March 09, 2026

How to Start a Commune From Scratch w/ Sandra Bédigis Rueda / Rock Bottom Ep. 006

50 minutes

Sandra Bédigis Rueda explains how she and her husband began by searching for land, sent a letter to their network, quickly formed an initial group, and ultimately grew to about 25 members after several land searches. She shares her background as a corporate expat in Congo and France, the burnout and political stress that pushed her to quit after a pivotal party conversation, and how she shifted toward alternative education for her kids, including a democratic school near Lisbon. Sandra outlines the Les Pas-Sages model’s eight pillars, covering egalitarian governance, anti-speculation, money-in/money-out exit protection, collective property, member selection, consent-based decision-making with veto, and long-term affordability, plus a distinction between intuition and anxiety.

00:00 Commune Dream Questions
00:59 Twin Oaks Inspiration
02:18 What This Episode Covers
03:40 Meet Sandra Rua
03:57 Finding Future Members
05:45 Letting People Come and Go
07:24 Conflict as a Skill
08:24 Structure Behind the Vision
10:28 Corporate Life in Congo
14:50 Burnout and Breaking Point
17:47 The Party That Changed Everything
22:01 Quitting and the Next Move
25:12 Choosing Portugal and New Schooling
26:20 Beyond Montessori Labels
26:44 Why Democratic Schools Inspire
27:37 Finding a School in Portugal
30:04 From Family Land to Community
30:51 Retreat Burnout and COVID Reality
32:36 Documentary Spark and Launch Letter
34:24 LIP Model Explained
35:38 Core Values and Governance Rules
41:39 Why Communities Matter Now
43:54 Systemic Aikido Using the System
45:22 Advice to Younger Self Intuition
49:53 Where to Find Sandra and Maya 62
50:23 Closing Thanks and Next Steps