Communitas & Humanitas

Communitas is Community. Communitas is not so much 'a community' but a particular quality of social interaction which can be characterised by willingness to give to each other - or to make efforts on each others behalf.

Humanitas is Good-Mindedness. Where there is Communitas it is a great benefit if there is also Humanitas alongside it. Humanitas helps to ensure that the Communitas works to the good - both for its members and in its relations to the rest of society.

Development of Communitas depends on people coming together in shared activity under conditions which encourage contribution and shared experience.

Humanitas has something to do with personal character, something to do with knowledge and understanding and something to do with what we might call mental sophistication. Development of Humanitas can come in part from the everyday experiences of life if it is rich enough in suitable occasions, in part from educational activities and in part from spiritual practices.