eating with others sets up mutual obligations that the community may not be able to satisfy.

Homecoming.--Life has to do with comings and goings, with cycles of births and deaths; of beginnings and endings. And so it is, homecoming is one of the most vibrant and touching experiences that come to an individual.

Members at a Distance or Traveling.--Members who are working or traveling so far away they cannot return for meals at the proper time should observe their prayers and reflections where they happen to be. But if members are sent on some errand and expect to return that same day, they must not presume to eat outside, even if they receive a pressing invitation, unless the community has sanctioned it. This is because eating with others sets up mutual obligations that the community may not be able to satisfy.

The reason the kingdom of God exists is to give "home" to people who are not grasping for properties and acquisitions, not collecting and accumulating wealth. Thus, "homecoming" is THE PRIMARY function of the free will community of God.

Therefore, let every homecoming be a reason for festivities and Holy Rest. Let every previous resident, family-once-removed, beloved companion find rest among you.

Reception of Guests, Transients and Paupers

All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ, who said: "I was a stranger and you welcomed me" (Matt. 25:35). Proper honor must be shown "to all, especially to those who share our faith" (Gal. 6:10) and to pilgrims. All humility should be shown in addressing a guest on arrival or departure, this because they cleave to unknown norms and customs. By a bow of the head and downcast eyes, the members will disarm most aggressive people.

Reading Divine Law to Newcomers.--After guests have been received, they should be invited to pray [to see what they do next].

The Divine Law, for Residents and Guests

We do not carve statues or create portraits of people—photographic plates, sketches, paints or sculptures. Nor do we utilize "things" as media to facilitate telepathy. The reason is that we endeavor to cultivate spirit-to-spirit contact—telepathy, claire audience and claire voyance—with God Himself, and pictorial representations distort the ability we have to contact and share thoughts with each other.

We do service ONLY here on earth that manifests as physical effects. We work, we labor, we bring forth results and outcomes in physical terms. And when our manifestations fail us, we pray to God, and He fastens angels upon us who relieve our suffering. But, we are not here to dominate anyone’s subjective reality, neither to curse them nor affect any spirit except by Truth. This is why we take no one’s name in vain—least of all, God’s--for so to do adds curses, expectations and outcomes for which we do not want to be responsible.

We rest on a Sabbath day—Saturday for Jews, Sunday for Christians among us, and one chosen day of the week for the non-aligned spirit. We do this to regain a larger perspective, to recoup our energies, to alter our activities such that we refresh our energies and vigor. Nobody thrives who becomes immobilized and stale.

We support our parents in their old age as they supported us in our infancy and childhood—abundantly and out of respect for their limits and boundaries. To do any less would be to rob ourselves of mastery over infirmity and weakness.

We do not kill people—not ere a babe that shows as a visible swelling in a woman, not a newborn poorly made, not a crippled child. For by unexpected children we are challenged to create new roles that were never thought of, and we never know by which untoward child will come our next prophet or leader.

Neither do we assault nor assail lawless individuals; we merely remove them from our rolls and show them the gate to the outside. "Outside" is hard enough to soften the most arrogant heart.

to the outside. "Outside" is hard enough to soften the most arrogant heart.

We leave other peoples’ mates alone and intact; just as we leave their belongings alone and intact, and their children intact and their teachings intact and their sacred memories intact. Anyone who cannot leave well enough alone and intact is most certainly lawless.

We have indentured worker-residents here. What they acquire here lawfully, they keep is they leave. Upon redemption they are fit to consent, just as any natural born resident is fit to consent and fit to refuse. They may serve this or that goal, this or that master, this or that role, including the choice to remain as resident or follow another drummer in the world.

Any person who takes another against their will, and abuses and assaults them or harms them or puts them to death IS subjectively possessed by demons.

In this case, all the people affected by the possessed individual shall congregate with the community’s judges and facilitators and raise a prayer to God Almighty. They will raise their eyes Heavenward and invoke the angels and God to devote this individual to Justice, and they will shun and cut off this individual to death by starvation or freezing. But they will not raise a hand or weapon against him, nor come to copy his evil ways.

The reward of the worker consists in his fine work, and the reward of the slackard, in his leisure and early demise [from boredom and ease]. In between, every person receives all necessities and must create all his [or her] pleasures by their own effort and resourcefulness. Any other plan for profit, influence, control or accumulating "possessions" is evil, and it is counted as lawlessness.

The reward of community living is freedom to experience relationships in Trust. Anyone who foregoes helping his neighbor in favor of haste or hurry; falsifies a truth out of thoughtlessness; urges others to "just get on with" selfishness; bribes another’s judgment or follows after a crowd to do evil—-is counted as lawless and expelled.

The divine law is read to all guests for their instruction, and after that every kindness available to the members is available to them. [Now aren’t you glad we practice Simplicity, else they would relieve us of our Essentials?] If the community is fasting on a day that a guest arrives, he will be given simple provisions to get him through that day.

Guests are also washed up, given a clean garment and a place to rest, in acknowledgment of the value of whatever they have brought to bear in the community—good humor, a few stories, a tale of woe. [If one’s motives are other than honorable, he will be so embarrassed by all the kindness that he will leave in shame.]

Great care and concern are to be shown in receiving the poor and pilgrims, because in them Christ himself is received, and they get special respect, out of their need. The poor and the sick also hear the divine law, get cleaned up, clean clothes, a good meal and a place to sleep comfortably. When it is time for them to leave, all their own clothes should be cleaned and returned to them.

Since there are but two dining rooms [vegan and animal], when guests arrive, they will undoubtedly impact the ordinary routine of the community. This impact can be seen as a diversion, a variety of experience that enriches the community rather than as depriving it of its established Ways.

In all ways, members are to remain silent during the reading at meals whether guests are present or not so that no wayward guest is tempted to engage any wayward member, over an old grudge or issue out of the past. If their desire is to remain in company with the community, let the community give them a tent outside and bring them in to work and share meals for a season, until an evaluation can be made, about their appropriateness for inclusion into the community.

When Insiders come visit, they come before the whole community in meeting and consent to and promise stability, fidelity and obedience to Holy Law and Community

Products Sold by the Community.

Whenever products of community artisans are sold, those responsible for the sale must not dare to practice any fraud. The evil of avarice must have no part in establishing price, which should always be the same as people outside the community, "so that in all things God may be glorified" (1 Pet. 4:11). Community products should be priced "at market value," so as not to alarm or disarm local merchants, and their value must lie in quality, not in cheap-ness.

Let members always remember Ananias and Sapphira, who incurred physical death (Acts 5:1-11) by trying to keep profits to themselves they had committed to the community.

Receiving Other "Insiders".--Gyrovagues are self-effacing and self-sacrificing members who keep the community safe from intrusions and intrusive outside corrupting influences. This is because they understand corruption from the inside out.

Do not grant newcomers to community life an easy entry, but as the apostle says, "test the spirits to see if they are from God" (1 John 4:1). So, if someone comes from camp and keeps knocking at the door, and if at the end of four or five days has shown patience in bearing harsh treatment and difficulty of entry, and has persisted, then that one should be allowed to enter and stay in the guest quarters for a few days. After that, the person should live separated by gender in recruits’ quarters, so to live, eat and sleep away from regular members for a while. [If a couple happens to pair up at this time, perhaps that is God’s way of creating a new ministry.

Creating A New Ministry in the Community.--Every community needs leaders; and every new community needs to have as its leader a contemplative, intuitive, gifted person who can GROK what’s at work and—-most of all-—what’s missing from what’s at work that is essential for the community’s well-being.

Leaders come from the gyrovague ranks because these individuals are sufficiently versed in cause-and-effect and in problems associated with obsessions, perversions and possessions that they can respond without judgments to problems, and without rancor to people with anger problems.

The first among leaders of a community is the Prophet [also spelled "Profit"]. Some of the duties of the Prophet are to—

Develop capital for the community by serving as Ambassador to other faith-based communities, localities and jurisdictions.

Conclude all meetings and gatherings by summarizing the positive effects obtained and pointing forward to goals and objectives further down the pike.

Serve as Master of Ceremonies for the Miracle Show--the One who invokes Manifestation of the Will of God that all people should thrive by sharing what they have and receive what they hope for;

Act as Judge when conflicts arise in which the Facilitator is unable to effect a resolution out of problem-stating and effect-understanding processes.

Finally, from the ranks of the gyrovagues who eschew all preferences, those that will achieve the role of Leader will be those for whom the love of God calls them to peace—not to war, not to sectarianism.

Leaders have certain observable characteristics that lead one to believe they have "transcended" their own preferences.

They don’t give a hoot what they put on to wear. … So they are granted a standard dress code so everyone will know—on sight—who they are—all black in the winter, black with white in spring and fall; all white in summer.

They do not cut their hair or shave; but they are immaculately clean and manicured, vibrant and physically fit. They wear no jewelry, no big belly and no head covering, as signs that they have no attachments except what they hear from God.

Chaste and unmarried, they sleep with other gyrovagues in "dorm" style, down the hall from the chapel. They also serve as Keeper of the Chapel.

If during their tenure, they take on a loving relationship, they step down to Anchorite role for seven years or until death do they then part.

If they are charismatic and attract large numbers of the opposite sex, they step down to Anchorite role until they become too old and ugly for that problem to occur.

Due to the fact they don’t care what they eat or whether they eat and they are more "in their heads" than in touch with their bodies, they are expected to frequent the Vegan Dining Room five days a week and the Omni Dining Room only on the two-day [Jewish/Christian] sabbath. This practice assures their continued good health while they serve God as Leader.

The process of selecting a new Leader from the body of gyrovagues can be democratic; it can accrue by heredity, by acclamation or consensus, or by lot—whatever works.

For each three novices in the fold there should be a senior member chosen for skill in articulating submerged intentions. The concern should be whether a recruit truly sees God in potential in all people, whether being humble is an acceptable path, whether service is seen as a growth opportunity, and whether adapting to divergent points-of-view is likely or not.

Novices should be told all the hardships, challenges and difficulties they will encounter in adapting to poverty in the world and to this small community, on return—in evolving their understanding of the Glory of God and wisdom, and in protecting the community from whatever threats currently face it. [It’s better to talk them out of it now, then have a disgruntled member later.]

If they promise perseverance in stability, then after two months have elapsed, let them read this rule straight through, and let them be told: "This is the law under which you are choosing to serve. If you can keep it, come in. If not, feel free to leave." If they still stand firm, they are to be taken back to the barracks, and again thoroughly tested in all patience. After six months have passed, they are to make their own hand-written journal-copy of this rule so that they may know what they are entering. If once more they stand firm, let four months go by, and then question them about matters of the rule. If after 3 more months of reflection they promise to observe everything and to obey every command given them, let them then be received into the community (= 15 mos). Make them well aware that, as the law of the rule establishes, from this day they are longer free to leave until seven more years intervene, nor to shake from their neck the yoke of the rule, which in the course of so prolonged a period of reflection, they were free either to reject or accept.

Rules.--They vow to stand for Holy Law as given to Moses, such that conflicts between Law and Governance are theirs to advocate, oppose, mitigate, undo or stand against. This is done in the presence of God and all the members, in ceremony and honor.

They state their promise in a document drawn up in the name of their patron saint, ascendant or role-model. Recruits write out this document themselves. With their own hand that they place the document on the altar of service. After they have put it there, the recruit begins the verse: "Receive me, as you have promised, and I shall live; do not disappoint me in my hope" (Ps. 119:116). The whole community responds in unity and adds a thanksgiving, and everybody cheers and applauds these new warriors. The document they wrote will remain forever in the community’s library as evidence to their devotion and intention to promote Justice.

If they had any possessions, they should either give them to the poor beforehand, or make a formal donation of them to the community without keeping anything back. [It is God’s Spirit who reveals those who keep something back.] From then on they are well aware, they have only themselves at their disposal, and they must petition the community for anything else they might want to have or do. Then and there they are stripped of everything of their own they were wearing and clothed in what belongs to the community. The clothing taken from them is put away and kept safely in the wardrobe so that, should they ever want to leave, those clothes are what will be returned to them.

The Gift of a Child to the Community.

If a child come homeless or orphaned to the community and the child is too young to be let loose, the parents or authorities should draw up a document committing the child to the community, and the child should be tested for fatal infectious diseases to see whether he or she is suitable for residency in community. [If the child is diseased, he or she may not be accepted as a resident.] The parent or authority should wrap up the child’s hand in the document itself and bring the child to the chapel altar, as a perennial gift to the community. From that moment on, the parents have relinquished all authority in the child’s life, and the child must be able, willing and eager to accept his or her new home or, again, the child is not a suitable member.

Property or Inheritance of the Child.--As to the child’s property, the family either make a sworn promise in this document that they will never personally, through an intermediary nor in any way at all at any time, give the child anything or afford the child the opportunity to possess anything; or else, if they are unwilling to do this and still wish to win their reward for making an offering to the community, they make a formal donation of the property that they want to give to the community, keeping the revenue for themselves, should they so desire. This ought to leave no way open for the child to entertain any expectations that could deceive and lead to ruination of the community’s wholeness, some years down the road.

People without property do the same, but those who have nothing at all simply write the document and, in the presence of witnesses, offer their child with whatever gifts the child has.

Admission of "Brothers"--Priests, Nuns, Elders and Ministers

If any ordained minister, priest, deacon, rector, rabbi or pastor asks to be received into the community—with or without family—do not agree too quickly. However, if he is fully persistent in his request, he must recognize that he will have to observe—BOTH—his own convictions as well as the full discipline of discipline of the rule without any mitigating, knowing it is written, "Friend, what have you come for?" (Matt. 26:50).

He or she should, however, be allowed to stand next to the Leader or Facilitator if he chooses to, to become more familiar with the ways of headship in the community. In all other ways, he must recognize that he is subject to the discipline of the same rules as everyone else and must not make any exceptions for himself, but rather give everyone an example of humility. Whenever there is question of an appointment or of any other business in the community, he takes the place that corresponds to the date of his entry into community, not that granted him out of respect for his ordination. It is read by the words:

"The Master leads by emptying people’s minds and filling their cores, by weakening their ambition and toughening their resolve. He helps people lose everything they know, everything they desire, and creates confusion in those who think that they know something so that none may presume anything."

Visiting residents of other communities.--From afar off they will perhaps present themselves and wish to stay as guests. Provided they are content with life as they find it and do not make excessive demands that upset the community, but are simply content with what they find, they should be received for as long a time as they wish. They may indeed with all humility and love make some reasonable criticisms or observations, which the community Leader may want to bring before the rest; it is possible that God guided them to the community for this very purpose.

If after a while a visitor wishes to remain and bind themselves to stability, they should not be refused this wish, especially as there was time enough while they were a guest to judge their character. But if during their stay they have been found excessive in their demands or full of faults, they should certainly not be admitted as a member of the community. Instead, they should be politely told to depart, lest their ways contaminate others. Complaining and complacency are the two evils that community life most abhors and can least afford. Any community or group is poisoned by people who criticize constantly and exert themselves little.

Community "rankings."

Having authority is always relative. In a community one’s rank is associated with the date of entry into the community, the virtue of one’s life, and the decision to stay and fit in. Thus, when a member seeks responsibilities, privileges, and authority to decide, it is their relative dates of entry that will decide tenure. It is their reputation that will decide virtue, and it is their willingness to take on obligations that will determine how well they are fitting in. These factors make election to problem-solving committees or future-search committees simpler than a system of rankings that is based only on "popularity" or on perceived role-advantages they may have held at some other time or place in the past.

Absolutely nowhere shall age automatically determine rank. Remember, Samuel and Daniel were still boys when they judged their elders (1 Sam 3; Dan. 13:44-62). So the purpose and effect of rank in the community is not the suppression of the person; it is designed to free people from their past castes, roles and demands, and provide them with a way to achieve equality, humility and self.

Younger members then must respect their elders, and the elders must love their juniors. Wherever members meet, the junior asks the elder for a blessing. When older members come by, the younger ones rise and offer them a seat, and do not presume to sit down unless the older bids them. In this way, they do what the words of Scripture say, "They should each try to be the first to show respect for the other" (Rom. 12:10).

In meeting and at table, the young are kept in rank and under discipline. Outside or anywhere else, they should be supervised and controlled until they are old enough to be responsible.

Election of a Leader and a Facilitator

Leader and Facilitator are complementary roles. The former directs out of knowledge and the latter listens out of open-ness. These skills are nearly mutually exclusive, and this is why Governance needs a Third Hand, a conductor between doing and listening, usually a small voice, a woman or a child of great clarity. This is why your children need to be in your meetings with you because they know when the time to act is come, just as the women DO. Men seem to tend to put off deciding until it’s too late. If your community can adapt to these realities, you will prosper.

In choosing the Leader and the Facilitator, the guiding principle should always be that the ones placed in these offices must either be elected by the whole community unanimously [by consensus] out of reverence for God. Or if that is not possible, they should be selected by the tiny part (2%) of the community that is considered most "wise," that is 2 or 3 "elders."

"Goodness of Life" and "wisdom in teaching" are the criteria by which both "overseers" are chosen, not tenure, not popularity, not cleverness, not power, not even "well spoken." After all, Moses was not well-spoken, and neither were the disciples. That is a skill that comes later. Rather, "heart" is everything.

Perhaps God may permit a whole community to conspire and elect leaders who indulge evil ways. But if He does so, it is for the Lesson that says, "What goes around, comes around." And when the conspiracy is exhausted, the house is broken and the people are scattered, let the remnants who honor God and Law and Peace, return to governance and return to the criterion that Leaders should excel in "goodness of life" and "wisdom in teaching" over all other values. Let them aspire to being loved rather than being feared.

While in office, since a Leader will tend to act without information and Facilitators will never know what to DO with information, there will be plenty for them to talk about constantly. Yet, remember that, by rubbing too hard one may break a rusty vessel; therefore, to keep penalties light shows mercy. It is better to lose one [or some] member[s] than alienate all of them. Relationships ARE what is Holy in community, because you either accomplish goals or not, by relationship.

But let them remind the women and children that a community that drives its leaders out of office by complaints and harassment doesn’t survive very long either. And so it must be that the time for complaints and problems must be shortened and controlled by having everything written down before it is spoken. And by this process, your Leaders show they respect their own offices, and they love themselves as they love the Community.

Danger signs in Leaders: excitable, anxious, extreme, obstinate, jealous, obsessive or even mildly suspicious. If these traits show up, send your Leader on a sabbatical and elect a new one before he [or she] returns. What to expect in a good leader is that the strong will have something to yearn for and the weak nothing to run from.

Leaders keeping this rule in every matter, will hear from God and from their charges, "I tell you solemnly, God will put this one in charge of greater things" (Matt. 24:47). And so it is.

Commitment

Now that you realize this is not a "church" in which a single line of thought predominates, think about the role in this community that your form of Godly devotion might find suitable, fit and challenging:

If you are outraged or insulted by this book, then truly this is not your right place at this time. You have no obligations to us; you are free to go.

If you are injured or infected, the person who gave you this book will get to you a hospital and provide you with a social worker to help you.

If you are disgusted or cynical, perhaps your freedom is more dear to you than a role at this time. God bless you, and go in peace.

If you are suffering or exhausted, tell the person who provided you with this book that you really are not up to undertaking a project right now, and give the book back or take it to a homeless shelter where you live. You are excused from any further obligations.

If you are lonely, read the book through again and visualize a place for yourself in its pages. Then come back to it when that seems appropriate to you.

If you are just curious, let the person who gave you this book answer your questions before you take it up or put it down.

If you are full of doubt and worry that this is just another cult or sect, let some time pass and think about it again after Pesterton gains an honored reputation.

But if you are hopeful that some good thing is always possible, then come on. Come see the drama that acting out "good roles" can produce. Email us for further information at chaiyah@mountain.net .

This book is copyright 2003-2009 by Emily Cragg all rights reserved to preserve the text.

You may download this book and contribute to the work via Paypal or send your money order to E Cragg, Apt 238, 2600 Nuestra Castillo Court, San Jose, California 95127; 408-259-9575--to help alleviate bandwidth and production expenses.

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