Picking up on a thread within another discussion at KFD , what do people have to say about the possibility of pragmatic dharma communities in the real world?

I'm thinking of a round-table approach with a DIY flavor. Just a space and a time for practice and community to take place in the same spirit it does for people who post here. Also, it would be a chance for people totally new to meditation to have access to our kind of practice without coming the long way around as most of us have.

I have a workspace that would fit the bill during off hours for a small group, and the idea occurs to me sometimes that this might work. Also, I sometimes think I "should" go down to the Zen center, or the Lamrim classes, but... meh. I dunno.

Any relevant experiences, thoughts, warnings, admonitions, and ideas welcome. This is an idea in the nascent stages. I might mull it over a year or two.

I suppose the absence of information is itself information.

I like the idea, I've been thinking about how to go about implementing it over the last year or so, but I don't know that there's anywhere near enough interest in hardcore practice, particularly not in my area, to make it a feasible project to pursue. I do think it would, or at least could, work and it'd be interesting to see what happens with the idea.

Yeah, I'm more skeptical after reading recent threads about the gap between prgmatic dharma and other meditators and Buddhists. I didn't realize how much controversy there was. Maybe my reclusive instincts are the better ones.