U T O P I A

UTOPIAS: Joining heaven and earth.

Resilient communities

UTOPIA was the name of a book. Written in 1516 by Thomas More, it means land of no-where.



As the wiki-pedia states: Utopia…is  “a name for an ideal community or society, which is taken from Of the Best State of a Republic, and of the New Island Utopia, a book written in 1516 by Sir Thomas More describing a fictional island in the Atlantic Ocean, possessing a seemingly perfect socio-politico-legal system.”

Since biblical times some 5.000 years ago this has been present in humankind. Called “The Garden of Eden,”or “The Promised Land”, “Canaan”, and so forth a recurring dream catches the best of the human mind for peace and nobility and brotherhood.

 

For centuries or millennia humans have dreamt with such ideal places. Throughout history they have given different names: Shambhala, Shangri-la (Land of Happiness) and others. Weather this place exists or it is just  the noble aspiration of humans for a place or communities of harmony that joins heaven (cosmos) and earth (environment and communities)  is debatable.

Many countries, ethnics’ people have considered themselves “The Center of the World” and the farther lands were considered barbarians and primitives. In mandarin Chinese “Chung-kuo” means “The Middle Kingdom”. Easter Island inhabitants name “Te-Pito Te -Nua” means the “belly of the world”. And old traditional North American Indian Tribes considered themselves “The center of the world.” Most modern Europeans considered Africans and early American and aboriginal Australians “primitive” due to their lack of advanced weapons, and technologies.

Of course, we humans are fragile and ethically weak in many respects. Nevertheless as communities we may show heroes, glory and heroism. So saints, bodhisattvas, sages and noble women and men have existed in all cultures and times. This is the ideal many poets and saint have sung in their dances, songs, poems and lyrics. It is “the city of God “Civitas Dei”of saint Agustine, Jerusalem or Holy City, and so forth. In spite of this human are also selfish and sometime destroy others and nature.

Many such communities have flourished and withered. Indigenous and tribal people throughout the earth have had many such places, some might still exist and some others have died or been crushed.

As the dream evolves, modern eco-villages are a world network of eco-friendly communities using green and clean energy. They increasingly world to harmonize the human spirit of brotherhood for compassionate and effective  living. Some have even established local currencies for trade and economic exchanges.

You may look at:

Findhorn in Scotland

And   Dhamahur  community in Italy

Plum Village, is a meditation community by Vietnamese Zen Buddhists monk Thich in France. Silent walking and awareness breathing have proved that war and hatred can be overcome with community development to fosater peace.

There are many such communities all over the world we hardly know or have known. The vision repeats itself endlessly, in spite of decay, misery or horror.

Although different in every respect, all these communities convey the same message. WE LOVE EACH OTHER, WE NEED EACH OTHER,  beyond and in spite of  any belief system.

April 2010

Gustavo Jimenez