Fishbowl
The fishbowl is a special form of small group discussion. Several members representing differing points of view meet in an inner circle to discuss the issue while everyone else forms an outer circle and listens. At the end of a predetermined time, the whole group reconvenes and evaluates the fishbowl discussion. An interesting variation: first, put all the men in the fishbowl, then all the women, and they discuss the same topics.
Read moreCommunity Creation
"For me, living in community is a lot about living from my values and having my life be coherent — everything is moving toward the same goals, rather than being pulled in multiple different directions the way I see a lot of people being pulled. My work, my social scene, my spiritual life, my child rearing — all of these things were parts of an integrated life that I feel very good about. And I think that’s a rare thing these days."
Shared Housing
Additional Pages of Interest:
Sharing Ourselves
Work Parties
Fun & Celebration
Meals
Sharing meals adds a level of complexity around the Home-mate relationship that you may or may not want. Meals require planning, shopping, money, cooking, and time. They can add immeasurably to the Home-mate relationship and provide convenience of having someone else to cook some of your meals, or they can become a source of conflict. The easiest choice is to keep food and meals separate, but that may not be the right choice for you.
Sources: Sharing Housing: A Guidebook for Finding and Keeping Good Housemates
Contributors: Annamarie Pluhar
Recommended Books: Sharing Housing: A Guidebook for Finding and Keeping Good Housemates
Save Money on Transportation
- Walk or use a bicycle for short distances
- Use public transportation
- Use a rideshare service like:
-Lyft
Non-Violence
Non-Violent decision-makers use their power to achieve goals while respecting differences and cooperating with others. In this environment, it is considered violent to use power to dominate or control the group process. It is understood that the power of revealing your truth is the maximum force allowed to persuade others to your point of view.