Originally I had hoped to include an essay by one of three TNS members who had moved to a small intentional community, but these members have (I hope temporarily) withdrawn from TNS in protest at summer, 1997's unpleasant exchanges in the journal. This website and the new incarnation of the journal are intended to remove some of the strife to the forum and level of collegiality to which it rightly belongs -- elections.
In the meantime, and in the hope that the originally-intended article will eventually appear here, I've provided a link to the Fellowship for Intentional Community website's offering, Geoff Kozeny's article on Intentional Communities.
If you want more references on intentional communities, including builders, newsletters, etc., try Macronet's alternative culture database
In addition to all this, there is my own version of living intentionally, which is knowing when you have enough, and knowing the value of free time. The following story has been going around the Internet, and it belabors the point, but hey, it's a new point of view for many of the work-addicted...
An American businessman was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village
when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat
were several large yellow-fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican
on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The
Mexican replied only a little while. The American then asked why didn't he
stay out longer and catch more fish? The Mexican said he had enough to
support his family's immediate needs. The American then asked, but what do
you do with the rest of your time? The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep
late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife,
Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play
guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life, senior." The American
scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time
fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the
bigger boat you could buy several boats, and eventually you would have a fleet
of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would then
sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You
would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to
leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then maybe LA
or eventually NYC where you would run your expanding enterprise." The
Mexican fisherman asked, "But senior, how long will this all take?" To
which the American replied, "15-20 years." But what then, senior? The
American laughed and said that's the best part. When the time is right you
would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become
very rich, you would make millions. Millions, senior? Then what? The
American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing
village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids,
take siesta with your wife, and stroll to the village in the evenings where you
could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."
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