Bill Kauth and Zoe Alowan, co-authors of We Need Each Other: Building Gift Community, modeled the tribe-forming process on fraternal lodges like Elk and Oddfellows. It begins with a champion, one or two people who establish the tribe’s values. The champion invites others into the tribe who wish to commit to those values: staying in place, time together, and being there for one another come what may. Potential members are sponsored by existing members. They go through a 15-hour training on the tribe’s values, deepening intimacy, gender safety, and conflict resolution. After several months of provisional membership, they are initiated in a co-created ritual. Don’t miss our ending song from their training: “Longing to Belong.” [timefortribe.com]
Watch Longing to Belong: Looking for Your Tribe? part 1
Watch video | Audio | iTunes | Janaia’s journal: A “New Tribe Training” Transforms Our Lives