Dan's Bio

Rufus Jones, the American Quaker writer and philosopher wrote: “I pin my hopes to quiet processes and small circles, in which vital and transforming events take place.”  And the mystic Sufi poet Rumi reflects on the joy of intentional communities in the words: “A circle of lovely, quiet people becomes the ring on my finger.”

I have felt a longing for a deeper experience of community for as long back as I can remember.  Perhaps it is something that is built- in to all of us; Jean Vanier describes it as universal and inescapable loneliness that seeks belonging and propels us into groups.  This longing has motivated me to find true community in various places but primarily it has encouraged me to lend a hand in creating and sustaining church congregations and religious community.  Recently, there has been another direction of interest: I have become an explorer into the world of intentional communities, of sharing accommodations with others, and of learning together in a co-operative housing venture.

My bio would read something along these lines: father, husband, male, middle-aged, Anglican priest, hiker and reader.  Some of those descriptors are closer to the bone than others!  I am proud of some of those words, and I also cringe at others!  I wonder what they mean.  One of my motivations to living in intentional community is to continue the work of clarifying soul and role.  The mirror of close family and friends seems essential to this spiritual practice.  

What excites me about our bird-brained RareBirds adventure?  Well… birds of feather flock together.  I am curious and grateful to discover some friends who share common values to live creatively, intentionally, sustainably, and respectfully… respectful of each other and of the world we share.  My altruism and my own needs are finding some healthy tension in all this.  We believe our lives can have an impact.  We desire a better world.  We don’t pretend to know more than we know (okay, sometimes I do!).  We are learning more and more about how to stay truly open and vulnerable: to not invade or evade each other.  We are betting on the common-sense wisdom that ‘many hands make light work’.   We seek to amplify our effect and find encouragement to deepen both our awareness and our engagement for transformation.  We hold true to the reflective sentiments of Trooper: “we’re here for a good time, not a long time… so have a good time…”; it will be helpful to have some fun together!

I have just re-read Ghandi’s autobiography; he considered his life to be ‘an experiment with truth’.  Our ‘truth lab’ will be our new home.  You are invited to continue following this blog and to check out our findings, discoveries, failure and successes together!

*this photo is not me...