Bizarre Communes From Around The World

When selecting a place to live, at the top of many people's lists are considerations such as the location, infrastructure, amenities, cost of housing and security. Well, for others they want to be surrounded by neighbors who share similar goals, beliefs and values. They decide to form communities based on various commonalities. Such communes are found in several areas around the world. This may be quite unconventional and often viewed as weird. Let’s look at a few of these communes. \r \r 1. Black Bear Ranch\r \r Black Bear Ranch is located in Northern California and was first started in the late 1960s. This open residential commune is surrounded by clean air, mountains, rivers and natural forests and is cooperatively owned. The residents embrace the idea of ecological stewardship of the land and living in peace with the environment and the local community. To accomplish this, guidelines have been established which residents are expected to live by.\r \r 2. Jesus People USA\r \r Jesus People USA, just like the name suggests, is an intentional Christian community. It is located in the uptown neighborhood of Chicago. The people live together with the aim of sharing faith, life and resources with each other. They seek to discipline one another to develop a deeper understanding of God and to witness and to serve the poor through outreach. The members live in apartments in a ten story building. They live communally, sharing chores and working for their many businesses. The money is placed in a fund for the community to pay collective expenses. Their lives are intertwined deeply with each other.\r \r 3. The Federation of Damanhur\r \r The Federation of Damanhur is a community of people who are connected by their own spiritual beliefs and goals. It was established in the Piedmont region of Italy in 1975. There are hundreds of members who live on one site but there are also others who live in other communes located elsewhere. Members can choose their levels of involvement which would determine the choice in living on site or not. Their temples are a significant feature of the community and were built secretly unknown to the government. Various temples are used for specific purposes, for instance, the Blue Temple is used for meditation.\r \r 4. Freetown Christiania\r \r Freetown Christiania, commonly referred to as Christiania is an intentional community located in the Christianshavn neighborhood of Copenhagen, the capital city of the Danish nation. It started off as a squatters military base in 1971. For many years, the people of this commune did not adhere to the rules of Denmark but this changed in 2010. This commune was originally established by drifters and artists. Over the years, this area is known for violence and other illegal activities. Residents have a hippie lifestyle. This community is visited by many tourists annually and there are several souvenirs, cafés, restaurants and music venues that visitors to Christiania can go to.\r \r 5. East Wind Community\r \r East Wind Community, located in Missouri Ozarks, is an intentional community. This secular and democratic community was established in 1974. Its members share ownership of all the resources. Along with receiving a monthly salary, each member gets food, housing, clothing, healthcare and education. Managers for various positions are elected yearly and significant discussions are decided through the democratic processes. Production and processing of locally formed food is a top priority in this community. To increase the number of members, a membership team selects prospective members who are allowed to visit for three weeks. They then become provisional members and stay for one year before possibly becoming full-fledged members.\r \r