Yogananda placed a profound emphasis on "World-Brotherhood Colonies" and foresaw a future where these communities would not only exist but would actually thrive during times of significant global transformation—where individuals would flourish by embracing the principle of "simple living and high thinking.”
Yogananda's insights resonate more powerfully than ever in our current era. As we stand on the precipice of this new chapter in human history, the need for intentional communities has never been more apparent.
This is not just a call to return to community living; it is a call to redefine how we live together—with higher consciousness and support for one another in the face of unprecedented challenges.
Since the early 1960s, it is estimated that over 20,000 intentional communities have sprouted globally, each unique in its characteristics.The interest in community living is not just a trend; it is a dynamic movement now gaining momentum.
Yet, despite this surge, a startling 90% of communities eventually falter and fail, succumbing to issues that render them unsustainable. The typical lifespan of an intentional community is regrettably short, but it need not be.
Much like the intricate systems within the human body, communities are complex entities and each member is a unique thread in the tapestry of collective existence.
Drawing a parallel with the body's subtle energy systems, known as chakras, communities, too, possess their own set of energy centers— which I have termed as “community chakras.”
I am currently completing work on the practical handbook for those aspiring to establish diverse small, intentional communities worldwide that Swami Kriyananda, a direct disciple of the esteemed spiritual master Paramhansa Yogananda, asked me to start work on over twenty years ago in 2002.
Readers will identify the relative strengths and weaknesses of their present or future community, delving into ways to nurture the health, well-being, and happiness of its members while fostering the longevity and self-sustaining aspects of the community as a whole.
Work on the handbook has been an odyssey transcending the mere concept of community living. The approach and principles of Communities of Light apply not only to established or dreamed-of residential and non-residential communities, but also to neighbourhoods, schools, businesses, and corporations–– even families!
It has been a transformative endeavour dedicated to forging Communities of Light that illuminate the path to heightened consciousness and radiate beams of love and hope for a more luminous, interconnected future—for ourselves, our families, friends, and humanity.
My personal odyssey into community living began in 1972—over half a century ago.
Immersed in communities in the United States, Europe, and India, this journey has been not only a central theme of my life, but also a profound blessing.
Twenty-two years ago, I committed to creating a guidebook on how to create successful, wholesome, and vibrant communities. Today, with immense joy, I am working to fulfil that promise.
Kabir MacDow
Kabir has over forty-five years of experience in education – elementary through junior college - and was one of the original developers of the Education for Life System, based on the writings and schools created by the world-renowned Indian master-educator, Paramhansa Yogananda.
Kabir is now working full-time on the Communities of Light project and giving workshops.
Prior to that Kabir was a consultant with the Education for Life Institute in Italy, a writer, and an Ascend Now Coach, with online students in Japan, India, Hong Kong, Japan, Jakarta, Singapore, South Korea, and Great Britain.
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