Hello commune enthusiasts! Yep. I just said the dirty word: commune. It’s taken on some pretty negative connotations in the past few decades. Perhaps it’s because it sounds like communism. Perhaps the man did a good job spreading anti-community propoganda. Who knows why people either laugh, cringe or huff at the word. All I know is that I’m intoxicated with the idea of living in an intentional community.

Back in college, a few friends and I started dreaming about a place where we could all live, work, create and play together. We decided that one day, we would eventually have our own intentional community sustained by a bed and breakfast with an eco-tourism kind of vibe. We would all live in yurts, teach visitors what we knew, raise our kids together and live a sustainable existence. Well, all of those friends went on to get “real” jobs, and since I’m a writer and yoga instructor, I was the only one who was left to follow the dream down.

This is the very beginning. I’m about to travel to my first loosely structured intentional community on an organic farm on the Western Slope of the Rockies. I got in contact with the owner of the farm, Wayne, and somehow we figured out that we shared a common vision. He wants to turn White Buffalo into an Eco-Village. I couldn’t be more thrilled to do what I can to turn his dream into a reality. I think I have a few good ideas to bring to the table. If they’re not realistic, at least I can throw in my elbow grease, open mind, and good attitude.

So I’m starting this blog as a way to keep a diary of my experiences with communal living. Eventually, I hope to gain the skills and knowledge to help people all over the world set up sustainable eco-villages and intentional communities. I believe that having a record of my successes and failures can help serve that goal, and sharing them on the internet can help others get inspired to get together and build a freer future.

Do you live in an intentional community? Do you have any advice for me before I set off?