Findhorn Ecovillage is one of the most comprehensively developed ecovillages anywhere, which is why we’ve been called ‘the mother of all ecovillages’. We have evolved a holistic, integrated community model incorporating many ecological, social, cultural, economic and spiritual elements, such as numerous shared buildings including a Community Centre that serves meals twice a day; a performing arts centre and visual arts centre; eco-housing of many different types (for example — attached, detached, mobile, straw, recycled); extensive gardens and a large food growing area; our own wind farm that produces roughly the amount of electricity we use; an on-site biological sewage treatment system; our own sustainably harvested woodland; a centralised woodchip boiler that distributes heat to more than a dozen community buildings; a carpool, shop and much more. We also have land and buildings elsewhere that render our range of resources even more comprehensive — Cluny Hill, five miles away (a 100-room late Victorian building that was once a hotel and spa) and a retreat house on the mystical west coast Isle of Iona. On the island of Erraid, next to Iona, we have a satellite community of a dozen or so members as well as workshop and guest facilities. A fleet of shuttle buses transports members and guests between these locations.
Work is love in action
I believe that shared meals are the single most important ‘ritual’ in the daily life of almost all intentional communities. Certainly, at Findhorn, our community meals (available twice daily) are central to the culture and a critical component of the social glue. Of course, there is something powerfully symbolic about sharing a meal, both with members of one’s ‘tribe’ and with guests. I am no anthropologist but I would guess that ‘breaking bread’ holds this value (and has forever done so) for almost every cultural group, anywhere in the world. Our kitchen staff dream up and produce fabulous meals in our Community Centre. The food is vegetarian and the ingredients are, as much as we can make them, fresh, organic, local and seasonal. There are always dairy-free, gluten-free and sugar-free alternatives. It fills me with pride in my community to be reminded at every meal, just how much trouble we take to cater for diversity, to meet the needs of every individual, and in this way, demonstrate inclusivity and caring for each other. Our community meals are prepared with love — the kitchen crews demonstrate our key ethos, work is love in action, every single shift. In Findhorn, we believe that human values such as love and connection, and spiritual values such as the unity of everything, are more important than things material, particularly the accumulation of material things. In contemporary society, there is a burgeoning phenomenon called the ‘sharing economy’ or ‘collaborative consumption’. One value of sharing is people connecting — it builds social capital; it brings people together; it makes people happier. A sustainable society is also one in which we choose positive behaviours that make us feel happier, more connected and more disposed to help others. At Findhorn we already do a lot of this kind of sharing. We collectively own land, numerous community buildings and facilities. Many community members, myself included, are able to live in smaller dwellings because we share communal facilities such as laundry, guest rooms, office and workshop space.
Our cultural life is a key ingredient of the community glue here, along with our spirituality and ecological concerns and practices. These three lifestyle strains are separate and distinct but also blend together beautifully to help build community and strengthen relationships. Cultural life in Findhorn can be as full and rich as one wishes it to be. Most creative activities occur on campus. We’re a community that loves to dance and we enjoy regular sessions, classes and workshops in many dance forms, for example, 5 Rhythms, Contact Improvisation, Sacred Dance, Traditional Scottish dancing, Biodanza, Trance Dance and Disco. All of these forms are celebrations of life, love and the joy of being human. The purpose is to enjoy dancing together in a non-competitive way, to learn that it is possible for everyone to dance together, to feel self-confident in a group that is supportive rather than critical and to be able to feel in contact with the Earth, spirit and each other through the different qualities of each dance. It is also used as a tool to channel healing energy for the dancers and for the rest of the planet.
This is an excerpt from the ‘Ecovillages Around the World’ book, which showcases 20 best practice designs from ecovillages around the world. It features well-established ecovillages such as Findhorn in Scotland, Auroville in India and newer initiatives such as Hua Tao in China. This book highlights the unique features of each project and their solutions to the global social and environmental challenges that confront us.
Find out more about the ‘Ecovillages Around the World’ book here!
Photo: Whisky Barrel Homes at Findhorn Ecovillage by Graham Meltzer
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