Managing the Spiritual Neighborhood

Table of Contents

Preface to the Bound Edition: How to Read This Book ....... i

Reading Order ..................................................................... vi

Concepts and Definitions ................................................... vii

A Few Words About Clear Thinking .............................. xi

Preface ......................................................................................... xvii

Introduction ................................................................................... 1

Chapter 1 .... Awareness, Courtesy and the Quality of Life ... 5

1.1 The Garden Zone 9

1.2 Prevention ... A New Mind-set 12

1.3 The Effects of Awareness 15

1.4 Staking a Claim On Courtesy 21

Chapter 2 .... The Problem with Westchester ............................ 25

Chapter 3 .... The Power of Attention ........................................ 45

3.1 Suspicious Happenings 47

3.2 Neighborhood Alert 58

3.3 The Birth of the Quality of Life Committee 62

3.4 Homeless in Camp Springs 70

Chapter 4 ..... Responsibility and Spiritual Growth .................. 91

4.1 The Meaning of Responsibility 94

4.2 Experiencing the Inner Realm 97

4.3 Juvenile Madness 100

4.4 The Tatia Brennan Case 102

4.5 Growth of Character 107

Chapter 5 ..... Holes in the Spiritual Neighborhood ................. 113

5.1 Establish an Intelligent Presence in the Garden Zone 116

5.2 Fill the Leadership Gap Between Government and Neighborhood 118

5.3 Promote Willing Cooperation and Voluntary Contribution 123

5.4 Develop a Truly Preventive Approach to Crime 126

5.5 Point to Refinement of Awareness as the Key to Improving

the Quality of Life 130

5.6 Develop the Natural Community in the Place Where People Live 144

5.7 Establish Simple Trust Among Neighbors; Eliminate Anonymity 158

5.8 Provide a Structure Through Which People Can Demonstrate
            Grass-Roots Responsibility 162

5.9 Use Courtesy as an On-Ramp to the Path of Spiritual Growth 169

5.10 Elevate the Status of Community Service; Create a New Profession 175

Chapter 6 ..... Two Problems with Public Education ................. 189

6.1 Passion for the Yellow-billed Cuckoo 194

6.2 The Problem With Bullies 196

6.3 Handling Youthful Emotions 199

Chapter 7 ..... Garden Zone Management ................................... 207

7.1 Marketing the Community 209

7.2 The Art of Loitering 213

7.3 Gardening as a Community Ritual 218

7.4 Moving Toward Self-sufficiency 222

Addendum .............................................................................

Fairfield Full Disclosure:

A New Paradigm in the Heartland ....................................... 227

Criteria for a Livable Community ................................................. 385

Community Law: Ten Principles ................................................... 393

I. Spirituality 393

II. Intimacy 394

III. Uniqueness 395

IV. Community 396

V. Money 397

VI. Character 398

VII. Free Expression 404

VIII. Consensus 406

IX. Force 408

X. Sovereignty 409

Locating CCA Candidates: The Spirituality Czar 416

Action Plan ................................................................................. 423

Action Steps, General ..................................................... 423

Action Steps, Specific ...................................................... 427

Quality of Life Committee 428

Naming Trees 429

Garden Zone Management 430

One Quiet Day 432

Residential Stability 433

Mapping Desirable Properties 434

Challenging the Culture of Eviction 435

Controlling the Cost of Living: Economic Equilibrium 438

Farmland for Farmers 441

Permanent Market Stalls 442

Land Development and Intentional Community 442

Urban Renewal and Intentional Community 444

Community Involvement in Property Transfer 445

Land Reform: Restricting Foreign Ownership 448

Land Reform: Setting an Upper Limit on Property Ownership 450

Connected Green Space 451

Urban Ecotourism 453

Pavement-free Development 454

Changing the Car Culture: Professional Driver Corps 457

Local Passenger Rail 458

Barrier-free Development 459

Pet-free Development 460

Life Close to the Ground 462

Permit-free Development 462

[PR]2: Project to Restore Personal Responsibility 463

Simplify the Message: Action Plan for Pastors 467

Music Studios for the Public 468

Anyone but Wal-Mart 469

Self-sufficiency 469

300-Year Plan 475

Debt-free Existence 476

Credit-free Zone 477

ID-free Zone 477

Community-based Social Security 480

Appendices ............................................................................

A. Logic Outline 483

B. Intentional Community Guide 487

A neo-indigenous enclave 487

Low-cost construction, off the grid 487

$10,000 to $100,000 ... $75 to $150/month 488

Tolerance and comfort 489

Public versus private, code versus culture 490

Figures ..........................................................................................

Fig. 1.1 Points of discussion 24

Fig. 2.1 Crime in the Westchester area 27

Fig. 3.1 Neighborhood Alert flier 61

Fig. 3.2 Tree Survey 69

Fig. 3.3 Phone Message from Vera 77

Fig. 3.4 Vera's church support 89

Fig. 4.1 Spiritual growth 112

Fig. 5.1 Non-action as the basis for responsible action 144

Fig. 5.2 Agreement among Camp Springs clergy 181

Fig. A.1 Vedic Science Questions 345

Fig. A.2 Noise: What about the Ordinance? 361

Fig. A.3 Assessing Character: The Manhattan Project 401

Fig. A.4 Ten Principles of Community Law 415

Fig. A.5 To Kill a Mockingbird: Community Law Applied 419

Fig. A.6 Residential Property: Classes of Desirability 436

Fig. A.7 What makes a community member desirable? 447