Circles in Action ~ Cultivating Intentional Communities through Authentic Relationships

In the climate change narrative, while solutions such as solar panels, windmills, and EVs have gained prominence, the role of communities in driving adoption have been grossly undermined. Eco-anxiety is a crucial challenge our world faces today and each one of us are responsible for sustainable development (Lertzman, R. “EcoPsychology: The Art of Communicating for Planetary Protection”. Santa Barbara, 2016). The desired outcome of a circular economy is not the sole responsibility of the government and has not been achieved by CoP agreements. What then, will drive a lasting transition to sustainability? As it is evident from various movements such as Transition Towns (Hopkins, R, Totnes, England. 2005) and the burgeoning of intentional communities, a shift towards sustainable living requires communities of people who are not just co-housing together, but who are aligned in their vision and their actions. In this paper, the authors present: a. introduction to ‘circles’- an ancient social technology aimed at gathering people similar to a dialogue as a critical lever for social change.   b. share an example of an upcoming intentional community in India, EBHLE, conceptualized around child-centric needs. EBHLE (Experience Based Holistic Learning Environment) has a focus on creating a community driven Learning and Living space to benefit current and future generations through a creativity-based Eco-sustainable lifestyle. The 3 main pillars of EBHLE and its Community are Learning, Livelihood, and Governance. Besides learning, EBHLE members will be provided employment through opportunities on-premises, the sale of agriculture and agri-products, conducting training programs and telecommuting jobs. The learning space will apply the principles of Neuroplasticity, Biomimicry, and Quantum mechanics. Currently, we are using Sociocracy, a governance format which is consent based and ensures that everyone’s voice is heard. Overall, this paper demonstrates the potential of circles as a potent tool for our collective social evolution.