I was drawn here to be part of our community in 1993, because I got interested in the idea of “community living”, but without really understanding what that meant. I think I’m not alone in this.I wanted to understand how to flourish in an environment where there are so many helpful resources but also the odd pothole to fall into.

I felt called to share some of the things I have learnt along the way in the hope that it may help others integrate quickly and gracefully for the good of all. I am sure I will think of other things in the weeks and months ahead..but just to get us started…

If you have an idea, get an ally
Here, I don’t just mean your best mate…but someone who knows how the systems of community work, which key players or committees you need to get on side, who to act as an advocate or champion for what you want to offer. So many great ideas have crashed because of this missed first step.

Find out who is here
Again, for anyone new to community, it is very helpful to find out about the human resources here. In this we are hugely blessed…but do you know who amongst us has a particular quality of calm, a high level of wisdom, strong intuition, knows where to get “stuff”..etc,etc. The best way to find this kind of information is to ask around, and to observe.

Community is a verb not a noun
Building community is not the new houses going up on North Whins, it is the attitude of mind that sees us as all interconnected, so the more we can connect on a heart level the better, and not just around the Park, but with every single person we interact with in Forres, Findhorn Village or all across Moray in friendship and cooperation. If our “community” is to mean anything it needs to demonstrate that it wishes to build connections far and wide, and not just amongst our own.

Befriend a stranger
There was a time when I knew almost every person here, just through attending community meetings, and other gatherings. Our success in attracting more folk to come and live in the area means that there are a lot more “strangers”. If you come across someone you don’t know, be bold and invite them to share a coffee at the café. That might be the very thing that would make them feel welcomed and seen. You might even get a new friend.

Patrick Lewington