[FoRK] Federation of Damanhur

[Lion Kimbro]

  I've recently been studying the Federation of Damanhur.

    http://www.damanhur.info/en/html/home.asp


  Some good links for getting a sense of it:
  * http://www.dontleavetheearthuntil.com/page/1/default.asp
  * http://members.aol.com/RPeyser/damanhur.htm
  * http://www.wie.org/j36/damanhur.asp?page=1
  * http://www.laetusinpraesens.org/docs00s/horus.php


  These people are bona fida nutters -- they're spiritual beliefs
  are pure New Age & Sci-Fi fantasy.  These are exactly the
  sorts of people that FoRK relishes in hating.

  For negative reviews:
  * http://www.arcanology.com/2007/11/23/damanhur-in-the-news/#comment-95479
  * http://www.bbc.co.uk/northyorkshire/uncovered/alternative/damanhur.shtml

  Gobble 'em up, get your hate on!


  ---

  So, why am I studying them, and why am I bringing them up?

  * They're enormously productive.
    - the temples are just the beginning;
    - they make games out of everything
    - they transform all space around them

  * They're incredibly healthy.
    - psychologically that is --  with the sole exception of their bizarre
      beliefs, they live happily, friendly, motivated, positive, enthusiastic,
      constantly changing, beautiful lives.
    - they're not ironic, cynical, or bitter

  * They're engaged;  They're not "socially encapsulated."
    - they engage their neighboring cities and communities
    - they invite people to come visit them, work with them, learn from them
    - they go out in the world and help serve
      http://www.damanhur.info/en/html/ArcMagazineDet.asp?IDArt=14

  * They're growing, in a managed way.
    - presently, 1,000 people, and going up
    - they're a huge wait list to get in -- they want to grow in a stable,
      controlled way
    - they've been around for about 40 years.
    - if you've ever studied communes in the US, then you know that
      they either grow fast and then blow up, or they retain a small
      membership, around 100 people, and usually grow bitter and
      fall apart.

  * Aside from the kooky, their philosophy makes real sense, evidencing
    the internalizing of many of our highest ideals.

"The distance between our hands and our soul is shorter than we think.
 To grow spiritually means taking responsibility for the environment, for
 the well-being of other people and the growth of society at large. It is not
 enough to sit down and meditate an hour a day to be an evolved human
 being.  It is necessary to work hard and manifest spiritual achievements
 through concrete actions that make a difference.

"Through community life, Damanhur aims to develop individuals whose
 reciprocal relations are regulated by Knowledge and Consciousness.
 The fundamental rules of life are common sense, thinking well of others
 and the welcoming and exaltation of diversity."

  Their patterns of life are totally crazy, and resemble indigenous ways
  of thinking and believing.

  Yet, they really "get it done."  They don't just survive sustainably,
  they thrive.  Not just themselves, but the towns around them, as well,
  as a consequence.

  I'm hard pressed to point to anything "out here" that really matches.
  Free Software is the most amazing thing to me, out here.  And yet,
  it's no-where near as creative as what the Damanhurians are doing.

  -- Lion