Beyond You and Me: Inspirations and Wisdom for Building Community (4 Keys to Sustainable Communities)

Beyond You and Me is the first volume in the Four Keys to Sustainable Communities series and is a practical anthology for anyone seeking to rebuild existing fragmented villages and communities, establish new group enterprises and ecovillages, and heal the wounds of conflict and social division. It is for those seeking to live cooperatively and in peace with fellow human beings and the Earth.

Since the beginning of human history, we have lived in communities. That is, however, until the mid-twentieth century, when cheap fossil-fuel energy has enabled many of us in industrialized countries to live more socially dispersed and isolated lives. But now, escalating climate change, peak oil, and the need to radically reduce our carbon consumption dictate that this unsustainable way of life cannot continue. We must relearn the art of community building and conflict resolution.

Beyond You and Me offers skills in communication, conflict resolution, leadership, facilitation, and consensus decision making, and an inspiring perspective on solving global problems. Written by an international group of social and ecological pioneers, it includes the voices of Marshall B. Rosenberg, Wangaari Maathai, Starhawk, Azriel Cohen, Hildur Jackson, and Helena Norberg-Hodge.

The Four Keys represent the four dimensions of sustainable design—the Worldview, the Social, the Ecological, and the Economic. This series is endorsed by UNESCO and is an official contribution to the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. The other books of the series are Gaian Economics, Designing Ecological Habitats, and The Song of the Earth. The Four Keys to Sustainable Communities series was completed in 2012 and is now available in the U.S. for the first time.

Kosha Anja Joubert has been living in Ecovillages (Living and Learning centers) for many years and is currently president of GEN-Europe (www.gen-europe.org). She is also deeply involved in Gaia Education (www.gaiaeducation.org) and through both organizations develops and offers courses on sustainable development.

Robin Alfred worked as a trainer, educator and social work manager for fifteen years in London before moving in 1995 to Scotland, where he founded the Findhorn Consultancy Service. Robin is trained in a wide variety of approaches to personal and organizational development, including: Appreciative Inquiry, the Frameworks for Change Coaching Process, Process Work, Spiral Dynamics, and Tools for Corporate Transformation.