I want very much to live in a spiritual community, but couldn't find one that fits me. Please can you help me?

What you are expressing in your question and what shows up in nearly all answers, tells in a way the story of my life and brings back memories how my dream of 'community' started about fifty years ago when I was an architecture student designing living spaces for 'spiritual communities'. Imagining people who would not be involved in the rat race of modern society and live in a non-competitive way, striving for self knowledge and being creative. I imagined a group of artists, expressing themselves and apart of this doing something helpful for others... Many years had passed and still I was carrying my vision with me. Until the day when I visited a friend living on the beautiful island Ibiza. My friend gave me his old car and driving across the island, using small dirt roads, I came as if magically drawn to it, to a place on top of a hill and there was the ruin of a farmhouse... To make the long story short: I bought this property and three months later I moved into the only room that still had a roof. I had brought with me my horse, two dogs, two cats, a parrot and a rooster with three chicken. Here the story of the manifestation of my vision of a community started. That's now more than thirty years ago. To describe this time it would fill a book, so I will make an extract out of it: There have been living up to twenty fife people at this place that I gave the name "FalconBlanco" and there have been times when it really seemed to work. We had the feeling of a 'team'. But people were coming and going, as they didn't have the intention to settle for a longer stay. The energy was good and we could realize several projects together, but there only a very few long term members, so to hold the group energy was mostly depending on me, even though I never took the role of a 'leader'. I wanted that all would feel responsible and share the space and activities out of their enthusiasm and interest for our common intention. But this was difficult because of the fluctuation and also it turned out that many people came here just because of survival needs, not being able to go beyond this...

When after many years my energy went down and I got seriously ill, being occupied most time with my healing, then the outside condition of the place got chaotic, as people did the work in the most easy way by just throwing things on top of the other... Then when new people came they were disappointed about the situation and often left after a very short time, not being able to deal with reality, that means to relate what was there.

Going through my personal healing process it became clear to me that we are all in a 'healing & growing process' and that the most important and essential is, that we are conscious about it and that we use our daily conditions in a positive way for it and not feeling as a victim and giving the fault for our lack to whatever to the outside and other people. So then I was active about this and used my energy in this direction. That gave me a lot of insights and my understanding was growing far beyond to what I had experienced all the years. But the challenge went on and into dimensions that brought me to the limit, when people we had accepted to help them in a difficult life situation became violent and didn't want to leave the place.

Especially one guy was fighting with all other members, so that several left the place. When finally the police took away this guy, the damage was done and I was left with very few people and these were mostly those who used the place for their survival but were not really interested in our intention. I told them all to leave, giving them time to look for another place.

The all except two left and these two are still here, telling me that for sure they will leave and that happened from one month to the other, from one week to the next and this since nearly one year! Their energy is toxic, not just because they are smoking and not participating in our group meditation...

I am at the point to give up and I want to close the place. I have closed the Web pages about FalconBlanco and I don't want any short time visitors or helpers. Their help is very little effective and I need more time and energy to clear up the mess they are causing...

People coming are not really interested in something like 'self knowledge' wanting to find out about themselves, they only want self confirmation and that's not what they get here, so they are angry and showing resistance all over.

It doesn't help to check people before they come, they all are lying and pretending just to be accepted and when they are here then they are smoking and even using drugs but hiding it...

I don't know how to avoid such people and I prefer to be alone with my partner. I don't want to leave this place. It is still beautiful and life feels good. We have resources to feed more than twenty people, we don't need to struggle, we always receive what we need:

I had similar experiences when I visited some communities. They were too free and their living conditions were so chaotic that I couldn't take it and as you wrote it: Drugs were part of their live style and that was not for me. Or in other places there was every thing well organized and controlled, mostly by a strong leader and people were in total dependency. That also was not what I wanted so I left soon. I though about it to join a Buddhist monastery, but I still need some contact and exchange with the outside world and because of this probably a monastery is not the right place. Now I live quietly in a very small village with simple but friendly people around, no problems in so far but some times I feel lonely...

Sorry not being able to help you.

Isidora

What you are looking for is not yet part of a living-option in a daily life set up. It exist as a dream and longing, but ideas that are formed out of this urge are still too much bound to concepts and then if people are trying to live these concepts, then the intention must fail as the reality of human conditions are still limited to the established concepts of our society, even though one wants to get out of these. The unconscious program, engraved into the personal background, has too much power and is influencing strongly all actions and all behavior and doesn't allow to go beyond this frame. To overcome dependencies is already a step very few people can do. To live in a community how you are describing it, seems to be an illusion and not possible to find on this planet. Maybe out of the need of more seekers, a few might start to form such groups in the not so far future. Maybe you can start one! Didn't Jesus say: "If two or three are coming together in my name, then I will be beyond you!" What in my understanding means that the energy of a few people coming together will built up a new energy that can go beyond the limited force of a single person and even into a new dimension and exactly that would be necessary to form a community how you are describing it. If there is a strong need for something and it doesn't exist yet, then it is your term and up to you to bring it into existence! Go for it!!!

This kind of communities you are describing must exist! If they are only dreams, then the urge for it will bring them into our daily reality. I have this vision, similar as you, for several years now. Maybe first we need to have a very vivid vision of it and then when many people have realized it even only in a thought and dream form, then it will come into existence on the earthen level. Your question is a good step, others might follow and even though it is still in the clouds, the energy of this seeking group will form a 'group energy' that in its time will manifest in a concrete place. You will see, I'm absolutely sure! You are the creator and you have the power to bring your idea down to the earthen ground into realization!

Because it is not just a concept as it is the result of your growing and a need coming out of it. Inky is right: This is a challenge, go for it!

I am sending you good energy! Know that you are not alone with your vision...

Edit: I watched those Kabbalah videos. When I saw in the 'unity meeting' those fat guys dancing and singing and obviously feeling good, then I can't imagine living with them in a community setup with the intention to work seriously on oneself.

Bomoon

Thank you for your beautiful description.

You are basically describing the thinking, and purpose of the true spiritual path, and I can assure you you are not alone looking for such path, and the community supporting it.

Actually such a community already exists, and although most of it is virtual, as the members live all around the world, it is still a very close and supportive community, and as you will see the physical part of it is not that important or necessary.

On the other hand depending on where you live you might find a strong physical group close by anyway.

So if you are interested, try this true, practical spiritual method we are following, studying, catering for thousands of people all around the world. This method is free, open to anyone, anywhere, with any previous belief, knowledge or background. And there are no dogmas, you only have what you explore, discover for yourself.

All the best with your search.

I hate the idea .God does not call us to live in a secluded community cut off from the outside world .Alot of these Christian communities are like cults that brainwash and hypnotise their followers .There is little way to break free from the Christian fundamentalist, moral extremist mindset they have.They even practice some things like asceticism -which I think is horrible and I am against it .If you want to know God there is the bible ,you can form your own moral ideas from reading the bible.What's more you don't have to agree with all the moral teaching in the bible.In fact I disagree with some of the moral teaching in the bible beacuse it conflicts with what I feel is good .There are mainstream churches like the Catholic and Protestant churches , Anglican,Episcopal Baptist e.t.c these have carried the tradition of Christianity for 2000 years , the oral and written tradition. What's more I am not a moral perfectionist and would take a moderate approach to Christian teaching . Moral perfectionism is a moral ideal that I am not willing to practise to it's greatest degree .Good will to all humanity and love .

A spiritual club is one that more relevant than a community. IT'S A LOT EASIER.